TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Water Cutbacks Encouraged

ADVERTISEMENT

By SUSAN M. GREEN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 29, 2007

SOUTH SHORE - The Southwest Florida Water Management District is asking residents who water their lawns to skip a week now that the temperatures have dropped a bit.

South Hillsborough is among communities under once-a-week irrigation restrictions imposed because of below-normal rainfall. But regional water managers say turning on the sprinkler less will save water for potable consumption and might be better for the lawn.

"Over-watering makes your lawn less drought-tolerant and can encourage disease and pests," said Sylvia Durell, a landscaping project manager with the district, in a prepared statement.

Grass may develop deeper roots and become more drought-tolerant if irrigation is reduced gradually, she said.

Homeowners should water their grass when blades are folded in half or appear to be blue-gray, or if a footprint remains visible after stepping on the lawn, officials said.

Other water-saving tips:

•Check your irrigation system frequently to make sure you water plants, not pavement.

•Mow your lawn high enough to encourage grass roots to grow deeper and hold moisture longer. The ideal height for St. Augustine and Bahia varieties is 3 to 4 inches. For Bermuda, it's 1 to 2 inches.

In unincorporated Hillsborough County, restrictions apply regardless of whether water comes from a private well or public source. Customers who use county reclaimed water are exempt. People with newly sodded lawns or who water by hand also may water more frequently.

Otherwise, irrigation is limited to the nighttime hours between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Residents should follow this schedule:

For addresses ending in 0 or 1, watering day is Monday. For addresses ending in 2 or 3, it's Tuesday. For house numbers ending in 4 or 5, it's Wednesday. For addresses ending in 6 or 7, water on Thursday.

For addresses ending in 8 or 9, or common areas with no address or complexes with mixed addresses, irrigation should be done Friday.

Violating the restrictions could lead to fines ranging from $100 to $500. To report a violation, call (813) 224-8993. For information, call (813) 275-7094 or (813) 272-6680 or visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/water/restrictions.

Information about regional watering restrictions and drought-tolerant landscaping is available at www.Water Matters.org/drought.

Reporter Susan M. Green can be reached at (813) 865-1566 or sgreen@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT