Hillsborough County officials have issued landscape watering restrictions due to an ongoing drought. Following a vote by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, a Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage requires residential and commercial properties to water lawns and gardens only one day per week from Feb. 8 through July 1.
According to Hillsborough County officials, a 13-inch rainfall deficit over the past year has left Hillsborough County’s public water supplies below normal for this time of year. Residents must follow the one-day-per-week watering schedule: addresses ending in 0 or 1 water on Mondays, 2 or 3 on Tuesdays, continuing through 8 or 9 on Fridays. Properties without a numbered address also follow the Friday schedule.
Exemptions allow the use of reclaimed water for watering any day, as long as it’s before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Low-volume methods—micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, or hand watering—are permitted at any time. Annual pressure washing or preparation for painting and sealing is also allowed under the restrictions.
Residents can receive a rebate of up to $250 for installing a qualified weather-based irrigation controller or soil moisture sensor. The Tampa Bay Water Wise program also provides irrigation controllers with installation at no cost. For more information, visit WaterMatters.org/restrictions or HCFL.gov/WaterRestrictions.
