The city of Tampa has extended seasonal water restrictions to year-round. It means city utility customers will only be able to water their lawn once a week.
It may not seem like it — with all the rain we've been getting lately — but water restrictions still need to be put in place in Tampa. City officials blame dwindling water supplies and construction of new homes with lawns that need to be watered.
Councilman Guido Maniscalco put it this way: "It's rainy season now, but it gets very, very dry. And we had a very dry time this year, where people's grass was dying and whatnot. But at the same time, we need to protect our water and the supply and everything."
City officials said one-fifth of city residents are responsible for nearly half the water consumption.
"It's a change of mindset," Rory Jones, who directs the city's water department, told the council members. "And this is step one to that. I think water is the future gold. And we need to start saving it now."
The city is increasing water patrols and fines that can go as high as $500 per violation. And homeowner's associations cannot issue fines if lawns go unwatered.
Reclaimed water used for irrigation is generally not subject to water use restrictions. But homeowners are asked not to use it unnecessarily.
