PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Starting Friday, anyone not complying with water conservation rules set by the Southwest Florida Water Management District could be subject to a fine.
Earlier this month, rules went into effect that require all residents, including those on private wells, to follow one-day-per-week watering restrictions with stricter watering hours. Local governments were giving warnings for the first two weeks the restrictions were in effect, but starting April 17 citations will be issued.
“Water utilities and other local enforcement officials must increase their enforcement efforts, including responding to citizen complaints and monitoring water use through patrols or customer records. Starting 14 days after the effective date of the water shortage order, utilities and other local enforcement officials are to issue citations first without issuing a warning,” a statement reads on the Southwest Florida Water Management District website.
In Pinellas County, code enforcement will be issuing $193 citations.
“The fine does increase with each subsequent violation. So please if you do get the warning note or the citation letter… please do head that,” explained Jeremy Waugh, Director of Utilities for Pinellas County. “We don’t want to keep coming back out to you.”
Waugh says Pinellas County has three full-time employees as part of its water conservation team. On a typical month, their job is to educate residents about the best uses for water. Starting Friday, that team will be out patrolling neighborhoods during on and off watering days to make sure homes are in compliance.
“We are required to give citations for the first offense,” he said. “So we’re trying to get the word out… please go monitor your watering days. Make sure your irrigation sprinklers are set on for the right days and the right times. We don’t want to give citations, but we’re going to be required by rule to do so starting on Friday.”
Each city and county has its own set of rules for which addresses are on which watering day. There’s two watering windows in effect: 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Properties less than one acre in size may only use one of these windows.
Additional rules include HOA’s can’t require a homeowner to raise water use for aesthetic reasons, car washing is OK on designated watering day with a hose with a shutoff nozzle, fountains can only run four hours a day, and restaurants can only give water when requested.