Kory
Member
TAMPA: GOODBYE, SPRINKLER
HAND WATERING WILL BE ALLOWED, ONCE A WEEK.
By Rodney Thrash
rthrash@tampabay.com
Facing what may become the worst drought on record, the Tampa City Council on Thursday adopted the toughest water restrictions in the state. By a 5-1 vote, the council banned the use of lawn sprinklers — a move that forces hand-watering of lawns but should save up to 30 million gallons of water a week. The rules, which take effect April 3, apply to residences, businesses and city government.
The restrictions also extend to homeowner associations, which are known for an aversion to brown grass.
“The need to provide people with drinking water supersedes the desire for people to irrigate their lawns,” city attorney Chip Fletcher said.
More than 140,000 Tampa water customers, including those who live in unincorporated Hillsborough County, will face stiff penalties for breaking the rules.
First-time violators will have to pay $100. A second offense will cost $200. A third infraction will result in a $450 fee and a mandatory court appearance.
The 3,000 homes and businesses that use reclaimed water will be exempt from the restrictions.
When the rules take effect, lawn and plant watering will still be allowed. The difference: It will have to be done with a hose that has a shutoff nozzle.
“Before, there were irrigation systems that went off, automatically in some cases, whether it rained or it didn’t rain,” city water director Brian Baird said. “If you are interested in protecting your investment, if you’re serious about it, you will get out and handwater it.” No other Florida city has taken Tampa’s extreme step, a Southwest Florida Water Management District official said.
The council could have opted for a less stringent approach. Mayor Pam Iorio recommended a two-step plan that would have first reduced sprinkler use to twice a month. If conditions worsened, stricter guidelines would have been phased in.
“The council jumped to the ultimate step,” said council member John Dingfelder, the lone dissenting vote. “I think it’s moving too fast.”
Facing a gloomy forecast, the council said it had no other choice. The drought has been three years in the making.
“We’re in a crisis,” council chairman Tom Scott said. “And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Indeed, the picture that city water officials painted Thursday was bleak: Tampa Bay Water’s reservoir is drained, and its desalination plant is currently underproducing by 10 million gallons a day. The Hillsborough River is flowing at near-record lows.
Homeowner Gary Gunter wishes Tampa wouldn’t have taken such a drastic step and just enforced its current regulations more aggressively.
“I suppose my lawn will die,” said Gunter, who lives in New Tampa’s deed-restricted West Meadows community. “We might as well take pictures of Las Vegas and put rocks in our yards.”
This is ahead of the March 31st meeting with SwiftMud. Its going to get tough quick.
HAND WATERING WILL BE ALLOWED, ONCE A WEEK.
By Rodney Thrash
rthrash@tampabay.com
Facing what may become the worst drought on record, the Tampa City Council on Thursday adopted the toughest water restrictions in the state. By a 5-1 vote, the council banned the use of lawn sprinklers — a move that forces hand-watering of lawns but should save up to 30 million gallons of water a week. The rules, which take effect April 3, apply to residences, businesses and city government.
The restrictions also extend to homeowner associations, which are known for an aversion to brown grass.
“The need to provide people with drinking water supersedes the desire for people to irrigate their lawns,” city attorney Chip Fletcher said.
More than 140,000 Tampa water customers, including those who live in unincorporated Hillsborough County, will face stiff penalties for breaking the rules.
First-time violators will have to pay $100. A second offense will cost $200. A third infraction will result in a $450 fee and a mandatory court appearance.
The 3,000 homes and businesses that use reclaimed water will be exempt from the restrictions.
When the rules take effect, lawn and plant watering will still be allowed. The difference: It will have to be done with a hose that has a shutoff nozzle.
“Before, there were irrigation systems that went off, automatically in some cases, whether it rained or it didn’t rain,” city water director Brian Baird said. “If you are interested in protecting your investment, if you’re serious about it, you will get out and handwater it.” No other Florida city has taken Tampa’s extreme step, a Southwest Florida Water Management District official said.
The council could have opted for a less stringent approach. Mayor Pam Iorio recommended a two-step plan that would have first reduced sprinkler use to twice a month. If conditions worsened, stricter guidelines would have been phased in.
“The council jumped to the ultimate step,” said council member John Dingfelder, the lone dissenting vote. “I think it’s moving too fast.”
Facing a gloomy forecast, the council said it had no other choice. The drought has been three years in the making.
“We’re in a crisis,” council chairman Tom Scott said. “And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Indeed, the picture that city water officials painted Thursday was bleak: Tampa Bay Water’s reservoir is drained, and its desalination plant is currently underproducing by 10 million gallons a day. The Hillsborough River is flowing at near-record lows.
Homeowner Gary Gunter wishes Tampa wouldn’t have taken such a drastic step and just enforced its current regulations more aggressively.
“I suppose my lawn will die,” said Gunter, who lives in New Tampa’s deed-restricted West Meadows community. “We might as well take pictures of Las Vegas and put rocks in our yards.”
This is ahead of the March 31st meeting with SwiftMud. Its going to get tough quick.
