The Tampa Bay area does a great job of using water wisely inside the home. But during warm, dry months, our area’s water use spikes. In fact, there are times when up to 50 percent of all water used in the Tampa Bay region is used outdoors.
That’s why Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors continues funding support for the Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough county Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) program. The board just approved total funding of $456,854 in fiscal year 2018 to support the program in its efforts to promote wise irrigation practices and proper Florida landscape designs. Improving outdoor efficiency can yield far-reaching results.
The program emphasizes designing, installing and retrofitting existing landscapes and associated irrigation systems to more Florida-friendly landscapes, which leads to increases in water use efficiency. Homeowners and the building community can achieve Florida-friendly lawns by implementing the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Principles. These principles are: