When can you water your lawn during the ‘extreme drought?’ Here are the new restrictions

An ongoing drought in Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area has prompted state officials to add extra water use restrictions for areas that include Manatee and Sarasota counties.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District says residents must skip “wasteful and unnecessary” water use and strictly follow lawn watering schedules. The district is also ordering local governments to step up enforcement efforts.

The limits will be in effect from Nov. 21 through July 1, the district said in a news release.

Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas face additional restrictions. Lawn watering will be limited to once per week in those counties starting Dec. 1.

This district is also asking residents to check irrigation systems for leaks.

Much of Florida’s Gulf Coast is experiencing dryer than normal conditions this year, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, and some areas have reached the level of “extreme” drought.

Over the past 12 months, the Southwest Florida region has gotten 9.2 inches less rain than normal, the district said.

“In addition, water levels in the district’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are beginning to decline,” the district said.

How often can I water my lawn?

In Manatee County, residents are still allowed to use sprinklers or irrigation systems twice a week as necessary under the new rules. “Low volume watering,” including watering by hand or with a soaker hose, is allowed at any time. However, any unnecessary water use is restricted.

Manatee County watering rules:

• If your address is even, your watering days are Thursday and Sunday before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
• If your address is odd, your watering days are Wednesday and Saturday before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
• If your property has no address, your watering days are Tuesday and Friday before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

The limits apply to potable water and irrigation water from wells and surface water sources including retention ponds, rivers and lakes. Violators can be fined up to $15,000 under Florida law.

“Irrigation using reclaimed water is not subject to watering restrictions, unless blended with another water source,” Manatee County Government says on its website. “However, it is encouraged to voluntarily conserve reclaimed water by not irrigating between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m, and to follow current watering guidelines in Manatee County.”

Several “wasteful and unnecessary” water uses are always prohibited in Manatee County, including allowing water to flow from an unattended hose, hosing down a home or driveway that can be cleaned using dry methods or hand watering a lawn more than once a day.

More info: mymanatee.org/departments/utilities/manatee_county_water_division/water_conservation/watering_restrictions

Sarasota County watering rules:

Sarasota County has stricter rules that limit watering to one day a week, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

• If your address ends in the numbers 0 or 1 your watering day is Monday.

• If your address ends in the numbers 2 or 3 your watering day is Tuesday.

• If your address ends in the numbers 4 or 5 your watering day is Wednesday.

• If your address ends in the numbers 6 or 7 your watering day is Thursday.

• If your address ends in the numbers 8 or 9 your watering day is Friday.

• If your address ends in a letter or your property has no address, your watering day is Saturday.

More info: scgov.net/government/public-utilities-water/customer-services/water-restrictions

Other counties:

The crackdown on wasteful water use also includes Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties, portions of Lake and Levy counties, the city of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County and a portion of Gasparilla Island in Lee County, the district said.

Additionally, watering will be restricted to one day a week in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties starting Dec. 1.

Water use violations can be reported to SFWMD at 1-800-836-0797.

How bad is the drought in Florida?

According to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 30% of Florida is experiencing “abnormally dry” conditions and about 21% of the state is currently in drought.

The hardest hit areas are in the panhandle and the Tampa Bay area, where “extreme drought” conditions are present.

More than 80% of Manatee County is in drought, and almost 32% is in extreme drought, U.S. Drought Monitor data shows.

In a comparison of data over the last 129 years, 2023 is Manatee County’s second driest year to date, the Drought Monitor says.