Unfortunately the plan did not have the desired effects in many of the targeted water districts. Compared with the same time period in 2005 and despite new regulation, water consumption in St. Johns River Water Management District actually increased significantly in 2006. In addition, the average resident consumed about 19 percent more water.

Officials are still hopeful and said it’s too early to say whether Think Two’s conservation message is paying off. They assert the increase in water usage was due to the lack of rainfall this summer compared to last, causing people to water their lawns more often.

Knowing whether the regional trend is moving in favor of conservation will take several years, said Hal Wilkening, director of the Department of Resource Management.

“Rainfall is a huge determinate of how much water is used,” he said. “Everyone who drags [water] hoses doesn’t irrigate if they don’t have to.”

The water management district’s regulation took effect March 1. Enacted to limit lawn watering to twice a week, it was seen as a way to ease the stress of population growth on the water supply. Their studies showed about half a typical household?EUR??,,????'?????<