News Releases

08May
Residents, Rain and Reservoir Helped Improve Water Supply Conditions - Continue Conservation by Focusing on Areas Where Most Water is Used
| | Return

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brandon Moore
bmoore@tampabaywater.org
(727) 791-2304 | (727) 470-0702

CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 8, 2024) – Although the region remains in a rainfall deficit, regional water supply conditions have improved thanks to residents answering the call to conserve, a rainy winter and a water savings account.

Tampa Bay Water plans each year to use water from the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, which holds 15.5 billion gallons of river water when full. Last fall, the regional utility relied on its water savings account earlier than expected due to low rainfall. Thanks to conservation efforts and help from Mother Nature, the reservoir is now near the levels the utility projected for this time of year.

Tampa Bay Water encourages water-saving efforts as the utility continues to use the regional reservoir through the spring dry months.

“The reservoir is our water saving account and, like when you get into your savings account at home you only spend what you need, we’re asking residents to use only the water they need.” said Brandon Moore, Tampa Bay Water’s public communications manager.

Tampa Bay Water recommends addressing the areas at home with the highest water use: outdoor watering and the bathroom.

Outdoor watering accounts for up to 50% of water used at home. Ways to save water outdoors include:

  • Know Your Day, Tampa Bay. Once-per-week watering restrictions are in effect until July 1. Find your day at MyWaterDay.org.
  • 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.

The bathroom accounts for most of the water used inside the home. Ways to save water in the bathroom include:

  • 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 May 7, 2024:

  • The Tampa Bay region remains in a Stage I Drought Alert due to a rainfall deficit.
  • Regional rainfall is at a 1.9-inch deficit averaged over the past 12 months.
  • Rainfall in April averaged about 1.5 inches, 0.9 inches below normal.
  • River flows are in a 4.0 million gallons per day (mgd) surplus averaged over the past 12 months.
  • Regional water demands in April averaged 202.89 mgd, 19.32 mgd lower than April 2023, but 13.85 mgd higher than demand in March 2024.
  • The C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir is at 5.5 billion gallons, 35% 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.