Tampa Bay Water Blog

For 25 years, April has been annually proclaimed as Water Conservation Month in Florida, and for good reason. April is part of Florida’s dry season and April showers aren’t typical here. As temperatures get warmer, outdoor water usage is expected to rise.

From Oct. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023, Tampa Bay Water delivered an average of 186.2 million gallons of water per day (mgd) to meet regional water demands. That’s 1% higher than the same period last year. With more and more people moving to the area, it’s never been more important to conserve water.

Indoors

• Take short(er) showers and turn off the water while you lather up. Each minute you decrease your shower time saves about 2.5 gallons of water.
• Replace your shower head with a newer, low-flow showerhead to cut your shower water use in half.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• Run your dishwasher and washing machines only when they are full. If it’s time to replace your dishwasher or washing machine, look for Energy Star certified appliances to help save water over the lifetime of the appliance.
• Swap your old toilet for a high-efficiency toilet to reduce your water usage. Learn more and see if you qualify for a rebate up to $100 at Tampa Bay Water Wise.
• Use the water left over from cooking pasta or boiling potatoes (once it has cooled) to water your plants. Your plants will benefit from the nutrients in the water.
• If you own a freshwater fish tank, use the old water from cleaning the tank to water plants; fertilizer is built in.
• Check for leaks and fix them. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average family can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually, from household leaks. That's about what it takes to wash more than 300 loads of laundry.

Outdoors

• Water your lawn only on your designated days and times. Find when they are:

• • City of New Port Richey
  • City of St. Petersburg
  • City of Tampa
  • Hillsborough County
  • Pasco County
  • Pinellas County

• Install smart irrigation controllers to monitor soil or weather conditions so you water only when you need to. Learn more and see if you qualify for a free device and installation or up to a $250 rebate at Tampa Bay Water Wise.
• Use a rain barrel to catch rain for your plants or lawn.
• Check for broken sprinkler heads and make sure they’re watering your yard, not the driveway or streets.
• Group plants according to their water needs.
• Mulch flower beds to reduce evaporation.

Learn more at tampabaywater.org/water-saving-tips and check out Florida Friendly Landscaping™ for more outdoor water savings ideas.