man and woman washing dishes

Holiday Time Is Water Conservation Time

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During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations:

  • Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.
  • Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 4 gallons per minute.
  • When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.
  • Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
  • Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4.5 gallons of water per minute.
  • Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.
  • Remind overnight house guests to limit their shower time to 5 minutes to conserve water.
  • Choose an artificial Christmas tree since they do not require water, are not a fire hazard and preserve our tree canopies.

Don’t let the busy holiday season keep you from practicing good water conservation habits.

woman with a dog

Always Pickup After Your Pets

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Pet owners within the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) should always pick up after their pets and dispose of the pet waste in household trash or in a designated container. Pet waste doesn’t just decompose and go away. It adds harmful bacteria and nutrients to local waters when it’s not disposed of properly. Pet waste should not be left on the ground and should never be put into storm drains, canals or other waterbodies.

When it rains, pet waste dissolves and can flow into stormwater management systems contributing to water pollution that can degrade water quality. The waste also causes excess nutrients which may create algae blooms and decrease oxygen levels in the water. This condition has an adverse effect on fish and other aquatic life. If not disposed of properly, pet waste not only affects water quality, but public health. The pathogens (bacteria, parasites and viruses) found in pet waste can make people ill. Pet waste can also make local waters non-swimmable and unfishable.

Pet owners should remember to:

  • Always clean up after your animals.
  • Use bags or scoopers to pick up waste.
  • Dispose of waste in pet waste containers or in your household trash.
  • Do not put pet waste into storm drains or on the road.
  • When traveling, carry extra bags in the car to have on hand to clean up after your pet.
  • Remind other pet owners to pick up after their pet.
  • Avoid letting your pet do his business within 200 feet of a water body.

Pet waste is seemingly a small source of pollution but over time it can add up to big problems for water quality, and even human health.

Landowners meeting

Jan 5, 2022 Landowners Meeting & Board Election

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The LWDD Annual Landowners meeting will take place January 5, 2022, at 9 a.m. at the District’s offices. During the meeting staff will provide a report to the landowners regarding the District’s annual operations and activities. Also, the election for Board Supervisor to Election Sub-District 1 will take place. Votes must be cast during the Landowners meeting in person by ballot or by proxy. Details about the election process and proxy form can be found at www.lwdd.net/board-of-supervisors/election-process
file folders on shelf

Public Records And You

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All organizations have records, but public records are special category only found in government. The laws governing public records are state specific and Florida has one of the broadest and most open-access policies in the United States. Florida Statute Chapter 119 is our Public Records Law and is frequently referred to as the Sunshine Law.

The definition of a public record as stated in Chapter 119 is “…all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency.” Additionally, the statute provides 3 principles that govern an agencies responsibility to provide access as:

  1. Each government agency is charged with the responsibility of safeguarding its public records.
  2. Government records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person.
  3. Providing access to public records is a duty of each agency.

Unless an exemption exists in the statute, for example, medical information or social security numbers, the records must be made available within a reasonable time to the public upon request. If access is denied, the legal citation of the exemption will be provided. There are over 1,500 exemptions in which the State of Florida has identified a specific record or part of a record that are exempt from disclosure to the public.

The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) provides many frequently requested records on its website at www.lwdd.net. If you are unable to find the records you need on the website, a public records request can be submitted. Requests for records do not have to be submitted in writing; however, a request form at www.lwdd.net/contact/public-records-request was created to help facilitate the process. Regardless of the method used when making a request, it is important to be specific about the records you are requesting and if possible, include the date range. A very broad and ambiguous request can take longer to fulfill and the cost of production of extraneous records may be burdensome to the requestor. The LWDD is committed to providing open and prompt access to the agency’s public records and staff is available to assist the public in obtaining the information they need.

Person filling jug with used cooking oil

Tom Turkey Has A Message For You

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Fried turkeys are a holiday treat, but the mess from all that oil is less enticing. After a wonderful meal and it’s time to clean-up, do you know what to do with that left-over cooking oil?

You can store used cooking oil to reuse later. If you plan to reuse your cooking oil, you should choose high-quality oil with a high smoking point and strain it through cheesecloth between each use. Store the used cooking oil in a cool, dry place in a sealed container. Or if you choose to dispose of it, do not pour it down your drain. That can cause costly damage to your home plumbing, sewage collection system or septic system. Additionally, do not dispose of used cooking oil in your garden, down a storm drain or into a canal. Once the oil enters the water system it becomes a pollutant and may cause serious harm to water quality and marine life.

To dispose of cooking oil properly, carefully pour the cooled used cooking oil into a large, sturdy plastic container no larger than 5 gallons in size. Don’t mix the used cooking oil with any other liquids or products. Cap it tightly and drop it off at one of the Solid Waste Authority’s Home Chemical and Recycling Centers. For drop-off locations and more information contact the Solid Waste Authority at 561-640-4000 or visit their website at https://swa.org/173/Used-Cooking-Oil.