Polk County is experiencing a water supply challenge as irrigation demands double

POLK COUNTY – Spring can be a difficult time for irrigation water levels in Central Florida.

“My grass is usually green as a football field, that it looks like artificial turf. Now it has dry spots,” said Kirk Vandervall.

Vandervall said his lawn has been brown for a couple of months, and he’s had to get creative to keep his plants hydrated.

“I have a bucket that I fill with water, and I set my plants in it and let them absorb that water. Then I let the water drain back in, then I put them out here,” Vandervall said.

According to Polk County Utilities Division, irrigation demands nearly doubled during April and May, but many residents are not getting the level of water pressure they’re used to.

Hotter weather, little rainfall, and the boom in population have left the county’s irrigation water delivery systems and water supplies strained.