When Floridians see and hear Craig Fugate, they think Hurricane. But the presence of the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Craig Fugate at Thursday's South Florida Water Management District Meeting emphasized the severity of the on-going drought.

Craig Fugate was on hand to discuss the extreme water shortage and its’ impacts, especially on agriculture. And to announce yet another increase in water use restrictions. Some of those include; an extreme water shortage declaration for the Everglades agricultural area and a severe water shortage declaration for areas in Lee, Collier and Hendry Counties. Fugate says residents and businesses can help by simply following the rules.

“We’re talking about your drinking water system going dry…It doesn’t have to come to that, but if you don’t head conservation, you don’t restrict your use of water voluntarily, you don’t follow the water restrictions, ultimately bad things we don’t believe can happen, will happen to our community.”

The water management district says the recent rains are only a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed. And they warn that further tightening of the restrictions may be necessary if the drought continues.