Southwest Florida Water District Declares Phase II Water Shortage Amid Regional Drought

The Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a Modified Phase II Water Shortage Order on Feb. 8 following a regional 13-inch rainfall deficit. The order imposed mandatory water use restrictions and prohibited deed restriction enforcement related to water.

The mandatory restrictions limit watering to once weekly across the affected region. Water users in the Southwest water district also face a 5 percent surcharge for their usage.

In The Villages, deed restriction enforcement related to water usage has been suspended until July 1 due to drought conditions. Enforcement will continue of other restrictions unrelated to the water shortage, such as mold. Deed restriction complaints won't be pursued related to dead grass or sod replacement, and fines will be suspended during the period for cases already in the system.

Affected restrictions include replacement of dead, dormant, stressed or missing sod; installation or replacement of turf grass or landscape materials; and restoration of lawn coverage to meet minimum standards. Enforcement also will be suspended for mandated power washing of homes, building exteriors, driveways, sidewalks, walls and fences. Homeowners may voluntarily replace sod or landscaping provided they meet water restrictions.

The City of Tampa Water Department is recognizing three residents for their award-winning, water-efficient landscapes and announcing the launch of a new Florida-Friendly Landscaping program designed to help more homeowners reduce outdoor water use. Susan Manian, Ingo Fochler and Liselott Uppgard are the latest winners of the Community Water Wise Awards for the City of Tampa.

After the last drought, the City of Tampa, with support from the Tampa City Council, made once-a-week watering a year-round requirement, helping the city save approximately 4 billion gallons of water.

The water-wise winning landscapes stand out for their reduced requirement for supplemental irrigation, often using only half a gallon of water per square foot of landscape per month. That adds up to about 2,500 gallons per month for 5,000 square feet of Florida-Friendly Landscaping. By comparison, the same area of irrigated lawn typically uses three times as much water during the summer growing season.

The Tampa Water Department is launching the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Incentive Program (FLIP) in collaboration with Hillsborough County Utilities and UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. FLIP is a series of three Saturday morning workshops providing homeowners with the tools and information needed to convert a portion of irrigated lawn into water-wise landscapes. Registration is now open for the first workshop, scheduled for Saturday, March 21. Residents who successfully convert up to 500 square feet of turf may be eligible for a rebate.

For irrigating customers, outdoor water use often accounts for 50 percent or more of a household's monthly water use.