Tampa Bay Declares Stage Three Water Emergency as Region Faces Worst Drought in 50 Years

Tampa Bay Water declared a Stage Three Extreme Regional Supply Shortage on March 6. The area faces its worst drought in five decades. River flows dropped. The annual average river flow deficit now exceeds 10 million gallons per day.

The Alafia River, one of the region's primary supply sources, is unavailable. Flow is insufficient. Nearly half of the drinking water used in the area comes from local rivers, but with levels too low, that source can't be tapped.

"This is the worst drought we've seen probably in the last 50 years," said Warren Hogg, chief science officer for Tampa Bay Water, according to Fox 13 News.

The regional reservoir holds 7 billion gallons of water — less than half of its 15.5 billion gallon capacity. Officials said the region has been roughly 12 inches below its typical rainfall total over the past year, and the timing raises additional concerns as the area enters March, April, and May, which are three of the driest, hottest months.

"We're heading into March, April and May, which are three of our driest, hottest months. That's when we see water used go through the roof. We're asking people to please step up and conserve water," said Hogg.

One-day-a-week watering restrictions are in effect across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. Residents can find their assigned watering day at mywaterday.org, and code enforcement is educating residents about the restrictions. Repeated violations can lead to fines.

If conditions worsen, stricter rules could follow. These might include limiting outdoor watering to hand watering only, and golf courses and fountains could also face additional restrictions.

Outdoor irrigation accounts for roughly half of a typical residential water bill, and residents using 15,000 gallons or more per month are considered high water users by industry standards.

Hillsborough County launched the Florida Friendly Landscaping Incentive Program, which offers residents up to $3,000 in reimbursements for water-saving upgrades. Participants attend three Saturday workshops over three months. They can submit qualifying expenses for reimbursement through the Water Conservation Fund.

Officials say the region will not run out of drinking water. The utility will rely on groundwater and desalinated seawater to meet demands while drought conditions persist.