(1) The Legislature finds that multiple areas throughout the state have been identified by water management districts as water resource caution areas, which indicates that in the near future water demand in those areas will exceed the current available water supply and that conservation is one of the mechanisms by which future water demand will be met.

(2) The Legislature finds that landscape irrigation comprises a significant portion of water use and that current typical landscape irrigation systems and Florida-friendly landscaping designs offer significant potential water conservation benefits.

(3) It is the intent of the Legislature to improve landscape irrigation water use efficiency by ensuring that landscape irrigation systems meet or exceed minimum design criteria.

(4) The water management districts shall work with the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, the Florida Native Plant Society, the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Florida Irrigation Society, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Association of Counties, and the Florida Association of Community Developers to develop landscape irrigation and Florida-friendly landscaping design standards for new construction which incorporate a landscape irrigation system and develop scientifically based model guidelines for urban, commercial, and residential landscape irrigation, including drip irrigation, for plants, trees, sod, and other landscaping. The standards shall be based on the irrigation code defined in the Florida Building Code, Plumbing Volume, Appendix F. Local governments shall use the standards and guidelines when developing landscape irrigation and Florida-friendly landscaping ordinances. By January 1, 2011, the agencies and entities specified in this subsection shall review the standards and guidelines to determine whether new research findings require a change or modification of the standards and guidelines.

(5) In evaluating water use applications from public water suppliers, water management districts shall consider whether the applicable local government has adopted ordinances for landscaping and irrigation systems consistent with the Florida-friendly landscaping provisions of s. 373.185.

History.—s. 6, ch. 2004-381; s. 13, ch. 2008-150; s. 19, ch. 2009-243.