All the water we use on Skidaway Island comes from wells
Our potable (drinking) water is drawn from the Floridian Aquifer approximately 600 to 1,000 feet down. The Floridan covers parts of Missippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and all of Florida (see image below), and the water in this aquifer originates in the upper plateau region of middle Georgia (around Macon) and flows through lower Georgia and Alabama on its way to Florida. There is some “recharging” of the system from ground water but the journey from the higher elevations to the deep aquifer can take about 1,000 years through porous rock.
Note that there are two levels to the aquifer, the second level is approximately 2,000 feet below the surface. Most communities draw from the upper level due to the cost of drilling much deeper.
Water for irrigation is drawn from two sources. Many homeowners have wells from which they draw water from the shallow aquifers 30 to 90 feet deep. This helps conserve the overtaxed Floridan aquifer from which our potable water on Skidaway Island is drawn. However, many home owners can’t drill a ground water well (approximately 30 feet deep) due to their location near a salt water source – a well would produce brackish water that would damage or kill most plants. These homeowners have no choice but to use potable water, whick of course comes from the Floridan aquifer. This is not only expensive, but places additional strain on the aquifer. Taken collectively (regionally) the total withdrawals from the Floridan are unstainable.
Our Water Is Limited
Since the amount of potable water from the aquifer is limited we, like other users, are limited as to how much we can pump from it. This is controlled by an issued permit every 10 years. So far, we are under our “draw”, but not by that much. In 2025 the permitting process begins again with a final draw limit issued in 2030. Utilities Inc. (our water & sewer supplier) and the TLA Strategic Water Committee are already involved with planning to “make our case” for our permitted draw from the aquifer.
Since approximately 40 to 50% of potable drinking water is used for irrigation on the island, the case for how we show ‘responsibility of use’ is a focus of the TLA committee’s planning. The goal is to have minimal impact on the community and the aesthetics of our beautiful island. This objective was behind the pilot project of Smart Irrigation Controllers during the summer of 2023. The result was reducing water usage by approximately 40 – 50%. Saving water and saving money while doing it is a “Win – Win” for everyone.
How About a Well ?
Even if you’re using “free” water from your own well for irrigation, there are still reasons to be WaterWise in your usage. Responsibly using ground from your well will minimize possible salt water intrusion into your well, or those of other wells closer to the salt marsh. In addition, cutting down as much as 50% of the usage of the well could lengthen pump life, may lessen “rust stains” on surfaces, and is healthier for your lawn and plantings.
The Landings Association does monitor ground water levels via 27 monitoring wells. As you would imagine, these levels fluctuate during the summer – winter seasons due to irrigation demands. What we’re trying to avoid is the problems encountered at Tybee and Hilton Head Islands where the ground water level has either dropped significantly or is gone all together. And once a well has salt water in it, it very, very rarely comes back.
