Tighter Water Restrictions Could Be Coming To Tampa Bay Area

Tampa Bay area residents and others in the 16-county district covered by the Southwest Florida Water Management District have been put on notice: tighter water restrictions could be coming.

The district’s governing board voted Tuesday to declare a Phase I water shortage for all counties in the area it serves. The district’s territory includes Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough counties, among others.

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“The primary purpose for a Phase I water shortage is to alert the public that watering restrictions could be forthcoming,” the district announced in a media release. “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.”

While a Phase I declaration doesn’t necessarily change watering schedules that are already in place, it does prohibit “wasteful and unnecessary” water use, the district noted.

Florida’s dry season typically runs from October through May each year with April generally being one of the driest months of the year, the district said. Forecasters at the National Weather Service don’t anticipate rain will play a role in the region’s forecast until this weekend at least.

Most counties and cities within the Tampa Bay area have year-round watering restrictions already in place. Those restrictions may vary on the number of days watering is allowed and the particular days of the week watering is permitted. The best bet for residents to avoid violating current restrictions is to check with their local water supplier for the most up-to-date schedule.

As dry conditions continue throughout the Tampa Bay area, wildfires have also become a growing concern. Forecasters anticipate a high risk for “fire weather” will continue through the workweek. For more information about that, check out this related story: Fire Weather Risk High As Dry Conditions Linger: Forecasters.

To find out more about the water management district’s Phase I water shortage declaration, visit the agency online.

Image via Shutterstock