Pam Brown, Urban Horticulture Extension Agent

The continuing drought conditions prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) to tighten landscape watering restrictions for Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties. SWFWMD reports that we are entering the dry season with extremely low water supplies in storage to cover our water needs. Two years of drought has left the District with a rainfall deficit of 16 inches. And, on top of this news, forecasts predict drier than normal conditions through next spring.

The current one day per week watering restrictions continue in effect with several additional restrictions:

• Restricting the time for hand-watering or micro-irrigation for non-lawn landscaping to before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Postponing turfgrass renovation, such as replacing lawns.
  Reducing the 60-day allowance for new plant establishment.
• Reducing the time aesthetic fountains and waterfalls may.
  
• Requiring water utilities and other local enforcement officials to increase their enforcement efforts, including requirements to issue citations without having first issued a warning.

To access the whole press release from SWFWMD on the Internet, go to: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/news/article/1090/

The city of St. Petersburg has slightly different watering restrictions for water customers. Information can be found on the Internet at: http://www.stpete.org/water/watering_restrictions.asp

Customers who use reclaimed water for irrigation will have different restrictions depending on the source of their reclaimed water. Please check with your supplier for current information regarding reclaimed water.

Pinellas County:http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/water-restrict.htm
Clearwater: http://www.clearwater-fl.com/gov/depts/pwa/public_utils/divisions/water/water_restrictions.asp
St. Petersburg: http://www.stpete.org/water/watering_restrictions.asp

Water is a precious commodity that we need to conserve at every opportunity.

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