Hillsborough County, Fla. (March 7, 2025) - Love it or hate it, the time change is here this weekend and Hillsborough residents can use it as a force for good by revisiting their irrigation control boxes to ensure the best timing for water conservation and saving money.
Clocks spring ahead one hour in the early morning of Sunday, March 9. The beginning of daylight saving time is the perfect time for residents to evaluate their landscape watering and make sure they are getting the most out of their landscape, using the least amount of water, and ensuring that irrigation systems operate consistently with year-round water conservation measures.
Many residents already know that unincorporated Hillsborough County has designated lawn irrigation days to save water. Additionally, Hillsborough's Extension Service has a program to help residents adjust their automatic irrigation timer. The on-site irrigation evaluation service is free for community and condominium associations, as well as Hillsborough County residents. For more information, residents can reach out to Will Stone, a Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program coordinator, at (813) 744-5519 ext. 54133 or StoneWi@HCFL.gov.
Residents also could be eligible to receive a rebate worth up to $250 for installing a qualified weather-based irrigation controller or soil moisture sensor. They also can receive an irrigation controller with instillation free of charge, through the Tampa Bay Water Wise program.