The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board voted Tuesday to declare a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage due to ongoing drought conditions throughout the region.
Officials said the order requires all residents, including those on private wells, to follow one-day-per-week watering restrictions with stricter watering hours from April 3 through July 1.
The order said restrictions apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the city of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Charlotte County.
Unless a resident’s city or county already has stricter hours in effect, officials said watering hours are now reduced to 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Properties less than one acre in size may only use one of these windows, per the order.
Standard schedule provided by SFWMD:
- 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
- * and locations without a discernible address
- Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties one acre or larger may only water before 4 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
- Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) is allowed any day but is limited to before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
Other restrictions listed in the Modified Phase III Water Shortage Order include:
- Pressure washing in preparation for painting and sealing is allowed.
- No HOA or other entity shall enforce deed restrictions or other community standards requiring an increase in water use, including replacement of plant material to meet aesthetic standards or pressure washing.
- Car washing at home (non-commercial) is only allowed on your lawn watering day and you must use a hose with a shutoff nozzle.
- Aesthetic fountains are limited to four hours a day. The regular hours of operation can be selected by the owner but must be posted.
- Restaurants are required to only serve water upon request.
Officials said the order also requires local utilities and other enforcement officials to increase enforcement efforts, which include responding to citizen complaints and monitoring water use.
According to the order, 14 days after new restrictions go into effect, utilities and other local enforcement officials are expected to issue citations first without issuing a warning.
SWFWM's previous order from February restricted properties under two acres to watering before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
The governing board cited below-average rainfall and declining water levels in the district’s water resources as the reason behind the order.
“The district received below-average rainfall during its summer rainy season and currently has a 13.7-inch regional rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. In addition, water levels in the District’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are continuing to decline and many are severely abnormal. Moreover, public water supplies are extremely low for this time of year,” said SWFWM in the order.
Find information on specific counties and cities below:
- Unincorporated Hillsborough County
- Tampa
- Plant City
- Temple Terrace
- Unincorporated Pinellas County
- St. Petersburg
- Clearwater
- Pasco County
- New Port Richey
- Citrus County
- Manatee County
- Polk County
- North Port
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