Florida Mobile Irrigation Laboratories (MILs)
For more than fifteen years, partnership-based Mobile Irrigation Labs (MILs) have been operating throughout the State of Florida. Presently, there are sixteen MILs providing service in 51 counties. Of the sixteen MILs, ten are agricultural, five are urban, and one is agricultural and urban.
These MILs operate within four of the five water management districts (WMDs), and receive support from three of the WMDs, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), selected counties, and/or selected utilities in the State.
Each MIL consists of a one- or two-person team, a vehicle, and field equipment. The MIL services are free-of-charge and provide site-specific expertise in analyzing irrigation systems and educating property owners on how to improve water conservation and use. The MILs provide recommendations on the improvement of existing irrigation systems and equipment, and educate their customers and the general public on water conservation, irrigation planning, and irrigation management.
Although the MILs originally targeted agricultural water use, they also assist residential and commercial water users. Landscapes, nurseries, and golf courses have benefited greatly from the advice and education provided by the MILs. In addition to providing recommendations on irrigation system improvements, some MILs assist farmers by identifying water quality improvement opportunities available through Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Since 2004, these MILs have conducted more than 7,200 evaluations on more than 148,000 acres of land, resulting in water savings of more than 7.8 billion gallons of water a year, with the potential to save more than 16.5 billion gallons a year if all their evaluation recommendations were implemented. The cost to conserve water through MIL services is very competitive when compared to the costs to develop new sources of water.
- OAWP Mobile Irrigation Lab Contacts (69KB PDF)
This document lists the OAWP Mobile Irrigation Labs and contacts across the State. - OAWP Mobile Irrigation Lab Service Areas (152KB PDF)
This map depicts the service areas covered by OAWP Mobile Irrigation Labs. - OAWP Mobile Irrigation Lab Handbook (10MB PDF)
This handbook contains guidance and support information for the OAWP Mobile Irrigation Labs.
* For more information on MILs, call Camilo Gaitan at (850) 617-1715 or email Camilo.Gaitan@FreshFromFlorida.com.