Florida officials issue warning as drought worsens in Manatee County

State officials are warning Manatee County residents not to waste water as a drought worsens in Southwest Florida.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District said this week that the region is 13 inches short on rainfall compared to the average 12-month total.

As drought becomes more severe, it brings increased chances of wildfires, water shortages and stricter rules for lawn watering and other water uses. But state officials say residents can do their part to prevent a more severe shortage by saving water wherever possible.

The district declared a Phase 1 Water Shortage Tuesday, which prohibits “wasteful and unnecessary” water use in counties including Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough and Pinellas. The stricter rules will go into effect on Dec. 1 and are set to expire on July 1 if an extension is not needed.

In addition, state officials urged residents to follow local rules for lawn watering and water usage.

“Outdoor water use accounts for more than 50% of water consumed by households, and residents should know and follow their local watering restrictions,” the district said in a news release.

Manatee County watering rules

In unincorporated Manatee County and Bradenton, irrigation is limited to two days a week:

• Even addresses (last digit is 0,2, 4, 6 or 8) may only irrigate Thursday and/or Sunday.
• Odd addresses (last digit is 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9) may only irrigate Wednesday and/or Saturday.
• Properties without addresses may only irrigate on Tuesday and/or Friday.
• Violations carry fines up to $15,000, according to Florida law.

Manatee County Government also prohibits the following wasteful water uses:

• Hand watering a lawn on an otherwise restricted day or more than once a day.
• Hosing down a driveway or other impervious surface to remove grass clippings or other debris that can be removed with a broom or other dry methods.
• Hosing down a building or other structure to remove cobwebs or other materials that can be removed with a broom or other dry methods.
• Allowing water to flow from a broken sprinkler head, outdoor faucet, or other malfunctioning plumbing or irrigation system component, after receiving a verbal or written notice of the malfunction from the Manatee County Utilities Department.

Southwest Florida in drought

Manatee and Sarasota are among Southwest Florida counties experiencing a “moderate drought,” according to NOAA — the second tier of a five-level scale that ranges from “abnormally dry” to “exceptional drought.”

NOAA says 2025 is the 39th driest year on record for Manatee County, with 3.9 inches less rain than usual, and the 45th driest year for Sarasota County, with 3.3 inches less rain than usual.

Is drought impacting drinking water supply?

SWFWMD said that some regional drinking water resources, including aquifers, rivers and lakes, are lower than normal and expected to decline further as the dry season continues.

But Bradenton and Manatee County officials say local drinking water sources are in good shape for now.

City of Bradenton officials said they are monitoring the drought conditions but have not observed any major impacts so far to the Bill Evers Reservoir where the city sources much of its drinking water.

“We are aware of the ongoing drought conditions in Southwest Florida and have been monitoring precipitation levels closely,” City Administrator Rob Perry said in an email. “The City continues to follow advisories from regional and state water management partners, and we regularly assess how these conditions may affect Bradenton based on our system’s design and surrounding topography. At this time, we do not believe the drought has created any significant impacts for the City. We will continue to coordinate with our partners and monitor precipitation and water levels closely.”

Manatee County Government spokesperson Bill Logan said that utilities staff “planned well” going into the dry season, and Lake Manatee’s water levels are in “good shape now.”

“Historically, we start getting nervous around March if we’re still in drought conditions,” Logan said in an email.

Logan said 2023’s record-breaking drought resulted in the lowest Lake Manatee water levels that county staff have ever seen at this time of year — around 38 feet — and 2020 had the highest levels at 40 feet. The lake is currently at 39 feet, according to county staff.

Manatee County issues burn ban

Due to the drought conditions, Manatee County Government has issued a burn ban until at least Dec. 1. County officials renew the burn ban on a weekly basis as long conditions require.

The ban prohibits all outdoor burning and the use of fireworks and sparklers. Outdoor cooker and grill use is still allowed under adult supervision.

“It’s been a very dry season,” Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske said in a news release. “Our Emergency Management Division regularly talks with our Fire Chiefs Association and Forestry, and they are all in agreement that we need to enact a burn ban.”

This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 5:50 AM.