Water Restrictions In Place During Manatee County Dry Period

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Manatee County Utilities Department is urging customers to conserve water during the dry weeks leading up to the rainy summer months. Avoiding unnecessary water use, will help avoid stressing water supplies, MCUD said in a news release.

"Although there is more than an adequate supply of our water sources, and because the rainy season has not yet started, we're asking MCUD customers to adhere to our year-round watering restrictions," Mike Gore, Manatee County Utilities director, said. "May is one of the drier months of the year with conditions this year even drier than usual."

Water systems throughout the state are being stressed by the increased demand for water caused by dry conditions. For Manatee County, the increased demand is contributing to a system already stressed by important upgrades underway at the Lake Manatee Water Treatment Plant.

Manatee County watering restrictions include:

• Irrigating lawns and landscaping once a day before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m., no more than two times per week.
• Addresses ending in an even number may water on Thursday and/or Sunday.
• Addresses ending in an odd number may water on Wednesday and/or Saturday.
• Properties without an address may water on Tuesday and/or Friday.

Lawn watering days and times may be different if a resident's homeowners association operates under a variance issued by the Southwest Water Management District. Those residents should check with their HOA to determine whether the community has an alternative watering schedule.

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MCUD is also asking customers to observe restrictions on drinking water which apply not only to potable water, but also irrigation water that comes from wells, surface water sources including retention ponds, rivers and lakes.

The department asks that customers do not:

• Allow water to flow from an unattended hose.
• Hand water a lawn on an otherwise restricted day or more than once a day.
• Hose down a driveway or other impervious surface to remove grass clippings or other debris that can be removed with a broom or other dry methods.
• Hose down a building or other structure to remove cobwebs or other material that can be removed with a broom or other dry methods.

Additional water conservation tips can be found online at www.mymanatee.org/water.