{"id":14933,"date":"2026-02-05T08:28:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T13:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/?post_type=news&#038;p=14933"},"modified":"2026-02-05T08:28:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T13:28:04","slug":"watering-restrictions-take-effect-amid-severe-drought-warning","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/news\/watering-restrictions-take-effect-amid-severe-drought-warning\/","title":{"rendered":"Watering Restrictions Take Effect\u00a0Amid\u00a0Severe Drought Warning\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span class=\"newsRelease\"><span style=\"text-transform: uppercase\">News Release<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-transform: uppercase\"><strong>For Immediate Release<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Contact: Brandon Moore<br><a href=\"mailto:bmoore@tampabaywater.org\">bmoore@tampabaywater.org<\/a><br><a href=\"tel:+17277912304\">(727) 791-2304<\/a>\n\n\n<p><strong>CLEARWATER, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2026)<\/strong> \u2013 <span data-contrast=\"none\">Tampa Bay Water\u00a0warns\u00a0of worsening drought conditions as lower-than-normal rainfall and streamflow continue across the region.<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">The regional utility is asking\u00a0residents\u00a0to\u00a0comply with\u00a0the Southwest Florida Water Management District\u2019s tighter watering restrictions,\u00a0which go into effect February 8<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">. One-day-per-week lawn watering saves drinking water during\u00a0drought conditions.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIt\u2019s important for residents to know their\u00a0conservation\u00a0efforts can make a big difference,\u201d said Warren Hogg, chief science officer for Tampa Bay Water.\u00a0\u201cTwo years\u00a0ago,\u00a0residents in our region helped\u00a0reduce water demands by up to 30 percent\u00a0by simply sticking to watering days and using only the water you need inside your home.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559731&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Water utility customers of Tampa Bay Water\u2019s member governments\u2014Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of St.\u00a0Petersburg, New Port\u00a0Richey\u00a0and Tampa\u2014can find their allowed watering day by checking their zip codes at\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/MyWaterDay.org\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">MyWaterDay.org<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559731&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As of February 1,\u00a0rainfall deficits\u00a0have\u00a0exceeded\u00a05\u00a0inches\u00a0and streamflow deficits exceeded\u00a010\u00a0million gallons\u00a0per day, triggering Tampa Bay Water\u2019s Stage 2 Drought Warning for its service area.\u00a0Prolonged dry periods can lead to lower river flows, decreased storage in the regional\u00a0reservoir\u00a0and more aggressive cutbacks to water use.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559731&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Regional\u00a0Water Supply\u00a0System\u00a0Facts as of February 1, 2026:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Regional water demands in January averaged\u00a0191.3\u00a0million gallons\u00a0per day, 2.4 percent higher than January of 2025.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tampa Bay Water triggered a Stage 2 Drought Warning on Feb. 1,\u00a02026,\u00a0under its Water Shortage Mitigation Plan, which includes\u00a0measures to reduce regional water demands.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0average\u00a0rainfall deficit over the past 12 months is\u00a010.84 inches.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Rainfall in January averaged\u00a00.96 inches, 1.92 inches below normal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">The average streamflow deficit over the past 12 months is\u00a011.47 million gallons\u00a0per day.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tampa Bay Water\u2019s C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, the region\u2019s\u202fwater savings account, is\u00a0currently\u00a0storing\u00a08.77\u202fbillion gallons,\u202f56.6\u202fpercent\u202fof its 15.5-billion-gallon capacity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant, the region\u2019s drought-proof water supply,\u00a0produced\u202fan average of\u202f12.17\u202fmillion gallons per day\u00a0in January.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0regional\u00a0reservoir will\u202fhelp\u202fmaintain\u202fthe\u202fwater\u202fsupply to the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant\u202funtil regular rain returns\u00a0and river flows increase this\u00a0summer.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tampa Bay Water is currently under its water use\u00a0permit\u00a0withdrawal limits\u00a0for\u202fwellfields in northern Tampa Bay.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Looking Ahead\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Less rainfall means increased water demand\u00a0due to outdoor watering,\u00a0and regional river systems that supply drinking water have lower flows. To meet water demands\u00a0this dry season, Tampa Bay Water\u00a0will\u00a0rely on groundwater and seawater sources and\u00a0river\u00a0water stored in the regional reservoir. Tampa Bay Water\u2019s diverse system is built to withstand dry conditions and there are sufficient drinking water supplies to serve the\u202fregion;\u202fhowever, conservation efforts\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">extend\u00a0the utility\u2019s\u00a0water\u00a0supplies and leave more for the environment, where\u00a0it's\u00a0needed<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559731&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Looking ahead to spring, typically the driest months of the year in our region, conditions will be dry and hot. As temperatures increase, so do water\u00a0demands, which\u00a0can strain local water supply systems.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559731&quot;:720}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWith the driest months of the year still ahead of us, it\u2019s important for residents to make these changes now,\u201d said Hogg. \u201cAs we get to our typical spring dry season, we expect conditions\u00a0to worsen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Conservation Tips<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With up to 50% of\u202fwater\u202fused at home\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0outdoor\u202fwatering, residents can\u00a0save the most\u00a0outdoors.\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/i><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ways to save water outdoors include:\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Know\u202fyour\u202fwatering days:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Watering restrictions are\u202fyear-round\u202fin the Tampa Bay area.\u00a0Find your local\u202futility\u2019s\u202fwatering restrictions by entering your zip code at\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mywaterday.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">MyWaterDay.org<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Water for\u00a0winter:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Landscapes\u00a0are dormant and\u00a0only need water every 10-14 days\u00a0during winter months.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Skip a week of watering:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fWhen\u202fit\u2019s\u202fraining or\u202frain\u202fis in the\u202fforecast,\u202flet Mother Nature water your lawn for free. This can save\u202f1,500 and\u202f2,500 gallons\u202fof water.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inspect your irrigation system:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fBroken and blocked sprinkler heads\u00a0can waste\u202f25,000 gallons\u202fof water in six months.\u202fRegular inspections avoid waste and help\u00a0make sure\u202fyou\u2019re\u202fnot watering the sidewalk.\u00a0Rebates for irrigation inspections are available through the Tampa Bay Water Wise Program at\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tampabaywaterwise.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tampabaywaterwise.org<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use a\u00a0hose\u00a0nozzle:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Using a hose nozzle saves about 8 gallons per minute by keeping the water from running constantly.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Even if you\u202fdon\u2019t\u202fwater your yard, there are other ways to save\u202fincluding:\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Look for leaks:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Save up to\u202f180 gallons\u202fper week, or\u202f9,400 gallons\u202fof water annually,\u00a0by fixing\u00a0household leaks.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check\u00a0your\u00a0flapper:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A\u00a0leaking\u00a0toilet\u00a0flapper can waste up to\u202f200 gallons\u202fof water a day and may cost you hundreds of dollars a year.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Turn\u00a0off the tap:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save 8 gallons of water per day.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Maximize\u00a0dishwasher and laundry loads:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Running dishwashers\u00a0and clothes washers\u00a0only when\u202fit's\u202ffull can\u00a0save the average family\u202fnearly\u202f320\u202fgallons\u202fof water annually.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Get rebates for water-efficient upgrades:\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Install water efficient fixtures and technology and receive rebates through the\u202fTampa Bay Water Wise program\u202fat\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tampabaywaterwise.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tampabaywaterwise.org<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;469777462&quot;:[720,1080],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0,0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[0,8]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Find more water saving tips at\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tampabaywater.org\/SaveWater\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tampabaywater.org\/SaveWater<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">About Tampa Bay Water<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tampa Bay Water is the largest wholesale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members, who in\u00a0turn,\u00a0supply water to more than\u00a02.6\u00a0million residents\u00a0of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water member governments include\u00a0Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and\u00a0the cities of New Port Richey,\u00a0St. Petersburg\u00a0and Tampa.\u00a0To learn more, visit\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/Newsroom\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tampabaywater.org<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14933","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Watering Restrictions Take Effect\u00a0Amid\u00a0Severe Drought Warning\u00a0 - Tampa Bay Water<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/news\/watering-restrictions-take-effect-amid-severe-drought-warning\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Watering Restrictions Take Effect\u00a0Amid\u00a0Severe Drought Warning\u00a0 - Tampa Bay Water\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"News Release For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Moorebmoore@tampabaywater.org(727) 791-2304 CLEARWATER, Fla. 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