News Releases

03Jul
Conservation Needed to Replenish Region’s Water Savings Account
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News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Meghan Christopher
mchristopher@tampabaywater.org
(727) 791-2315

CLEARWATER, Fla. (July 3, 2024) – The C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir has done its job, serving as the region’s water savings account when we needed it most with help from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Tampa Bay Water’s members and Tampa Bay residents. Tampa Bay Water is urging residents to continue conservation efforts to help replenish the reservoir for the next dry season.

Rainy summers are when Tampa Bay Water fills the reservoir, which holds 15.5 billion gallons of river water when full. As of July 1, the reservoir sits at 2.54 billion gallons and has helped the Tampa Bay region get through very dry times since last October.

“The summer rains we see setting in will help us refill the reservoir for the next dry season,” said Warren Hogg, chief science officer for Tampa Bay Water. “With the start of the of much-needed rain, there’s less need to water your lawn – Mother Nature can do it for you.”

Outdoor watering in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties is limited to one-day-per-week per the Southwest Florida Water Management District water shortage order that was extended through September 1, 2024. Residents can find their watering day by simply entering their zip codes at MyWaterDay.org.

Some other ways to save water outdoors include:

  • Skip a week of watering if it rains and save up to 2,500 gallons of water.
  • Fix broken sprinkler heads and leaking sprinkler lines and save thousands of gallons of water.
  • Make sure sprinklers are aimed at the lawn and not watering sidewalks or streets.
  • Use a hose nozzle when watering by hand and save 8 gallons per minute.

Not everyone waters their lawn or has a lawn to water, but there are other ways to save including:

  • Fix leaking toilet flappers and save up to 200 gallons of water per day.
  • Replace old toilets with EPA WaterSense certified models and get $40-$100 rebates at tampabaywaterwise.org.
  • Turn off the tap while brushing teeth and save 8 gallons of water per day.
  • Take shorter showers and save 2 gallons per minute.

Regional water facts as of July 1, 2024:

  • The Tampa Bay region remains in a Stage I Drought Alert due to a rainfall deficit.
  • Regional rainfall is at a 5.87-inch deficit for the past 12 months.
  • Rainfall in June averaged about 7.02 inches, 0.99 inches below normal.
  • River flows are at a 2.92 million gallons per day (mgd) surplus averaged over the past 12 months.
  • Regional water demands in June averaged 219.2 mgd, 14.9 mgd higher than June 2023, but 8.9 mgd lower than May 2024.
  • The C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir is at 2.54 billion gallons, 16.4% of its 15.5-billion-gallon capacity, which helps maintain water supply to the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant.

About Tampa Bay Water

Tampa Bay Water is the largest wholesale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members, who in turn, supply water to more than 2.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more, visit tampabaywater.org.