Sarasota County Under Stricter Watering Restrictions Beginning April 3/h2>
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
SARASOTA COUNTY – Due to ongoing drought conditions, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Governing Board voted on Tuesday, March 24 to declare a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage, which requires all Sarasota County residents to irrigate under limited hours.
Sarasota County residents should continue to only water on their assigned watering day and watering hours are reduced to 12:00 a.m. to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties less than one acre in size may only use one of these windows.
Additionally, beginning on Friday, April 17, SWFWMD has directed Sarasota County and all other counties affected to begin issuing citations without warning to protect remaining water supply.
SWFWMD’s Phase III restrictions apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Charlotte County and are in effect Friday, April 3, 2026, through Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
SWFWMD has not declared Phase III Modified Water Restrictions since 2017. This declaration was put in place due to a 13.7-inch regional rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. In addition, water levels in SWFWMD’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are continuing to decline and many are severely abnormal. Moreover, public water supplies are extremely low for this time of year.
Sarasota County customers may only irrigate on the following days:
If your address (house number) ends in…
…0 or 1, water only on Monday
…2 or 3, water only on Tuesday
…4 or 5, water only on Wednesday
…6 or 7, water only on Thursday
…8 or 9*, water only on Friday
* and locations without a discernible address
Other restrictions listed in the Modified Phase III Water Shortage Order include:
* Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) is allowed any day but is * limited to before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
* Pressure washing in preparation for painting and sealing is allowed.
i No HOA or other entity shall enforce deed restrictions or other community standards requiring an increase in water use, including replacement of plant material to meet aesthetic standards or pressure washing.
* Car washing at home (non-commercial) is only allowed on your lawn watering day and you must use a hose with a shutoff nozzle. Car washing commercially is recommended as commercial car washes recycle water.
* Aesthetic fountains are limited to four hours a day. The regular hours of operation can be selected by the owner but must be posted.
* Restaurants are required to only serve water upon request.
For additional information about the Modified Phase III Water Shortage Order, visit SWFWMD’s website WaterMatters.org/Restrictions. For water conserving tips, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.