April 2025

On many occasions we witness dramatic and spectacular climate events – through things like floods, hurricanes and even extended droughts. This story, however, features a problem which has been described as ‘a slow-moving crisis’ by environmentalists. It’s a story that revolves around drinking water, and more specifically the Biscayne Aquifer which holds the freshwater supplying pretty much everyone living in South Florida, the problem is that saltwater from the ocean is increasingly contaminating the fresh water so many people rely upon. 

Experts who monitor intrusion into the aquifer are clear that saltwater ingress is happening at an increasing rate, something which has seen areas like Dania Beach and Hallandale Beach lose wells due to saltwater contamination. The issue is being exacerbated by two things – rising sea levels and the use of canals to force water through the Everglades at a faster rate. The latter, at least, can be addressed by restoring the Everglades, plugging the canals and allowing the freshwater to flow through the environment at a more natural pace. In the meantime, residents can do their bit to ensure existing levels aren’t depleted too quickly through simple steps like repairing any leaks, taking shorter showers and turning off the tap while shaving or brushing their teeth.  

The unique nature of the climate in Florida means that stories in the H2O Zone are just as likely to be about severe drought and water conservation as they are about flooding. The fact that both phenomena are equally able to impact on people living in Florida is yet another reason why climate change needs to be approached holistically, and analysis published this month underlined this point. 

According to the analysis, published by non-profit Climate Central, Florida is the US state facing the biggest risk from ’severe coastal flooding’ by the year 2050. The numbers are fairly stark – 23,000 people and 17,000 homes in Florida will suffer annual coastal flooding, with high tides or strong winds pushing water into some areas that had previously been unaffected. One of the drivers of this risk is geographical – the fact that Florida has a long coast almost at sea level - while another is the tendency to put lots of people in high risk areas. 

The good news contained in the analysis is that cuts in emissions could almost halve the number of people and homes impacted, something which helps to turn abstract consideration of a more sustainable lifestyle into something concrete. In simple terms, if this analysis is accurate, Floridians will need to embrace a combination of sustainable living and infrastructure resilience. 

There's no getting away from the fact that alligators, in their role as apex predators, have a pretty fearsome reputation, and there are very good reasons why the officially recommended safe distance from an alligator in the wild is 30 feet. This story, however, highlights another side to the fascinating creatures which have, let’s not forget, remained largely unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs some eight million years ago.

As well as flagging up the surprising bonds which can sometimes grow between humans and alligators (there is mention of an ‘emotional support alligator’, no less), the story looks at how the alligators play a major role as ‘guardians of the Everglades’. 

We’ve covered man-made efforts to protect the Everglades in the H2O Zone more than once, but it seems that alligators do more than their fair share as well; the nests and ponds which alligators build provide shelter for plants, fish and frogs to live, their activity stirs sediment which releases valuable nutrients into the water, and wading birds even build their nests above alligators. This last happens because the alligators act as ‘bodyguards’ for the wading birds, fending off raccoons and other predators. As if all this wasn’t enough, soil samples have shown that areas with high numbers of alligators are – for reasons that are not yet clear – rich carbon stores, meaning that alligators also play a role in the drive for net zero.    

Think  about sustainable environments across the state of Florida and you probably find yourself picturing country parks or natural swampland. What you might not come up with is the image of an airport, but Naples Airport in Southwest Florida is trying to subvert that thinking, and is leading the way in the battle to reduce the environmental footprint of aviation and cement the concept of the green airport.

We think that this story is an example of the fact that there isn’t a sector that can’t play a role in tackling the effects of a changing climate if they have the will and the innovation. Naples Airport is one of three in Florida and 35 nationwide which offer more eco-friendly UL94 unleaded aviation fuel. Sustainable fuel of this kind can reduce emissions by up to 80%, and it is not the only initiative that Naples Airport has launched in an effort to help create cleaner skies.

The airport also runs a fleet of zero-emission vehicles and has solar panels installed as part of efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, while retention ponds and a collaboration with Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust flag up a clear commitment to water conservation. The air, soil and water in and around the airport is subject to strict environmental testing, with the fact that no harmful pollutants were discovered in the most recent tests being a testament to the impact that the efforts of Naples Airport are having. 

The PGA National master-planned community in Palm Beach Gardens, South Florida, encompassing 43 neighborhoods and 5,700 homes across 2,430 acres, inherited an irrigation system that was severely ailing. Having been controlled by the developer for approximately two decades until the POA took over management, the system was over 30 years old with pump stations that were aptly described as being "held together with bandaids"

For us, it's a situation we see all the time. It illustrates several key drivers behind irrigation renovation projects. Primarily, the system's age and dilapidated state were major factors, leading to its unreliability. The original developer had installed a system unable to cope with the demands of the growing development's green spaces. This inadequate original design and a subsequent lack of maintenance meant the POA inherited a system prone to frequent failure. Compounding the problem, the old system was incredibly expensive to maintain, with repairs costing several thousand dollars annually.  

The renovation project involved designing and installing six new pump stations, undertaking a comprehensive cable-mapping exercise, and replacing old wires with new two-wire cable, decoders, and clocks across the vast site. Results have been significant, with maintenance and repair bills plummeting, significantly less pressure on landscaping budgets, and reduced stress for the POA and Lang Management. PGA National now has confidence in the efficiency and durability of their irrigation system and the support they receive from Hoover.

It’s a successful outcome that makes this story a highly relevant and compelling case study for understanding the multifaceted reasons behind renovating outdated irrigation infrastructure.

Our approach to irrigation is unequivocal - making and maintaining beautiful landscapes and green spaces shouldn't come at the expense of our environment and nor should it foster the waste of water, one of earth's most precious resources. 

It’s no secret that a golf course is a facility that requires a substantial effort to maintain. In terms of irrigation, this is particularly true. In many states, including here in Florida, we’re prone to periods of drought, and restrictions on water use for irrigation are a fact of life. And when it comes to what's driving almost all the innovation in the field, it's the drive for sustainability. 

An article we wrote toward the end of last year, looked at the progress the golf industry has been making and plans to make, in order to bring about more sustainable practices in the management of their properties. A lot of this hinges on irrigation as you would expect. It makes interesting, and on the whole, positive reading. You can be sure we'll be following up later in 2025 to see how things are progressing. 

Since we know a thing or two about irrigating golf courses, and in line with our support for efficiency in irrigation practices, we’ve written in some depth on the ecological and business arguments for a more sustainable approach to golf course irrigation. This story demonstrates how that approach actually works in practice, in the form of Harbour Ridge Yacht Club and the River Ridge and Golden March courses. 

Located on the north fork of the St. Lucie River, both courses have received Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf certification, something which clearly rewards the effort which has gone into creating and running golf courses with sustainability built-in at every point. This begins with landscaping which leaves natural areas intact, and involves members who are 100% committed to the cause. 

This commitment is reflected in the BioBlitz, a month long course based ‘wildlife census’ which identified, amongst other things, blue herons, raccoons, deer, wild boar, coyote, otters and bobcat families which are happy to interact with the landscape of the course – not to mention an area called the rookery, which is home to thousands of birds, and another which has been set aside for migrating butterflies.

Last, but by no means least, the courses use automated, computer driven irrigation systems which have enabled them to increase the areas that don't require irrigation by 20%.