No water is topping the dam in the Hillsborough River that supplies much of Tampa's drinking water.
That was the backdrop on Tuesday, as Mayor Jane Castor touted beefed-up enforcement of once-a-week outdoor watering restrictions.
She is asking city residents to conserve water in what has become the region's worst drought in 50 years. Castor said it's going to take time to replenish the underground aquifer.
"Although we have seen our afternoon rains start to come in in the last week or so, we are still in a severe drought, actually a drought that we haven't seen in the last 50 years," Castor said. "And so we have ramped up our lawn irrigation regulations."
The city has written 430 citations for excessive watering, which is an increase of one-third the number written last year. And it could cost you: the fine for a first infraction is $100, the second is $200, and the third time could get you a $500 fine and a date in court.
Castor pointed to a map where some areas of New Tampa and South Tampa were using more than 10,000 gallons a month. Even a small reduction in those areas, she said, would make a big impact.
Julia Palaschak is the water conservation and efficiency team leader for the City of Tampa Water Department. She wants people who are hooked up to a reclaimed water system not to use drinking water to irrigate their lawns.
"We have the reclaimed water incentive program, which will allow these customers to apply to the water department to have that connection to the reclaimed water system," she said. "And not pay an application fee or a fee for the equipment installed at that meter."
For those residents who don't have access to reclaimed water, the city will do an evaluation of irrigation systems and can install low-volume sprinkler heads. There is also a Florida-friendly landscaping program, showing people to convert lawns to native landscaping that doesn't use a lot of water.
The entire region belonging to the Southwest Florida Water Management District is in a Phase III "Extreme" Water Shortage.
Here's the restrictions:
- Watering is prohibited between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. and continues to be restricted to your designated watering day.
- Hand-watering and micro-irrigation of plant material, such as flower beds, shrubs, or other plant material (other than lawns), is allowed on any day, but is now prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- No homeowner's association 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 designated watering day, and you must use a hose with a shutoff nozzle.
- Annual pressure washing for aesthetic purposes is prohibited at this time. Pressure washing is allowed in preparation for painting and sealing.
- Operation of aesthetic fountains and other water features are limited to four hours a day.
For more information on additional restrictions, visit tampa.gov/WaterRestrictions.
