Mandatory Water Restrictions for JEA Reclaimed Water Customers

JEA is experiencing exceptionally high demand on our reclaimed water supply, which is impacting system pressure and irrigation supply. 

We are currently producing and delivering more reclaimed water than ever before. We are also currently supplementing our reclaimed water system with potable (treated to drinking water quality) and non-potable water. However, this surge in demand is straining our system. Our teams are diligently working to identify and implement operational solutions to improve service. 

The average residential irrigation cycle uses between 1,000 and 2,000 gallons, per day. Here’s a helpful article from UF’s IFAS Extension about how much water Florida residential users are using to irrigate their yards. 

Did you know? The average home produces less than 200 gallons per day of wastewater. It takes more than five homes to produce enough reclaimed water for a single irrigation customer. 

JEA has met with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and received guidance for our reclaimed water customers to follow the mandatory watering restrictions set forth by the SJRWMD.  

The district’s mandatory watering restrictions are designed to ensure the efficient use of water for landscape irrigation while maintaining healthy landscapes year-round. They specify how much water may be used, the amount of water that may be applied, and appropriate watering days and times for residential and nonresidential locations. These days depend on whether your address ends in an odd or even number, and on the time of year. 

The current SJRWMD watering restrictions schedule runs from March through November during daylight saving time. 

• Residential properties with odd-numbered or no addresses may water Wednesdays and Saturdays.
• Residential properties with even-numbered addresses may water Thursdays and Sundays.
• Nonresidential properties may water Tuesdays and Fridays. 

JEA recommends watering from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. for no more than one hour per zone for optimal system performance. In addition, SJRWMD restrictions stipulate that customers water only when needed and not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. These restrictions apply to private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities. Some exceptions may apply. 

Currently, JEA has no plans to recommend enforcement activities. JEA is not a regulatory agency and does not enforce the district’s guidelines.

If enforcement becomes necessary:

• In Jacksonville, the responsibility lies with the City’s Environmental Quality Division. Enforcement efforts may include educational measures and can result in monetary fines through COJ. Should enforcement efforts be required, COJ advises that all watering enforcement issues be reported internally through the MyJax portal at MyJax.
• In St. Johns County, the responsibility lies with the Code Enforcement department.

JEA, like many other utilities, incurs substantial fixed costs year-round regardless of customer usage. Industry-standard rate structures include both fixed and variable charges to address these costs. The fixed charge covers essential customer service activities like maintaining records, meter reading, and billing, as well as a portion of the costs for operating and maintaining infrastructure.  

These costs do not fluctuate significantly with consumption and include wastewater treatment, pumping, and storage of reclaimed water. Therefore, the base rate is essential for covering these consistent expenses, making refunds or adjustments to this rate unfeasible. 

JEA cannot reimburse for dead sod or landscaping due to low water pressure. 

JEA has more than $650 million of projects to increase reclaimed water production and conveyance over the next 10 years. The bulk of those projects include the Greenland WRF, Blacks Ford WRF expansion, and reclaimed water production improvements at the Arlington East WRF.   

The remaining projects will improve the ability of the JEA system to move water from where it is available (Arlington East WRF) to customers in southern Duval and northern St. Johns County. 

Greenland WRF will be online in early 2025 and will provide some improvement in available supply to the region. We are continuing to look for opportunities to improve operations and fill tanks more efficiently.

JEA began messaging to customers on June 20, 2024 through various channels, including outreach to local media, direct customer emails, outbound phone messages, jea.com, billboards, and communications with homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and community development districts (CDDs). OAs/CDDs. We are also collaborating and communicating with our partners at COJ, St. Johns County, and SJRWMD. 

JEA Reclaimed Water Information

St. Johns River Water Management District Water Restrictions