New restrictions impact pressure washing and fountains
Hillsborough County, Fla. (March 27, 2026) - New water restrictions across the Tampa Bay region will impact Hillsborough County residents with tighter allowable irrigation times after the Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a Modified Phase III Water Shortage on March 24.
Modified Phase III "Extreme" Water Shortage restrictions will take effect across the Southwest Florida Water Management District region from April 3 to July 1, as the region experiences severe drought conditions. The order tightens one-day-per-week irrigation limits. New watering hours are reduced to 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties less than 1 acre in size may only use one of these windows.
Other restrictions include
- Prohibition of non-commercial annual aesthetic pressure washing
- Hand watering and micro-irrigation limited to before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- The use of any fountain or water feature is allowed provided it is properly maintained and also recycles water, exclusively uses reclaimed water, or provides a necessary water quality benefit. Fountain use is limited to four hours a day
Know your watering days (One-day-per-week from April 3 - July 1, 2026)
If your address (house number) ends in:
- 0 or 1, water only on Mondays
- 2 or 3, water only on Tuesdays
- 4 or 5, water only on Wednesdays
- 6 or 7, water only on Thursdays
- 8 or 9, water only on Fridays
Common areas with or without street addresses, locations with no address, and locations with mixed addresses (such as office complexes and shopping centers) can only water on Fridays.
The region received below-average rainfall during the 2025 summer rainy season and currently has a 13.7-inch regional rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. In addition, water levels in the District's water resources, such as aquifers, rivers, and lakes, are continuing to decline and many are significantly below normal. Moreover, public water supplies are extremely low for this time of year. Learn more at HCFL.gov/WaterRestrictions.