Annual Contest Recognizes Residents For Conserving Water On Yards

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The Hillsborough County Extension Service is accepting applications for the Tampa Bay Community Water Wise Awards, which aim to promote appropriate gardening habits and recognize community members who are committed to creating sustainable landscapes.

Drinking water is one of Florida’s most precious commodities. Unfortunately, nearly 50 percent of water used at home goes into yard maintenance. This is why the Hillsborough County Extension Service wants to remind residents that it is possible to have a Florida-friendly landscape with little water other than rainfall.

For more than 20 years, the Tampa Bay Community Water Wise Awards have honored homeowners and businesses that use the best in attractive Florida-Friendly Landscaping, as well as irrigation systems or techniques that conserve water resources and protect the environment.

Applicants can enter their landscape for consideration by submitting an online application by midnight on June 30 with photos that show the landscape from the front, back and sides. Finalists will receive an on-site evaluation by a county extension office representative, along with a local water utility representative. The winner will receive a handmade steppingstone.

The Tampa Bay Community Water Wise Award program is sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, the Hillsborough County Extension Service and Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Pinellas and Pasco Counties are also included in this award.

For more information about the program, visit Awards.TampaBayWaterwise.org.