Question
As a professional irrigation contractor in Florida have you ever seen droughts there where homeowners could not use their irrigation/drip systems?    We live in Austin, Texas and now with the latest drought restrictions we can't even use a drip system let alone sprinklers.    Since my wife is a gardener and people are moving here like mad (and further stressing the aquifers) we were thinking of moving to the Tampa/Lakeland area in order to have water for my wife's hobby.   I apologize as this is not a question about irrigation products but figured as an irrigation contractor in Florida it would be within your expertise.
thanks
rod

Answer
Rod,

Basically those in charge of the ground water can place any restriction that they feel necessary to protect the resource. Personally where I live there is so much miss management and waste it makes me wonder what the application process is to be one of the decision makers. Recently it was in the news that one City was going to prohibit any type of irrigation. I would guess the average DU rate would be 40% in the area. My problem is what they need instead would be responsible guidelines and standards. And more importantly they need to lead by example instead they prefer to use flood irrigation techniques and non working rain sensors while watering during high evaporation times. Education is key but it does not seem to be pushed by any one from the Municipal levels or even at the supply levels.

Regarding drip: Some areas have extremely lenient restrictions to drip systems under normal circumstances. I have noticed they some areas are tightening them up of late. My goal for my personal home was a dual system with traditional heads to establish a new landscape then a drip irrigation (turf included) to maintain the landscape.

Thanks