Unfortunately the greatest use of water occurs when the supplies are taxed the most in the spring dry season. While North Florida aquifers are recharged by water which flows underground from Georgia, Central and South Florida depends solely on rainfall to recharge the aquifers. Agriculture is the major user of water in the state, but in highly urbanized areas of Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough urban water use is the largest consumer of water. These micro irrigation systems are available to homeowners too and can easily be adapted to landscapes and vegetable gardens. Florida is a peninsula surrounded by salt water.
Salt water is heavier than fresh water and exerts a constant pressure on our aquifer.
If the aquifer is over pumped or rainfall is scarce that the aquifer is not recharged, salt water will intrude ruining the fresh water supplies. This is exactly what happened to the City of St. Petersburg and City of Tampa in the 1920's. Present day wellfields are carefully monitored and managed to prevent salt water intrusion. For more information on St. Petersburg's reclaimed water program click here. Cost not technology is the limiting factor when it comes to desalinization.