It hasn't rained a lot lately ... and it's affecting the local water supply.
The lingering drought is creating pressure on the underground aquifer. So board members of the Southwest Florida Water Management District are expected to toughen outdoor watering restrictions on Tuesday.
Now, irrigation that is limited to twice a week in will likely tighten to once a week. That had already been reduced to once a week in Tampa, Dunedin and Venice, as well as Pasco, Hernando, Sarasota and Citrus counties.
Chuck Carden is general manager of Tampa Bay Water. During last week's Hillsborough County Commission meeting, he said the restrictions are needed.
"We're in a big drought where I sit, and what is going to happen, I'm told, is the district will be going to Phase 2 restrictions, which will be one day a week watering," Cardensaid.
Lawn watering would be allowed once per week, either before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for properties of less than 1 acre.
If it's approved, it would go into effect Feb. 8.
But it wouldn't affect irrigation using reclaimed water.
Here's an explainer from the water district why the restrictions are needed.
As of Jan. 6:
- One drought indicator within the district’s northern counties was classified as "critically abnormal," two drought indicators were classified as "severely abnormal," and two drought indicators were classified as "moderately abnormal." The 12-month moving sum for rainfall of the northern counties was at the fifth percentile.
- Two drought indicators within the district’s southern counties were classified as "critically abnormal," and three drought indicators were classified as "sSeverely abnormal." For the southern counties, the 12-month moving sum for rainfall was at the fourth percentile.
- Two drought indicators within the district’s central counties were classified as "extremely abnormal" and two drought indicators were classified as "severely abnormal." The 12-month moving sum for rainfall for the central counties was at the eighth percentile.
