If you think it hasn't rained much recently - you're right.
Outdoor watering restrictions were extended Tuesday for most of West Central Florida. That means unless your city or county has stricter hours in effect, you can only water outdoors from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m.
The Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage will go through Oct. 1, or until steady rains begin.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District says the region ran an 11-inch rainfall deficit in May, compared to historical averages. And water levels in rivers and lakes are abnormally low. Tampa Bay Water's main reservoir is 6 billion gallons below the level expected at the beginning of the rainy season.
The 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.
For watering restrictions in Pinellas County, click HERE.
Here are the standard restrictions:
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.
The District also extended three emergency orders to ensure water supply availability during the ongoing drought:
- An emergency order was extended to Tampa Bay Water to lower the Middle Pool of the Tampa Bypass Canal (TBC) from 12 feet to 10 feet and to lower the Lower Pool of the TBC from 6 feet to 4 feet to continue augmenting the City of Tampa’s Hillsborough River Reservoir.
- An emergency order was extended to the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to modify its diversion schedule to allow increased withdrawals from the Peace River.
- An emergency order was extended to the City of Punta Gorda to temporarily withdraw up to an additional 2.2 million gallons per day from Shell Creek to provide to the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority.
