LUTZ, Fla. — Starting Friday, those in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties must follow a new watering schedule.
According to officials, a once-a-week watering schedule in those three counties is necessary due to the extreme drought.
Some living in North Tampa are able to see the effects of the drought from their backyards. Jan Ignash has a seasonal pond behind her Lutz home and it is completely died up.
"Normally it’s full of water. Normally three to four feet deep," Ignash said.
Due to the drought we’re in, there is no water in sight.
"This is all part of the Cypress chain of lakes that flows into the Hillsborough River. So if our water is affected here, you can imagine that’s affecting everybody," Ignash said.
That’s why people living in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties can only water their lawns once a week.
"Normally we have two-day-a-week, but now it’s one day because of the drought conditions," a Hillsborough County official with sustainable water resources, David Glicksberg, said.
Glicksberg explained that the Tampa Bay area is 12 inches below normal rainfall for this time of the year, which is why conserving water is so important.
"It’s quite concerning. I’m glad we’re doing something about conserving water," Ignash added.
Jan does that year-round by using rain barrels to water her plants, but currently, those are dry too. By using less water, we’ll conserve more, which will in turn help our environment.
Click below to find your watering schedule.