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Frequently Asked
Questions...
Answered.
Watering
Restrictions.
YOU ARE ALLOWED
TO FOLLOW OUR
INSTRUCTIONS. If
you don’t, you are
wasting your money
on chemicals that
will have a negative
or no effect. Your
watering
restrictions are
listed below:
http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/water/restrictions
Outdoor Water Use
Restrictions In
Hillsborough County
Important Telephone
Numbers:
• (813) 275-7094 to
hear a recorded
message about
restrictions
• (813) 272-6680 to
call Customer
Service
• (813) 224-8993 to
report suspected
violations
These restrictions
do not apply to
residents living in
the following
cities:
• Tampa
• Plant City
• Temple Terrace
If you live in these
cities, click on
your municipality to
view your
restrictions.
Unincorporated
Hillsborough County
Irrigation of
Established Lawns
and Landscaping:
The Southwest
Florida Water
Management District
has declared our
region to be in a
severe water
shortage. The
following rules are
in effect until June
30, 2008. For
additional
information about
the SWFWMD
declaration, visit
their website at
www.swfwmd.st.fl.us
Irrigation of
established lawns
and landscaping in
unincorporated
Hillsborough County
is allowed one day a
week. Follow the
watering schedule
outlined in the
chart below.
These restrictions
apply to all water
sources including
private wells,
surface water and
utility-provided
water. They do not
apply to reclaimed
water, although
these customers are
encouraged to use
only what they need.
Residents who
receive their water
from the City of
Tampa but who live
in unincorporated
Hillsborough County
should follow the
county's
restrictions.
All irrigation must
be accomplished
prior to 8:00 a.m.
or after 6:00 p.m.
Any one zone of a
property may only be
watered once during
the allowable day,
NOT both in the
morning and again in
the evening. The
permitted days for
watering are as
follows:
Addresses ending
in 0 or 1 - Monday
Addresses ending in
2 or 3 - Tuesday
Addresses ending in
4 or 5 - Wednesday
Addresses ending in
6 or 7 - Thursday
Addresses ending in
8 or 9 -
Friday -
includes locations
with no address
(common areas, entry
areas), and
locations with mixed
addresses (office
complexes, shopping
centers)
Irrigation of New
Lawns and
Landscaping In
Unincorporated
Hillsborough County
outside Tampa City
Limits:
Irrigation of new
lawns and
landscaping is
restricted as
follows. During the
initial thirty (30)
days, new lawns and
landscaping may be
watered any day, but
not between the
hours of 8:00 am to
6:00 pm. Following
the initial 30-day
period, irrigation
of new lawns and
landscaping may
occur on alternating
days for an
additional thirty
(30) days, with
even-numbered
addresses on
even-numbered dates,
and odd-numbered
addresses on
odd-numbered dates.
Following this
period all lawns and
landscaping are
considered
established, and
must follow the
restrictions
outlined above.
New plant material
must cover at least
50% of an irrigation
zone in order to
water with an
in-ground sprinkler
system during the
initial
establishment
period. If not, the
new plant material
must be hand watered
following the same
time of day and day
of week restrictions
for new plant
establishment.
(Example: If you
purchased one flat
of grass plugs to
place throughout
your front yard to
fill in bare spots,
this would not cover
50% of an irrigation
zone. Hand watering
would be required.)
Also, only those
zones containing 50%
new plant material
may be watered, not
the entire yard.
(Example: If you had
your entire front
yard re-sodded, but
not your backyard,
only those zones
covering the front
yard could be run
during the
establishment
period. The back
yard zones would
have to remain on
the regular watering
schedule. Most
irrigation timers
have an A & B
program. Program A
can be set for the
regular watering.
Program B can be
programmed for
multiple days to
only water those
zones containing the
new plant material
during the
establishment
period.
Low Volume
Irrigation:
Low volume
irrigation is
defined as a maximum
of 30 gallons per
hour, permitted. Low
volume irrigation is
not approved for
lawns or turf grass.
Low volume
irrigation of plant
materials other than
lawns and grass is
not restricted as to
days or hours,
however must not be
wasteful and
unnecessary.
Hand Watering:
Hand watering of
plant material other
than lawns and grass
is not subject to
day and time of day
restrictions.
However, such use
may not be wasteful
and unnecessary.
Hand watering of
lawns and grass may
only occur during
the designated day
and time for
irrigation of
established lawns
and landscaping at
that address. A
hose-end sprinkler
placed in the yard
is not considered
hand watering and is
subject to the same
restrictions as an
in-ground sprinkler
system.
Reclaimed
Wastewater:
The use of reclaimed
wastewater is not
restricted, however
its use must not be
wasteful and
unnecessary.
Irrigation System
Maintenance:
Irrigation systems
may be operated
during restricted
hours for cleaning
and maintenance
purposes, but
limited to ten (10)
minutes per zone per
week. An attendant
must remain visibly
on site during the
entire cleaning and
maintenance
operation.
Automatic Rain
Sensing Shut-off
Device:
All landscape
irrigation systems
must be equipped
with a rain sensor
device or switch
that will override
the irrigation cycle
of the sprinkler
system when adequate
rainfall has
occurred. This
requirement applies
to both new and
older irrigation
systems.
Chemical Treatment:
If chemicals such as
pesticide,
fertilizer,
herbicides,
insecticides, and
fungicides are
applied to your lawn
or landscape plants
by a hired
professional, they
can be watered in
according to
manufacturer's
instructions within
24 to 48 hours of
application.
Applying water
following a chemical
treatment by a hired
professional is
allowable on your
non-designated
watering day
provided a dated
chemical advisory
marker showing the
date of chemical
application is
visible in the yard
(usually by the
mailbox). Also,
restricted hours
must still be
followed (before 8
a.m. or after 6
p.m.)
If you wish to apply
a chemical treatment
to your lawn or
landscape plants
yourself, the
application of water
must be done on your
designated watering
day and time for
your address.
Car Washing:
Washing of cars,
trucks and other
mobile equipment is
allowed once a week.
At a residential
property, vehicle
washing may occur on
Tuesday or Saturday
at addresses ending
in even numbers, and
Wednesday or Sunday
at addresses ending
in odd numbers.
Low-volume methods
must be used, such
as fitting your hose
with an automatic
shut-off nozzle.
Fund-raising car
washes held on
behalf of non-profit
organizations are
allowed, as long as
water is used
efficiently. Hoses
must be fitted with
an automatic
shut-off nozzle at
all times.
Pressure Washing:
Pressure washing of
buildings or other
structures in
preparation for
painting or other
maintenance is
allowed. Also
allowed is the
annual pressure
washing of
buildings,
structures,
driveways, sidewalks
and other impervious
surfaces as part of
a planned
maintenance program
to either maintain a
warranty or to
prevent a “slip and
fall” hazard.
Washing or cleaning
streets in
preparation for a
parade or other
public event is
allowed.
Other than these
instances, washing
or other water-based
cleaning of streets
and other impervious
surfaces is allowed
only to meet
federal, state or
local health and
safety standards,
such as required
dust control.
Decorative
Fountains:
Fountains,
waterfalls and other
outdoor artistic
water features are
limited to operating
eight hours a day,
and the operating
hours shall be
posted. If the water
feature also
provides a necessary
water quality
benefit, such as
aerating a storm
water pond, it may
be operated any
hours as necessary.
Recreation Use:
Pools should be
maintained in a way
that minimizes the
need for make-up
water. This includes
promptly repairing
leaks, optimum
scheduling of
backwash filtration,
and using shade or
covers to reduce
evaporation.
Residential and
other non-commercial
uses of water for
recreational
purposes should be
reduced as much as
possible. For
example, a sprinkler
or sprinkler-like
device may be used
only at the times
normally allowed for
lawn watering, and
discharge only as
much water as is
horticulturally
necessary for the
lawn. A wading pool,
“Slip ‘N Slide” or
other child-oriented
recreational device
shall run off or be
emptied onto a lawn
or landscape that
requires irrigation.
Effective June 1,
2002:
Low-volume
irrigation is
required at retail
plant sales
locations when the
ground surface
underneath the
plants is
non-permeable
(paved, concrete,
etc.).
Fines and Penalties:
Violating these
restrictions could
result in a fine of
$100 for the first
offense, $200 for
the second and so
on, leading up to
$500 for the 5th and
succeeding
violations.
Non-payment will
result in a summons
to appear before a
code enforcement
special magistrate,
who could impose a
fine of as much as
$1,000 a day until
the original penalty
is paid. In extreme
cases, the
magistrate could
choose to levy a
one-time fine of
$15,000. Those who
still don't pay
could have a lien
attached to their
property.
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