Water Shortage Order Extended Through Oct. 1 as Pinellas Faces Critically Low Supplies

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County residents will remain under strict water shortage rules through Oct. 1 after the Southwest Florida Water Management District extended its Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Order on Tuesday.

The order keeps one-day-per-week watering restrictions in place for residents, including those using private wells, as severe drought conditions continue to strain regional water supplies. The district said public water supplies are “extremely low,” with rivers, lakes and other water resources continuing to decline across the region. [1]

For Pinellas County, this is no longer a casual conservation request. It is a mandatory water shortage order with citations attached.

Pinellas County Utilities customers are limited to specific watering days and reduced watering hours. Watering is allowed only from 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. or from 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties smaller than one acre may use only one of those watering windows. Properties one acre or larger may use both. [2]

Customers north of State Road 580 using potable, well or lake water may water on Saturdays if their address ends in an even number and Wednesdays if their address ends in an odd number. Customers south of State Road 580 using potable, well or lake water may water on Tuesdays if their address ends in an even number and Thursdays if their address ends in an odd number. Reclaimed water customers have separate schedules depending on whether they are north or south of SR 580. [2]

Residents who do not receive water from Pinellas County Utilities should check with their own water supplier because local schedules and restrictions may vary. [2]

The order also reaches beyond sprinklers. Home car washing is allowed only on a resident’s lawn watering day and requires a hose with a shutoff nozzle. Ornamental fountains are limited to four hours per day. Restaurants are required to serve water only upon request. HOAs and other entities are not allowed to enforce deed restrictions or community standards that would require increased water use, including replacement of landscaping for aesthetic reasons or pressure washing. [3]

Pinellas County Utilities says violations carry a $193 citation, and that fine doubles with each additional violation. The county also says warnings are no longer allowed under the current extreme drought conditions. [4]

The district said outdoor water use accounts for more than half of household water consumption, making lawn irrigation one of the most immediate places residents can cut back. [1]

The message from water managers is direct: the region needs rain, but it cannot wait for rain. Until the drought breaks and supplies recover, conservation is the public’s job.

Residents can find their assigned watering day and water-saving guidance on Pinellas County’s Watering Schedule and Rules page.

Footnotes

[1] Southwest Florida Water Management District, “District Extends Modified Phase III Water Shortage,” June 23, 2026.

[2] Pinellas County, “Watering Schedule and Rules,” Phase III Water Shortage Order.

[3] Pinellas County, “Restrictions under Phase III,” Watering Schedule and Rules.

[4] Pinellas County, “Violations,” Watering Schedule and Rules.