The St. Johns River Water Management District declared a Phase 1 Moderate Water Shortage for parts of Alachua, Baker, Bradford and Marion counties along with all of Duval County.

The shortage declaration came after a Wednesday vote by the water district’s governing board. The Suwannee River Water Management District, which oversees the rest of Alachua County, has an ongoing water shortage advisory issued in January.

Each of the five counties have received less than 40 inches of rain over the past year. District staff recommended the Phase 1 declaration and told the board that some groundwater monitoring locations were at or below the 15th percentile.

The next significant rain for North Central Florida could come on Sunday as a front moves east from Colorado.

Under the Phase 1 declaration, all water users are encouraged to reduce voluntarily reduce usage and conserve water as much as possible. Wasteful and unnecessary water use is prohibited, according to a district press release.

“Property owners and managers are encouraged to prepare for possible worsening conditions,” the release said.

The declaration also gives Michael Register, executive director of the St. Johns Water Management District, authority to expand the water shortage declarations.