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05Jun
Rain or Shine: Conservation Remains Important as Rainy Season Approaches
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News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Meghan Christopher
mchristopher@tampabaywater.org
(727) 791-2315

CLEARWATER, Fla. (June 5, 2024) – Tampa Bay Water is calling on every resident to conserve water as the Tampa Bay region continues to experience dry conditions with some of the highest demands the regional utility has ever seen. In just one month, from April to May, regional water demands increased by 25.27 million gallons per day.

While the region eagerly awaits the arrival of summer rains, Tampa Bay Water urges residents to continue conservation efforts and reduce their water usage by at least 5%.

“Cutting water use by at least 5% is attainable considering outdoor watering accounts for up to 50% of water used at home,” said Warren Hogg, chief science officer at Tampa Bay Water. “As we enter the rainy season, keep in mind that there is less need to water your lawn – Mother Nature can do it for you.”

Rainy summers are also when Tampa Bay Water fills the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, which holds 15.5 billion gallons of river water when full. The more water residents conserve, the more that can be stored in the region’s water savings account for the next dry season.

As temperatures get warmer, outdoor water use rises. But outdoor watering in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties is limited to one-day-per-week per the Southwest Florida Water Management District water shortage order that runs through July 1, 2024. Residents can find their watering day by simply entering their zip codes at MyWaterDay.org.

Some other ways to save water outdoors include:

  • Skip a week of watering if it rains and save up to 2,500 gallons of water.
  • Fix broken sprinkler heads and leaking sprinkler lines and save thousands of gallons of water.
  • Make sure sprinklers are aimed at the lawn and not watering sidewalks or streets.
  • Use a hose nozzle when watering by hand and save 8 gallons per minute.

Not everyone waters their lawn or has a lawn to water, but there are other ways to save including:

  • Fix leaking toilet flappers and save up to 200 gallons of water per day.
  • Replace old toilets with EPA WaterSense certified models and get $40-$100 rebates at tampabaywaterwise.org.
  • Turn off the tap while brushing teeth and save 8 gallons of water per day.
  • Take shorter showers and save 2 gallons per minute.

Regional water facts as of June 3, 2024:

  • The Tampa Bay region remains in a Stage I Drought Alert due to a rainfall deficit.
  • Regional rainfall is at a 5.2-inch deficit averaged over the past 12 months.
  • Rainfall in May averaged about 1.4 inches, 1.0 inch below normal.
  • River flows are in a 4.0 million gallons per day (mgd) surplus averaged over the past 12 months.
  • Regional water demands in May averaged 228.16 mgd, 21.21 mgd lower than May 2023, but 25.27 mgd higher than demand in April 2024.
  • The C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir is at 3.87 billion gallons, 25% of its 15.5-billion-gallon capacity, which helps maintain water supply to the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant.

About Tampa Bay Water

Tampa Bay Water is the largest wholesale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members, who in turn, supply water to more than 2.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more, visit tampabaywater.org.