Hillsborough County Watering

Current water restrictions

Know your watering days (One-day-per-week from Feb. 8 - 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.

Prevent run-off from over watering and broken or misdirected sprinkler heads.

Recycle water where possible.

Know your watering times

All watering must be done either between midnight and 8 AM or between 6 PM and midnight, and only once on your designated day.  

Homeowner Associations

Homeowner Associations (HOA) enforcement activities are curtailed through the end of the Water Shortage Order, which currently extends to July 1, 2026, to reduce unnecessary exterior water usage as stated in SWFWMD's order, which includes requiring replacement of plants material to meet aesthetic standards.

Irrigation timers and rebates

Property owners should reprogram their automatic irrigation timers to adjust the irrigation days from twice per week to their one allowable day per week. Get free help with adjusting your automatic irrigation timer from a Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program Coordinator by contacting Will Stone at (813) 744-5519 ext. 54133 or stonewi@hcfl.gov.

Check your eligibility to receive a rebate worth up to $250 for the installation of a qualified weather-based irrigation controller or soil moisture sensor, or alternatively, receive a device and installation free of charge, through the Tampa Bay Water Wise program.

You can visit HCFL.gov/WaterConservation for water conservation tips and information.

Rules

Follow these rules for watering.

Hand watering

Hand-watering and low-volume irrigation of plant material other than lawn of turfgrass may be done on any day and at any time.

New sod and Landscaping

All watering of new sod and landscaping must be done during the allowed hours. An irrigation system zone can only be operated if the new sod or plant material covers at least 50 percent of that zone.

For 30 days after installation, residents can water on any day, but only during allowed hours
From 31 to 60 days after installation, watering is allowed during allowed hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays for even numbered addresses and Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays for odd numbered addresses
Common areas/mixed addresses/no addresses may water during allowed hours on Sunday, Tuesday, and Fridays

Decorative fountains, car washing, pressure washing

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. Fountains use is limited to eight hours a day
Car washing is allowed at home (non-commercial) using hoses equipped with self-canceling or automatic shutoff nozzles, sponges, and buckets and is on is only allowed on your lawn watering day
Pressure washing of sidewalks, driveways, patios and other impervious surfaces is allowed for public health and safety or an annual pressure washing in preparation for painting and sealing. Pressure washing should not be used to clean away materials that can be removed with a broom or other dry methods.

Reclaimed water

Use reclaimed water for irrigation any day of the week, but it is prohibited between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM
Use reclaimed water for irrigation of lawns, gardens, and individual plants
Do not allow ponding or run-off from your reclaimed water system.

Pinellas County watering restrictions

Watering Schedule and Rules

Phase II Water Shortage Order

Due to below average rainfall and declining water supply throughout the region, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has issued a Phase II Water Shortage Order that includes Pinellas County and other surrounding counties under their jurisdiction. The order goes into effect on Feb. 8, 2026. Pinellas County Utilities will move to one-day-per-week watering for all customers using the schedule below.

Watering Schedule

The authorized irrigation schedule for all Pinellas County Utilities customers is as follows for all reclaimed, potable, well, lake or pond sources:

Customers north of SR580

Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Saturdays
Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Wednesdays
Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Wednesdays
Watering hours are reduced to 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. or 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.; properties less than one acre in size may only use one of these windows.
Low-volume watering (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) of plants and shrubs (not lawns) is allowed any day and any time.

Customers south of SR580

Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Tuesdays
Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Thursdays
Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Thursdays
Watering hours are reduced to 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. or 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.; properties less than one acre in size may only use one of these windows.
Low-volume watering (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) of plants and shrubs (not lawns) is allowed any day and any time.

Please monitor this page for up-to-date water schedule information as restrictions can change at any time. Residents who do not receive their water from PCU should verify their watering days and restrictions with their water supplier.

Basic Rules

Wasteful and Unnecessary Use of Water Is Prohibited. This includes:

Leaving a hose on unattended.
Hand-watering a lawn on a restricted day or more than once a day.
Hosing down a driveway, solid surface or structure when another method could be used.
Not fixing an irrigation or plumbing issue, like broken sprinkler heads or outdoor faucets, after receiving a verbal or written notice.

Violations

For first offences, customers will be issued a “warning” and notice of potential citation for additional offences.

For any additional offences, customers will receive a Notice of Violation and $193 citation. If you receive a citation, you may contest it; however, in doing so you may incur additional court costs.

New Plant Material (Lawn & Landscaping) Establishment Period Irrigation Exemption

New plant materials may be watered for a 60-day total establishment period. The following information will help you properly water your new plants and turf grass under the exemption.

Proof of new lawn material must be faxed to (727) 464-3717.

Exemption Guidance

From Day 1 to Day 30, new plants and turf grass can be watered any day of the week.
From Day 31 to Day 60, new plants and turf grass can be watered two or three days per week, based on the watering schedule. Please see the above schedule to find your watering day.
Exemption begins on the day of installation. New turf grass or plants can be watered one time outside of watering times on installation day.
You can only use an entire irrigation system zone if it waters an area with at least 50% new plant material.
Partial zone and dispersed plantings like trees, plants and shrubs must be watered by another, more targeted, irrigation method such as a water hose with a nozzle.