NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - As rainy days become rare in South Florida, the dangers of prolonged drought are on the minds of many across the region.
Despite the weather being picture perfect for many, it comes at a cost. On Friday, Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys issued a water shortage warning as little rain has fallen in the area since November.
“Not just the water levels that we see here at the surface with the drought going down, but also some of those well levels underground in our aquifers,” said Robert Moleda from the National Weather Service in Miami.
Officials with the South Florida Water Management District said the Biscayne Aquifer, which supplies the region’s water, is at a record low level, raising the possibility of a looming water shortage.
“Last year, the blessing of not having impacts from tropical storms or hurricanes means we also didn’t get our normal replenishment that we normally receive in the summer of rainfall, so we started last year in a bit of a deficit, heading into the summer,” said Moleda.
The deficit is something that Mother Nature has not caught up with, however.
“I guess we’re very dry; we haven’t had hardly any rain,” said an area resident.
Officials also said the recent cold and windy weather has raised the risks of brush fires, such as the one that ignited last Monday in Miramar.
“We actually have an above normal wildfire season,” said Michelle Danielson from the Florida Forest Service.
The Florida Forest Service said it is ready to fight any wildfires that spark, but officials advised that homeowners can do more than conserve water.
“Clearing vegetation that’s really close to your home, any gutters that might have debris, so that if there is any nearby wildfire, that there’s minimizing the risk to your home and property,” said Danielson.
Residents are advised to conserve now to make sure that South Florida doesn’t run dry.
“There should not be any issues happening at this moment,” said a concerned area resident.
Water officials advise cutting back on sprinkler usage and say that during the dry winter season, lawn grass can survive on a single watering per week.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.