HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — As drought conditions worsen, jeopardizing water supplies, regional managers have decided to impose usage restrictions for parts of the Tampa Bay area.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to declare a Modified Phase I Water Shortage amid ongoing dry conditions in the area, a release stated.
As of Nov. 14, the region currently has a 9.2-inch rainfall deficit. Additionally, water levels from the district's resources, including aquifers, rivers and lakes, are starting to decline.
Michelle Hopkins, the regulation division director says the restriction is "due to the ongoing dry conditions throughout the region and then our increasing concerns over water supply."
The base restrictions — prohibiting "wasteful and unnecessary" water use and a limit of twice-per-week lawn watering schedules — apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Polk and Sarasota counties. It also includes portions of Highlands County. These apply unless there are further restrictions put in place by local governments.
These restrictions take effect on Nov. 21 and will last through July 1, 2024.
However, starting on Dec. 1, people in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties will only be allowed to water their lawn once a week. The district says this additional restriction is needed because Tampa Bay Water, the main supplier of the three-county area, was "unable to completely refill the 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir" over the summer because of lower-than-normal rainfall.
Citrus, Hernando and Sarasota counties, and the cities of Dunedin and Venice, already have local watering ordinances that will remain on their current once-a-week watering schedules, the district said.
"Move to watering one day a week will help reduce the overall groundwater use, you know, we've heard that more than 50% of your water supply from your residential areas can come from your outdoor irrigation," Hopkins said.
Once-per-week lawn watering days and times are as follows unless your city or county has a different schedule or stricter hours in effect:
- If your address (house number) ends in...
- ...0 or 1, water only on Monday
- ...2 or 3, water only on Tuesday
- ...4 or 5, water only on Wednesday
- ...6 or 7, water only on Thursday
- ...8 or 9*, water only on Friday ( *locations without a discernible address)
- Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties under two acres in size may only water before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties two acres or larger may only water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
- Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) is allowed any day and any time.