Tampa Bay's one-day-a-week watering limit now runs through March 31, 2027
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Lawns get one day a week, set by the last digit of your address. Here's your day and your hours.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has extended its extreme water shortage order through March 31, 2027. Lawn watering stays limited to one day a week across the Tampa Bay area and much of West Florida.
It's the second extension. The order was first set to expire July 1, then was pushed to October 1 in June, Patch reported.
The district's main reservoir is part of why. Tampa Bay Water's C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir held 7.87 billion gallons as of September 20, about half its capacity, FOX 13 reported.
Your watering day is set by the last digit of your address:
- 0 or 1: Monday
- 2 or 3: Tuesday
- 4 or 5: Wednesday
- 6 or 7: Thursday
- 8 or 9: Friday
On that day, sprinklers can run from midnight to 4 a.m. or from 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties under an acre get one of those two windows. Properties an acre or larger can use both.
Hand watering and micro-irrigation, like drip lines and soaker hoses, are allowed any day, but only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. New plants get more room: any day for the first 30 days, then three set days a week through day 60.
Washing your car at home is limited to your lawn watering day, and the hose needs a shutoff nozzle. Pressure washing to prepare a surface for painting or sealing is still allowed.
The order covers all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter counties. It also covers parts of Charlotte, Highlands, and Lake counties, plus the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County.
The district's schedule is the baseline, and many local governments set their own. "Residents should check with their city or county for their allowable day and times as many have different schedules or stricter hours in effect," the district says.
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Frequently asked
What day can I water my lawn in Tampa Bay?
It depends on the last digit of your address. Addresses ending in 0 or 1 water Monday, 2 or 3 Tuesday, 4 or 5 Wednesday, 6 or 7 Thursday, and 8 or 9 Friday. Check your city or county, since many set their own schedules.
What time can I water my lawn under the restrictions?
From midnight to 4 a.m. or from 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on your watering day. Properties under an acre use one of those windows, and properties an acre or larger can use both. Hand watering is allowed any day before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
How long do the Tampa Bay watering restrictions last?
Through March 31, 2027. The Southwest Florida Water Management District extended its extreme water shortage order, which had been set to end October 1, 2026. It covers 11 full counties and parts of several others.