Water district declares 'Modified Phase I Water Shortage' with watering restrictions
Map courtesy of SWFWMD.
On Nov. 14, 2023, the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) voted to declare a Modified Phase I Water Shortage due to ongoing dry conditions throughout the region and increasing water supply concerns.
Starting Nov. 21, 2023, and running through July 1, 2024, water restrictions will 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 Lee County.
The water district received lower than normal rainfall during its summer rainy season and currently has a 9.2-inch districtwide rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. Water levels in the water district’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are beginning to decline.
The Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order does not change allowable watering schedules for most counties, however it does prohibit “wasteful and unnecessary” water use. Twice-per-week lawn watering schedules remain in effect, except where stricter measures have been imposed by local governments.
Residents are asked to check their irrigation systems to ensure they are working properly. This means testing and repairing broken pipes and leaks, and fixing damaged or tilted sprinkler heads. Residents should also check their irrigation timer to ensure the settings are correct and the rain sensor is working properly.
Watering Schedule
However, as of Dec. 1, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties will be limited to once-per-week lawn watering. This additional restriction is needed because Tampa Bay Water, which supplies water to most of the three-county area, was unable to completely refill the 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir this summer due to the lower-than-normal rainfall.
Citrus, Hernando and Sarasota counties, and the cities of Dunedin and Venice, have local ordinances that remain on one-day-per-week lawn watering schedules.
Once-per-week lawn watering days and times are as follows, unless your city or county has a different schedule or stricter hours in effect:
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
Locations without a discernible address, water only on Friday
Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties under two acres in size may only water before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, properties two acres or larger may only water before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.
Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses and hand watering) is allowed any day and any time.
The order also requires local utilities to review and implement procedures for enforcing year-round water conservation measures and water shortage restrictions, including reporting enforcement activity to the District. The District also continues to work closely with Tampa Bay Water to ensure a sustainable water supply for the Tampa Bay region.
For additional information about the Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order, visit WaterMatters.org/Restrictions. For water conserving tips, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.
Levy County Landscape Irrigation Guidelines
Suwannee River Water Management Distrfict
All of Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union counties, and parts of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Jefferson, Levy and Putnam Counties.
Levy County will follow Suwannee River Water Management District guidelines. On Nov. 9, 2023, the Suwannee River Water Management District announced that its residents should restrict landscape irrigation to one-day-per-week until March 10, 2024. For details visit www.mysuwanneeriver.com.The watering schedule (below) applies to residential landscaping; public, commercial, and industrial property; hotels and motels; and public medians.
Key watering guidelines:
No irrigation between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
No more than 3/4-inch of water may be applied, per irrigation zone, per day.
Water no more than one hour per irrigation zone
Odd numbered or no address locations are permitted to water on Saturdays (Address ending in the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or the letters N-Z)
Even numbered address locations are permitted to water on Sundays (Address ending in the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 or letters A-M)
Non-residential properties are permitted to water on Tuesdays.
Businesses and residents are encouraged to use Florida-Friendly Landscape principles and skip watering when it rains close to a scheduled irrigation day. Agricultural and other large irrigation uses maintain year-round guidelines through the District’s water use permitting program.