Prolonged drought forces water use restrictions
Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has declared a Phase I Water Shortage Order because of prolonged drought conditions. Starting Dec. 1, 2023, residents can only water their lawns one day a week. The irrigation restrictions are for all water users in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
The restriction includes all lawn and landscape irrigation use in Hillsborough County from public supply, ponds, lakes, streams, and well water. The new watering restrictions do not apply to residents who have reclaimed water for their lawn and landscape. These restrictions supersede the water use restrictions under normal year-round water conservation measures, as well as homeowner association watering requirements.
Residents can water their lawns either before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on their allowable day.
Know your new watering day:
- Addresses ending in 0 or 1 can only water on Monday.
- Addresses ending with a 2 or 3 on Tuesday.
- Addresses ending with a 4 or 5 on Wednesday.
- Addresses ending with a 6 or 7 on Thursday.
- Addresses ending with an 8 or 9 and common areas with or without street addresses, locations with no addresses, and locations with mixed addresses (such as office complexes and shopping centers on Friday.
Hillsborough County Code Enforcement enforces the year-round water conservation measures and SWFWMD's water shortage orders. A violation can result in warnings and penalties starting at $100 and up to $500 for repeated violations. Hillsborough County will be issuing initial warnings to allow property owners to update their irrigation timers. Visit Hillsborough County's Water Restrictions Violations and Appeals page to learn more. Suspected violations can be reported online or by calling Hillsborough County's water violations reporting hotline at (813) 224-8993.
For questions about Hillsborough County's water use restrictions, call the Water Conservation Team at (813) 663-3295. Find my watering days & times.