Lawn Watering Restrictions in the Tampa Florida Area

December 05th, 2012

Watering Restrictions

** This information may not be up to date. Please see the Hillsborough County website to verify that this is the most up to date information. **

Hillsborough County, Florida has recently changed its water use restrictions. Here is the information as published on their website http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/index.aspx?nid=3026 .

Outdoor Water Use Restrictions for All Properties in Unincorporated Hillsborough County Effective December 26, 2013

Basic Rules

• Restrictions are for all properties in unincorporated Hillsborough County
• Irrigation must be accomplished prior to 8:00 AM or after 6:00 PM.
• Any one zone of a property may only be watered once during the allowable day, NOT both in the morning and evening.
• Homeowner associations are prevented from requiring property owners to replace plant materials to meet aesthetic standards.
• Use of wading pools or other recreational devices shall be discharged or emptied onto a lawn or landscape area requiring irrigation.
• These rules apply to all sources of water including well water and surface water.

Watering Days

Addresses ending in the number 0 or 1: Mondays only
Addresses ending in the number 2 or 3: Tuesdays only
Addresses ending in the number 6 or 7: Thursdays only
Addresses ending in the number 8 or 9: Fridays only
Locations with no address: Fridays only
(common areas, entry areas)
Locations with mixed addresses: Fridays only
(office complexes, shopping centers)

Detailed Information

New Plants and Grass
On days 1-30, beginning on the day of installation, new plant material including turfgrass may be watered any day of the week, but not between the hours of 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. On days 31-60, new plant material including turfgrass may be watered as follows: Even-numbered addresses may only water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; Odd-numbered addresses, locations with no address, and locations with mixed addresses may only water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Following this period all new plant material is considered established and must follow the regular watering day restrictions outlined above.

NOTE: All new plant material (new or replacement turfgrass or new plants/shrubs) must cover at least 50% of an irrigation zone in order to water with an in-ground sprinkler system during the 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. (Ex: 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). Additionally, only those zones containing 50% new plant material may be watered, not the entire yard. (Ex: 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 one half gallon per minute (30 gallons per hour) per emitter. Low volume irrigation is not approved for lawns or turfgrass. Low volume irrigation of plant materials other than lawns and grass is allowed any day at any time. The use must not be wasteful and unnecessary.

Hand Watering
Hand watering of plant materials other than lawns and turfgrass may occur on any day and at any time. Hand watering of lawns and turfgrass may only occur during the designated day and time for irrigation of established lawns and landscaping at that address.

Chemical Treatment
If chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides are applied to your lawn or landscape plant by a certified professional applicator, they can be watered in according to manufacturer’s instructions within 24 hours of the chemical treatment: the evening of the application, or the morning afterward. Applying water following a chemical treatment by a certified professional applicator is allowable on your non-designated watering day provided a dated chemical advisory marker showing the date of application is visible in the yard. All such watering must be prior to 8:00 AM or after 6:00 PM. If you apply a chemical treatment to your lawn or landscape plants yourself, the watering in of those chemicals must be done on your designated watering day for your address prior to 8:00 AM or after 6:00 PM.

Car Washing
Allowed on any day at any time, but requires the use of a self-canceling nozzle on garden-type hoses.

Pressure Washing and Decorative Fountains
No restrictions, yet residents are asked to still use water conservation methods.

Irrigation System Maintenance
Irrigation systems may be operated during restricted days or hours for cleaning and maintenance purposes, but limited to ten (10) minutes per week. An attendant must remain visibly on site during the entire cleaning and maintenance operation.

Enforcement
More aggressive water shortage action may become necessary, including stringent enforcement, such as issuing a citation without first issuing a warning.

NOTE: These Regulations are subject to change.

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Southwest Florida Water Management District -

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us

City of Tampa water restrictions -

http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Water/information_resources/restrictions/

City of Plant City water restrictions -

http://www.plantcitygov.com

City of Temple Terrace water restrictions -

http://www.templeterrace.com/misc/waterrules.htm

Reclaimed water offers less restrictive regulation. In many cases you can water as much as you like with a reclaimed water hookup. Unfortunately, not every area of town has access to reclaimed water. It might be worth looking into whether or not reclaimed water is available at your address. If you are in an area that offers access to reclaimed water, having it connected is as simple as hiring an irrigation contractor to connect you to the reclaimed line.

Although Green Solutions is not a licensed irrigation contractor, we have developed long-standing relationships with irrigation contractors that have been carefully vetted for professionalism and the skills necessary to install and service irrigation systems. In many cases we have already arranged for significant discounts or free consultations with these companies. Please call our office if you would like a referral.

-- Green Solutions Lawn Care & Pest Control is an award-winning provider of lawn care and pest services in the Tampa Bay area. Our staff boasts two university educated turf agronomists and a university educated horticulturist. We offer fertilization, weed, insect and disease control programs for residential and commercial clients. We also offer general household pest control services. We happily provide free estimates.

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