TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Residents in three Tampa Bay area counties will be limited to watering their lawns once per week starting Friday.
Earlier this month, the Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a water shortage, affecting all Tampa Bay area counties and portions of southwest Florida.
Residents in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties will be under water restrictions because Tampa Bay Water was unable to completely refill the 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir this summer due to the lower-than-normal rainfall.
Officials said residents will be able to water their lawns on the following days if their address 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 (includes locations without a discernible address)
“Depending on how well we do and conserving our water and how well the weather cooperates with us they will evaluate and may move us into further restrictions in phases,” City of Tampa Water Department’s John Ring said. “That brings in things like golf courses, car washing etcetera.”
Conservation efforts don’t have to stop at your porch. Some more ways to help with the water shortage are to turn off the sink when you’re not using it, take short showers instead of baths, or only wash your clothes and dishes with full loads.
“We are now trying to be early and preemptive and head this off before it could get worse,” Tampa Bay Water General Manager Charles Carden said.
If you ignore the new lawn watering restriction then you could receive a citation for $100 up to $500.
For more information about the water restrictions, visit the district’s website.
