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Officials tighten water restrictions
By SUZETTE PORTER
| Article published on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 |
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PINELLAS COUNTY - Phase 4 water restrictions will go into effect on Friday, April 3, and continue through at least June 30 or until there is enough rain to ensure the area’s water supply.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District governing board voted Tuesday morning to impose the tougher restrictions for all of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas County. The strict measures are necessary due to the continuation of a three-year drought, coupled with problems at the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, which no longer has enough water to pump.
The new restrictions include new hours when watering is permitted; prohibition of aesthetic fountains and other water features; prohibition of residential car washing and charity car washes; restrictions on washing of cars for sale or lease; restrictions on commercial pressure washing. Also, facilities that use water-based air conditioning systems must keep temperature at or above 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dave Baker, manager of Pinellas County’s Utilities conservation department and outreach, said Tuesday that Utilities would support and help advance SWFWMD’s directive with regard to more stringent water restrictions.
“Our customers have been very responsive over the years to conservation and that’s reflected in our low per capita water use rate (88 gallons per person per day),” Baker said.
He said Utilities would continue to work with county residents to help them do more to conserve.
“Pinellas County Utilities continues to provide our customers with rebates, conservation tips and free water saving devices to help them make adjustments in household water use. Especially during a severe drought, conservation needs to be a part of our Florida lifestyle.”
The stricter water restrictions apply to Pinellas County Utilities, and the cities of Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shores, Clearwater, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Kenneth City, Largo, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Oldsmar, Pinellas Park, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, Safety Harbor, St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach, Seminole, South Pasadena, Tarpon Springs and Treasure Island.
Phase 4 watering restrictions include the following.
Lawn watering
The one-day-a-week watering schedule still applies. The permitted hours have changed to:
- Midnight to 4 a.m. for properties less than one acre in size using in-ground irrigation systems (rotor and spray sprinkler heads)
- Midnight to 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight for properties more than one acre in size, using an in-ground irrigation system (rotor and spray sprinkler heads).
- 6 to 8 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. for properties of any size, using sprinkling cans, hand-held hose equipped with automatic shut-off nozzle, or using a hose equipped with a portable sprinkler.
Note: The same lawn area may not be watered by multiple means, in other words, persons may not use an irrigation system and a hand-held hose to water the same area twice on their day.
Landscape (non-lawn) watering
- Watering of landscapes using an in-ground irrigation system (rotor and spray sprinkler heads) or a hand-held hose equipped with a portable sprinkler remains limited to the same once-per-week schedule as lawn watering.
- Watering of landscapes (non-lawn) using a sprinkling can, hand watering with a hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or micro-irrigation is now limited to three days per week. Micro-irrigation includes soaker hoses, drip tubes, microjets and other forms of low-volume irrigation technology.
Even addresses may use any of these forms of efficient irrigation on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Odd addresses may do so on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
New hours for watering of landscape are:
- Midnight to 4 a.m. for properties less than one acre in size, using an in-ground irrigation system (rotor and spray sprinkler heads).
- Midnight to 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight for landscapes more than one acre, using an in-ground rotor and spray irrigation system.
- 6 to 8 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. for landscapes any size, using a sprinkling can, hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or micro-irrigation.
Irrigation for establishment of new or replacement lawns
- New and replacement turf (sod, plugs, seed, etc.) continues to have a 30-day establishment period:
- On days one to 15, the new or replacement turf may be watered any day of the week.
- On days 16 to 30, the turf may only be watered approximately every other day. Even-numbered addresses may only water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses may only water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
New hours for new and replacement turf watering:
- Midnight to 4 a.m. for properties less than one acre in size, using an in-ground irrigation system (rotor and spray sprinkler heads).
- Midnight to 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight for landscapes more than one acre, using an in-ground rotors and sprays irrigation system.
- 6 to 8 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. for landscapes any size, using a sprinkling can, hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or micro-irrigation.
Irrigation for establishment of new landscaping (non-lawn)
- New plants (other than lawns) now have a new, 60-day establishment period.
- On days one to 15, new plants may be watered any day of the week.
- During days 16 to 45, new plants may be watered approximately every other day. Even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses may water on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
- During days 46 to 60, new plants may be watered two days per week. Even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses may water on Wednesday and Sunday.
New hours for watering new landscapes
- Midnight to 4 a.m. for landscapes less than one acre, using an in-ground rotors and sprays irrigation system.
- Midnight to 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight for landscapes more than one acre, using an in-ground rotors and sprays irrigation system.
- 6 to 8 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m., landscapes any size, using hand watering or micro-irrigation.
Fountains - aesthetic fountains and other water features are now prohibited.
Car and pressure washing - residential car washing is now prohibited. Charity car washes are now prohibited.
Commercial car wash operations are allowed. However, cars for sale or lease may not be routinely washed; they may be washed immediately prior to sale or lease.
Pressure washing conducted by commercial businesses is allowed for certain purposes, which include cleaning to eliminate a safety hazard, preparation for painting or similar activity, maintaining a paint or material warranty, and as needed to meet federal, state or local health and safety standards.
Water-based air conditioning
Government facilities, common areas in malls, lobbies of multi-tenant office buildings and similar public spaces using cooling towers or other water-based cooling must keep the temperature at or above 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are exemptions for health and safety, such as hospital facilities.
Phase 3 still in effect
The governing board voted Feb. 24 to enhance the Modified Phase 3 (or Extreme) Water Shortage restrictions which were first approved in October 2008. Enhanced restrictions still in effect include:
- Requiring water utilities and local governments to contact and strive to significantly reduce water use among their high-use customers.
- Asking water utilities to consider implementing a drought surcharge for the same group of high-use customers.
- Asking water utilities to consider implementing a reclaimed water availability fee as a means of encouraging customers with access to reclaimed water to hook up to the system.
- Requiring restaurants to only serve water upon request.
Phase 3 restrictions also required utilities to impose stricter regulation, including writing citations for first-time offenses.
Tom Crandall, director of Utilities, told the Board of Pinellas County Commissions on March 17 that 130 citations for water violations were written in February and he anticipated the total to be 185 to 190 in March. He said Utilities was continuing to evaluate the need for stepped up enforcement.
Conversation programs
Pinellas County Utilities has several programs to help residents conserve water and lower their water bills. The programs include rebate programs for ultra low flow toilets and installation of alternate water sources for lawn irrigation. Various publications are available to assist with leak detection, sprinkler system calibration, leaky flappers and indoor/outdoor water conservation initiatives.
Utilities customers may also request free low flow shower heads, water saver kits, rain gauges and hose shut-off nozzles to further enhance conservation efforts.
For more information about watering restrictions and ways to conserve water, visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities or call Pinellas County Utilities at 464-4000.
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Article published on Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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