Residents asked to conserve by following their local watering restrictions and checking their irrigation systems and timers
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to declare a Phase I Water Shortage due to dry conditions throughout the region.
The restrictions apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Lee County from Dec. 1, 2025, through July 1, 2026.
The District received lower than normal rainfall during its summer rainy season and currently has a 13-inch regional rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. In addition, water levels in the District’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are declining. Public water supplies remain in relatively good shape.
The Phase I Water Shortage Order does not change allowable watering schedules, however it does prohibit “wasteful and unnecessary” water use, such as allowing water to flow from an unattended hose. Twice-per-week lawn watering schedules remain in effect except where stricter measures have been imposed by local governments. Local governments maintaining once-per-week watering by local ordinance include Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sarasota counties and the cities of Dunedin, Tampa and Venice. Residents should check with their city or county for allowable days and times as many have different schedules or stricter hours in effect.
Outdoor water use accounts for more than 50 percent of water consumed by households and residents should know and follow their local watering restrictions. Residents are asked to check their irrigation systems to ensure they are working properly. This means testing and repairing broken pipes and leaks and fixing damaged or tilted sprinkler heads. Residents should also check their irrigation timer to ensure the settings are correct and the rain sensor is working properly.
The order also requires local utilities to review and implement procedures for enforcing year-round water conservation measures and water shortage restrictions, including reporting enforcement activity to the District. The District continues to monitor the drier-than-normal hydrologic conditions and we are coordinating with our utility and regional water supply partners such as Tampa Bay Water and the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority.
For additional information about the Phase I Water Shortage Order, visit the District’s website WaterMatters.org/Restrictions. For water conserving tips, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.