Tampa’s water use restrictions have been in place and enforced year-round since 1989. Restrictions are subject to change in response to water supply and regional drought conditions. The Tampa Water Department publishes updates and changes to local water restrictions in media releases, Twitter, Facebook, Alert Tampa, Nextdoor, and utility customer billing inserts.
For watering restrictions enforced outside of the City of Tampa:
What is My Watering Schedule?
The following schedule applies to properties inside Tampa city limits whose lawns and landscapes are watered with either city water or well water.
Starting December 1, 2023, the City of Tampa will be restricted to once-per-week lawn watering to comply with the Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order declared by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), our state's regulatory agency for our region. Additionally, all wasteful use of water, like hosing down driveways or impervious surfaces, is also prohibited. These restrictions also apply to Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
Citations are issued on first observance by a water use enforcement patroller. Violating water use restrictions in Tampa may result in fines up to $500 and a mandatory court appearance.
Why do we have a water shortage?
The region received lower than normal rainfall during its summer rainy season and currently has a 9.2-inch regional rainfall deficit between October 2022 and September 2023. In addition, water levels in the region's natural resources, such as aquifers, rivers, and lakes, are beginning to decline.
The Tampa Water Department is seeing an increase in water demand through the service area. Currently, our customers are using an average of 84.6 million gallons a day (MGD), compared to 80 MGD this time last year. Due to the increase in demand and lack of rainfall, the Tampa Water Department purchased water from Tampa Bay Water, our region's wholesale water supplier, for the second time this year in September.
Watering Schedule (Once-Per-Week)
Effective December 1, 2023
| Address (house number) ending in... | Allowed Watering Day |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Monday |
| 2 or 3 | Tuesday |
| 4 or 5 | Wednesday |
| 6 or 7 | Thursday |
| 8 or 9 | Friday |
| Mixed Addresses* & No Address** | Friday |
Example
Additional Water Use Restrictions
- Watering is permitted between midnight and 8am OR between 6pm and midnight, only once on your designated day. Watering is not permitted between 8am and 6pm on any day.
- All wasteful water use, such as hosing down driveways or impervious surfaces, is prohibited.
- Are you watering a new lawn? Follow this easy, research-based 30-day establishment schedule recommended by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).
- The prohibited hours of 8am - 6pm remain in place even when watering-in new sod and chemical treatments, such as fertilizers and pesticides.
- If applied by a licensed professional, watering-in of chemical treatments may follow the 30-day establishment schedule before going back to the restricted days. Note: If you received a citation and you believe you met this exemption, please provide receipts of application along with your citation ID number to WaterPatrol@TechstaffTB.com.
- If applied by someone other than a licensed professional, then watering-in of chemical treatments shall be restricted to the allowed days and hours.
- The City of Tampa Fertilizer Ordinance establishes a restricted period from June 1 - September 30, when the application of lawn and landscape fertilizer containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus is not allowed.
- You’re allowed to run your sprinkler system to check for leaks no more than 10 minutes per zone, once a week. Make sure you’re also visible from the street while you’re running it to avoid a citation.
- Hand watering and micro-irrigation of landscapes, such as flowering plants, vines, shrubs, palms, trees, ornamental grasses and groundcover (other than lawn/turfgrass) is allowed any day and any time.
- Reclaimed water used for irrigation is generally not subject to our water use restrictions; however, customers must not use it in a wasteful and unnecessary manner.
Additional Resources
For rules and specific information on water use restrictions* currently in place in Tampa, please refer to the City of Tampa Code Ordinance Section 26-97 and Chapter 40D-22 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).
*Note: Local water use restrictions may be stricter than state requirements.