Reclaimed Water Conservation Schedule - Nocatee

JEA supplements our reclaimed water with potable water, so mandatory watering restrictions are in place in accordance with the guidelines set by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

Watering exceptions and restrictions are set and enforced by the St. Johns River Water Management District. For detailed information, please visit their website. Watering restrictions ensure the efficient use of water for irrigation.

In 2024, JEA faced a variety of challenges in meeting reclaimed water demand and providing adequate pressures, with particular emphasis on customers in the Nocatee communities in Duval and St. Johns counties. 

JEA has carefully studied the issues that led to last year’s challenges. For 2025, it has prepared this new schedule with the twin goals of encouraging water sustainability and improving customers’ experience in accessing the reclaimed water they need for irrigation on a seasonal basis. 

Addressing the reclaimed water pressure issues you’ve experienced is one of the key reasons JEA is implementing the new Nocatee Conservation Watering Schedule this year.

We’ve observed that many customers are still watering during restricted hours — between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — which is not allowed under St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) guidelines, even on watering days. Daytime watering is wasteful — most water evaporates before it can soak in.

The new schedule is designed to improve overall pressure and reduce the time needed to refill tanks and reservoirs to support system reliability. While it will take time for all customers to adjust and for JEA to fully optimize the system, we expect to see improvements as more people follow the designated watering days and times.

In addition, JEA is working with the Tolomato CDD and neighborhood irrigation and landscaping contractors to stagger watering times across subdivisions. This coordinated effort helps distribute demand more evenly and minimize pressure issues during times of peak demand.

Nearly 11,000 Nocatee-area JEA reclaimed water customers, residential and commercial, will be included in the new schedule. However, some Nocatee customers will not be included in the schedule. These customers and JEA reclaimed water customers outside of Nocatee should continue to adhere to watering guidelines set forth by the SJRWMD. 

Yes. Customers who use reclaimed water and potable water for irrigation are included in the new watering zones and should follow the watering days for each zone.

The program will begin on Monday, April 7, 2025, and continue through Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. After Nov. 2, reclaimed water customers can resume normal watering days based on even and odd addresses as implemented by the SJRWMD. 

JEA will reach out to impacted customers by email, direct mail, and other means with information about their designated zone, including their new watering days and days in which reclaimed water will not be available.  

To get the best water pressure and support the health of your lawn, we recommend watering between 12 a.m. and 10 a.m. on your designated days. Watering during cooler morning hours also helps reduce water loss from evaporation.

It’s important that you set up and test your irrigation system to run during the exact same time period you plan to water your lawn. This will help ensure that the water pressure will be similar to what your system will actually experience, improving coverage and efficiency.

The SJRWMD allows additional watering days for new landscaping. The zone chart (above) includes exception days in which reclaimed water will be available. In addition, potable water will still be available for outdoor watering as needed on the two scheduled days per week reclaimed water is unavailable in your zone. 

JEA is working directly with HOA and CDD landscapers and irrigation contractors to adjust watering schedules for common areas. These adjustments help manage water pressure across the community and ensure more efficient system performance for all customers.

JEA will carefully study how the new Nocatee schedule goes with the intention of aligning future schedules with the St. Johns River Water Management District watering schedule during daylight saving time. 

JEA usually fills its reclaimed water reservoirs and ponds in late-evening and daytime hours. This allows us to prepare for peak usage periods.

If too many customers water during these refill periods, it can lead to reduced pressure. To help maintain system performance, please avoid watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., in accordance with SJRWMD guidelines.

JEA has proposed several projects to improve the availability of reclaimed water to southern Duval and St. Johns counties, including the Nocatee community.

The Greenland Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) project will add reclaimed water supply as the local community grows, to an ultimate capacity of 12 million gallons per day (GPD). Greenland will serve as a hub to receive flow from the Mandarin and Arlington East WRFs.

The Arlington East project (reclaimed water and disinfection system upgrade) will increase reclaimed water production at that facility from 8 million GPD to 25 million GPD. Multiple conveyance projects -- including Ridenour RePump, Estuary RePump, and pipe projects -- will aid in moving reclaimed water from our WRFs to individual communities.

Additional projects located within Nocatee will assist by increasing the available supply of reclaimed water for daily irrigation demand periods.

Learn more about these projects and other JEA capital projects.

JEA is not the first Florida municipal utility to enact modifications to watering restrictions. The City of Tampa has enacted one-day-per-week restrictions year-round, and the City of Oviedo in Seminole County uses a modified reclaimed schedule. 

JEA offers free irrigation assessments by appointment. Our efficiency experts can come to your home or business and help you reset your irrigation controller at no cost to you. They can also check your water meter for leaks, inspect your rotor and sprayer heads for interference, misalignment and damage, and ensure rain/moisture sensors are functioning properly. Call (904) 665-6000 to schedule an appointment. 

WaterSense® labeled smart irrigation controllers can save you an average of 15,000 gallons annually. JEA offers a $150 rebate on the purchase of eligible controllers. Learn more