TAMPA, Fla. — As the Florida drought continues, so do water restrictions in the Tampa Bay region.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Governing Board voted on June 25, 2024, to extend one-day-per-week watering restrictions in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
This vote follows a Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order declared in November 2023 and extended this February. This order did not change allowable watering schedules but prohibited "wasteful and unnecessary" water use and twice-per-week watering schedules, according to the SWFWMD.
There is already an existing water shortage order for the following counties and cities:
- Portions of Charlotte
- Citrus
- DeSoto
- Dunnellon
- Hardee
- Hernando
- Portions of Highlands
- Portions of Lake
- Lee, Gasparilla Island
- Manatee
- Marion, The Villages
- Polk
- Sarasota
- Sumter
November-January saw above-average rainfall in the district, but there is still a districtwide 12-month rainfall deficit of about 7.4 inches between May 2023-24, according to the SWFWMD.
Despite flooding in Sarasota and South Florida two weeks ago, Florida is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions nearly statewide. The National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center expects the drought to persist in mid-to-south Florida regions until at least the end of June.
Between June 11-18, 2024, about 22% of Florida regions experienced at least a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
RELATED: Here's Florida's summer outlook
The newly implemented schedules for Hillsborough and Pasco are:
If your 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, or locations without a discernable address, water only on Friday
Other restrictions include:
- Unless the city or county has stricter hours, properties under two acres can only water before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Unless the city or county has stricter hours, properties two acres or larger can only water before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
- Low-volume watering of plants and house shrubs, including micro-irrigation, soaker hoses and hand watering, is allowed any day at any time.
Pinellas County Utilities customers are advised to use the following schedule for reclaimed, potable, well, lake or pond water sources:
- Customers north of SR580
- Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Saturdays
- Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Wednesdays
- Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Wednesdays
- Watering using reclaimed water is not permitted between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Watering using potable water is not permitted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Customers south of SR580
- Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Tuesdays
- Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Thursdays
- Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Thursdays
- Watering using potable or reclaimed water is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Visit the Pinellas County Water Conservation website for up-to-date information.