The Southwest Florida Water Management District today declared a water shortage emergency for the city of Tampa’s main water supply. Drought conditions have caused an acute water shortage within the Hillsborough River Reservoir so emergency actions are necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare.
The emergency order authorizes Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water supplier, to withdraw additional water from the Tampa Bypass Canal to augment Tampa’s Hillsborough River Reservoir. Some augmentation was already allowed by the supplier’s water use permit. The emergency order temporarily allows water in part of the canal to be lowered by two feet so that augmentation can continue beyond the normal cut-off level. The additional quantities are limited to a maximum of 20 million gallons per day (mgd).
Due to the lack of rainfall and resulting drought conditions, demand for water is increasing while normally available supplies are diminishing. Tampa is currently experiencing high potable water demand of approximately 88 mgd with peak demands exceeding 103 mgd. The increased demands are expected to continue until summer rainfall begins.
Tampa relies primarily on the Hillsborough River Reservoir to meet the needs of approximately 656,000 residents within the city and portions of unincorporated Hillsborough County. As of May 10, the natural flow of the Hillsborough River into the reservoir was down to 25 mgd, which is only 28 percent of average daily potable water demand.
Tampa is already pumping approximately 10 mgd from its Aquifer Storage and Recovery wells and purchasing up 40 mgd from Tampa Bay Water’s regional potable water supply system to slow the rate of decline in its reservoir level. The extra canal water is necessary to maintain enough production from the reservoir treatment plant to maintain water pressure and water quality needed to protect public health, safety and welfare.
The emergency order is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2007. It could be rescinded earlier if conditions improve.
As part of the emergency water shortage order, Tampa is required to aggressively enforce its emergency once-per-week lawn watering restrictions, enhance its customer education efforts to minimize nonessential use, and pursue changes to its water rates to further promote water conservation. Tampa is also required, in consultation with Tampa Bay Water and the District, to develop an Emergency Action Plan within 45 days for additional actions that will be taken if conditions continue to deteriorate or do not rebound enough during the rainy season. The city must then provide monthly progress reports regarding implementation of its action plan.