Annually, April is Water Conservation Month in the State of Florida. The month has been designated to raising awareness regarding this precious resource. In Florida, water is all around us... especially on the barrier island! Its abundance means that we sometimes take it for granted.
The Town Council of the Town of Orchid adopted a proclamation on April 1, as part the awareness effort. This year, the Town focused on the potent combination of water conservation and prudent fertilizer use to benefit the health of the Indian River Lagoon. This beautiful estuary is suffering with an overuse of fertilizer, among other things. Excess fertilizer, or fertilizer applied just before irrigation use, ends up in stormwater runoff and that eventually goes to the lagoon where it fuels unwanted algal growth. Many people fertilize and irrigate based on a fixed schedule instead of based on actual soil and plant needs. The Town Council encourages everyone to become more conscientious when thinking about our yards as part of the broader environment.
Mayor Gibbons presented the proclamation to special guest James Cannon, Intergovernmental Coordinator with St. Johns River Water Management District.
If you're interested in learning more about how you can help save the Indian River Lagoon right from your yard in Orchid, read the 10 steps recommended by One Lagoon. By implementing just one of their tips, you’ll be on your way toward living a Lagoon-Friendly lifestyle, which is important because restoring the lagoon is a bigger problem than local governments can solve by themselves. It's going to take all of us!
Below is the text of this year's Water Conservation Month proclamation in the Town of Orchid:
Whereas, clean and sustainable water resources are vital to the health, safety, and prosperity of our barrier island community and the unique ecosystems that define our region; and
Whereas, the Indian River Lagoon is an estuary of environmental significance, and its vitality depends heavily on the quality of the water flowing from our residential and private landscapes; and
Whereas, reduction of the use of excess nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, is essential to preventing harmful algal blooms and protecting the seagrasses that sustain local marine life; and
Whereas, residential application of fertilizers is a primary contributor to nutrient runoff, making mindful landscaping practices, including water conservation and considered use of fertilizer, critical components of our collective environmental stewardship; and
Whereas, the month of April typically marks a period of increased water demand and precedes the summer rainy season, making it an ideal time to reinforce the importance of water conservation and the elimination of unnecessary chemical runoff into our ponds, the groundwater and the Indian River Lagoon;
Now therefore, be it proclaimed, that the Town Council of the Town of Orchid, in a public meeting this 1st day of April in the year 2026, does hereby recognize:
Water Conservation Month
The Town of Orchid hereby calls upon all residents, commercial operators, and visitors to protect our precious water resources by reducing outdoor irrigation, utilizing Florida-Friendly Landscaping, and adhering to nutrient-management guidelines to ensure a thriving Indian River Lagoon for generations to come.