Utilities report: May flows down, drought continues and TDS slightly elevated
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Summary
Punta Gorda utilities staff reported May water deliveries and wastewater flows, said Charlotte County remains entirely in drought designation, and described slightly elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) consistent with seasonal patterns.
Tom Spencer, Punta Gorda utilities director, presented operational data for May at the June 23 Utility Advisory Board meeting, reporting lower overall deliveries and continued regional drought conditions while noting slightly elevated water mineral content.
Spencer said average daily water to town for May was 6,600,000 gallons and the peak day was 7,500,000 gallons; total water to town for May was 205,490,000 gallons, down approximately 17.7 million gallons from April. He told the board that rainfall for May measured 3.29 inches versus a long‑term May average of about 3.9 inches and that “100% of Charlotte County is still under drought conditions.” He added May 2025 was the 29th driest May in 131 years, 1.71 inches below normal.
On wastewater, Spencer reported an average daily flow of 2,260,000 gallons, a three‑month rolling average of 2,370,000 gallons and a peak flow of 2,650,000 gallons.
Board members asked about the effect of intense, short‑duration rain events on reservoir inflow and water demand. Spencer said brief heavy rainfall does not always reduce demand because customers still irrigate according to schedules and the reservoir receives meaningful inflow only when higher‑rainfall events fall in the watershed above the reservoir.
Spencer also reviewed TDS readings: service water TDS ranged from about 545 to 673 parts per million with an average near 621 ppm, which staff said is elevated for the time of year; blended water TDS ranged roughly 300 to 413 ppm with an average around 350 ppm. He noted the blue line on the city’s graph represents the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 500 ppm for TDS and said blended targets aim for about 400 ppm or less.
When asked if upstream watershed restoration could address TDS, Spencer said the city is not currently pursuing a targeted TDS mitigation project, though restoration work in the watershed and an eelgrass pilot project being discussed with Charlotte County could influence nutrients and water quality over time.
