Tampa Bay Counties Enforce One-Day Weekly Watering Limits Under Drought Order

The Southwest Florida Water Management District ordered one-day-per-week lawn watering restrictions starting Feb. 8 through July 1. Eight counties must follow the new rules.

Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Hernando, and Citrus counties all face the modified phase II water shortage declaration. Every resident must comply, even those using private wells.

You water based on your street address. The last digit tells you which day.

The area needs rain. Last summer brought less water than expected, according to Bay News 9. The deficit now exceeds a foot. Dry conditions across the region prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board to act.

Addresses ending in 0 or 1 water on Mondays. Those ending in 2 or 3 get Tuesdays. Wednesdays belong to 4 or 5, while Thursdays work for 6 or 7. Fridays serve addresses ending in 8 or 9, plus locations without a clear number.

Watering happens between 12:01 a.m. and 8 a.m., or from 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties under one acre pick just one window.

Pinellas County operates differently depending on where you live. Customers north of SR580 with even addresses water on Saturdays, odd addresses on Wednesdays. South of SR580, even addresses get Tuesdays and odd addresses take Thursdays.

Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of what households use. That's a lot. Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs through micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, or hand watering can happen any day or time.

Washing your car at home? Do it on your assigned lawn watering day. Decorative fountains run eight hours daily at most. You can pressure wash once a year or when preparing to paint and seal.

Homeowner associations can't make you use more water. They cannot require replacement of plant material to meet visual standards. The order stops them from demanding pressure washing to maintain community appearance.