Southwest Florida’s water managers have ordered the residents in 16 counties from Lee to Levy along or near Florida’s Gulf Coast to cut back on water use.
The "Phase 1 water shortage restrictions” sound dire but leave in place local lawn-watering schedules as abundant as twice a week and appear to be more about priming residents for more severe weather conditions in 2026.
“While the restrictions do not change allowable watering schedules, they do prohibit ‘wasteful and unnecessary’ water use,” wrote the Florida Governmental Utility Authority, which owns nearly 100 water and wastewater utilities throughout Florida with 120,000 customer connections. That means “allowing water to be dispersed without any practical purpose, using water in a grossly inefficient manner and using water for a purpose that can be readily accomplished by other means.”
The order from the Southwest Florida Water Management District is in effect from now until next summer, a time frame that wildfire managers and meteorologists worry may be shaping up to an active wildfire season.
Aquifers, rivers and lakes within the district and statewide are declining and are anticipated to lower more as the dry season progresses. SWFWMD is the first of the state’s five water management districts to declare any sort of water conservation measures after the drier than normal summer rainy season left a deficit of more than a foot during the past year.
Cold fronts that failed to travel far enough south during late spring are being looked at as a primary cause of drought earlier this year along Florida's west coast, dry conditions that have redeveloped into moderate to severe droughts in recent months.
Outdoor irrigation accounts for more than half of typical household water use, so the district is pressing homeowners to check timers, repair leaks and make every gallon count.
The order applies to 16 counties, including the portion of Gasparilla Island in Lee County, as well as all or parts of counties including Charlotte, Highlands, DeSoto, Hardee, Sarasota, Manatee, and others in the Tampa Bay region.
Residents are urged to check their city or county watering rules first - some localities enforce stricter one-day schedules.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
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