Due to this year’s drought, the Southwest Florida Management Water District (SWFWMD) issued a Modified Phase 1 Water Shortage for Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. This order will limit Tampa Water Department customers to irrigating once a week, starting December 1, 2023. Residents are also urged to reduce their overall water use until the order is lifted.
Watering days are based on the last number of a resident’s house address. Below is a chart displaying the irrigation schedule.
| Last Digit of House Address | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Monday |
| 2 or 3 | Tuesday |
| 4 or 5 | Wednesday |
| 6 or 7 | Thursday |
| 8 or 9 Has no street address (such as common or entry areas) or has a mixed addresses (such as office complexes and shopping centers) | Friday |
Additional Irrigation Guidance
- Irrigation is permitted before 8am and after 6pm on a resident’s designated watering day. For more information, including guidance when establishing new sod, visit Tampa.gov/WaterRestrictions.
- Homeowners who use well water must also follow the once-a-week restrictions.
- Wasteful use of water, like hosing down driveways, is also prohibited.
- Residents who violate the City’s Water Use Restrictions are subject to fines ranging from $100 up to $500. Repeated violations may also result in a mandatory court appearance.
- Citations are issued on first observance by a water use enforcement patroller.
- “The Tampa Water Department is working full force to educate our community about the changes coming to our water restrictions,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “Our Water Conservation Team will continue to educate our residents to reduce their water use and make every drop count.”
The City of Tampa and the entire Tampa Bay region is experiencing a drier than normal year. According to SWFWMD, the region saw a 9.2-inch rainfall deficit between October 2022 and September 2023. In addition, the Tampa Water Department is seeing an increase in water demand throughout the service area. Currently, customers are using an average of 84.6 million gallons a day (MGD), compared to 80 MGD last year. Due to the increase in demand and lack of rainfall, the Tampa Water Department purchased water from Tampa Bay Water for the second time this year in September.
The Tampa Water Department offers free water conservation resources and water-saving devices to customers. People are urged to visit Tampa.gov/SaveWater for more information, including details on upcoming workshops.