Southwest Florida water restrictions keep one-day-a-week landscape watering through March 31, 2027

What changed

The Southwest Florida Water Management District says its Modified Phase III “Extreme” one-day-per-week water shortage restrictions have been extended through March 31, 2027. The district says it received below-average rainfall during both its 2025 and 2026 summer rainy seasons, the 12-month rainfall deficit through August 2026 is 15.4 inches, and area rivers and lakes and public water supplies have not been replenished because of the lack of summer rainfall.

SWFWMD also says Tampa Bay Water’s C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir had 7.87 billion gallons in storage as of Sept. 20, about half its storage capacity.

The covered area includes 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, according to SWFWMD.

Under SWFWMD’s standard schedule, lawn and landscape watering remains limited to once per week. Addresses ending in 0 or 1 water Monday; 2 or 3 Tuesday; 4 or 5 Wednesday; 6 or 7 Thursday; and 8 or 9 Friday. Friday also applies to mixed-address locations or locations without a determinable address, such as subdivision common areas.

Unless a city or county has stricter hours, watering hours remain reduced to midnight to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties less than one acre may use only one of those windows. Properties one acre or larger may water only before 4 a.m. and after 8 p.m.

SWFWMD says the restrictions apply to residents using potable, well or surface water. Exclusive use of reclaimed water is subject only to voluntary watering hours unless a local government or utility restricts it.

Authoritative record: https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/epermitting/district-water-restrictions

What it means for the shop

Landscape companies should not rely only on the district schedule. SWFWMD says affected properties should check city or county regulations first because many local governments have different schedules or stricter watering hours.

For new lawns and plants, SWFWMD allows a 60-day establishment period. Days 1 through 30 may be watered any day. Days 31 through 60 may be watered three days per week: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for even-numbered addresses, and Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for odd-numbered addresses. SWFWMD says the user must maintain a written establishment watering schedule.

Handwatering and microirrigation for flower beds, shrubs, or other non-lawn plant material may occur any day, but only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. under the Modified Phase III restrictions.

HOAs and other entities may not enforce deed restrictions or community standards requiring a homeowner to increase surface-water, potable-water or domestic-well water use. SWFWMD says this includes requiring a homeowner to replace plant material or to pressure wash homes and driveways to meet aesthetic standards. Compliance with homeowner association or other aesthetic standards does not constitute necessary maintenance.

For cleaning and pressure-washing operators, SWFWMD’s current page says annual pressure washing for aesthetic purposes is not allowed. Pressure washing of driveways, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces is allowed for necessary maintenance, such as maintaining a warranty or removing mold, mildew and other potentially hazardous material that cannot be removed by mechanical means, and as a construction practice, such as cleaning a concrete surface before painting or sealing.

SWFWMD also says pressure washing of buildings or other structures is allowed in preparation for painting, sealing or other necessary maintenance, and as a construction practice.

For mobile equipment washing, SWFWMD says non-commercial car washing at home is allowed only on the property’s lawn-watering day and requires a hose with a shutoff nozzle. Car, truck and other mobile equipment washing must use low-volume methods, such as a hand-held hose with a trigger, self-canceling nozzle, and is limited to one washing per week on the allowable lawn-watering day associated with the address where the washing occurs.

Car washing of fire trucks and other emergency vehicles is allowed. Car wash fundraisers for nonprofit organizations are prohibited, except one-day events scheduled before the water shortage order’s effective date. Rinsing boats and flushing boat engines is allowed after each use when needed to remove salt water or prevent transportation of exotic plant or animal material. Cleaning agricultural vehicles is allowed as necessary.

SWFWMD says utilities must implement Phase III conservation efforts, including customer education. Utilities and local enforcement officials must increase enforcement by responding to complaints and monitoring water use through patrols or customer records. Starting 14 days after the effective date of the water shortage order, citations are to be issued first without a warning. The supplied page does not state citation amounts or whether contractors can be cited directly rather than property owners or utility customers.

Other restrictions and open points

Aesthetic fountains and other water features may operate only four hours per day, and the owner can select the regular hours of operation but must post them, according to SWFWMD.

Restaurants are required to serve water only upon request. SWFWMD says use of water for medical purposes or protection of public health, safety and welfare is not restricted.

For golf courses, SWFWMD says fairways and driving ranges may be irrigated no more than once per week; tees, golf course greens and practice greens may be irrigated no more than three times per week; and roughs may not be irrigated.

The supplied SWFWMD page still does not provide the underlying water shortage order number, the original effective date, or the specific extension order. It also does not list any city or county orders that modify the districtwide rules, beyond SWFWMD’s warning that local rules may differ or be stricter.

Exact boundaries for the portions of Charlotte, Highlands, Lake and Marion counties covered by the SWFWMD restrictions are not provided in the supplied page text, except for Dunnellon, The Villages, and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Charlotte County.

The supplied page does not give detailed rules for commercial landscape maintenance, irrigation repair or testing, sod installation as a distinct category, or documentation beyond the written schedule required for new lawn and plant establishment watering.

Businesses with questions can contact SWFWMD at [email protected], 1-800-836-0797 in Florida, or (813) 856-5679 during business hours. SWFWMD says a petition for variance from year-round conservation measures or water shortage restrictions is available for qualified circumstances, and directs applicants to 1-800-848-0499 in Florida or [email protected] to confirm need or get help.