Outdoor watering limited as Southwest Florida Water Management District enforces Phase III restrictions
By Jane Bartnett
Water restrictions are now in place for the Siesta Key, Gulf Gate and Sarasota region. A historic statewide drought is impacting Sarasota and many other areas of Florida. Although the region benefited from several April rainstorms, severe drought conditions remain.
All of Sarasota County remains in a Modified Phase III Extreme Water Shortage under Southwest Florida Water Management District Phase III watering restrictions.
The regional drought conditions have also put the area at a high risk for wildfires. Although Sarasota County lifted a burn ban April 14 that was implemented in October 2025 after the drought index dropped for seven consecutive days and lessened the chance of wildfires, residents are still urged to use extreme caution to prevent fires. Residents are asked to clear trash and dead vegetation from yards and to remove leaves and debris from gutters, rooftops and under decks. When grilling and camping, use caution and never discard cigarettes. On very dry, windy days, delay using lawn mowers and other equipment that could create a spark. Visit scgov.net/fire to learn more about fire safety.
Designated watering days for residential and commercial areas are now in place. Every street address, as well as common property in Sarasota County, has a designated irrigation watering day per Sarasota County Resolution 2022-234.
During this extreme water shortage, lawn watering is allowed once a week on designated watering days with time restrictions. Properties under 1 acre are permitted to water from midnight to 4 a.m. or from 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., only on their designated watering day. Properties of 1 acre or more are allowed to water from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on their designated watering day.
Locate the number of your home address to determine your watering day:
• Monday — Street addresses ending in 0 or 1
• Tuesday — Street addresses ending in 2 or 3
• Wednesday — Street addresses ending in 4 or 5
• Thursday — Street addresses ending in 6 or 7
• Friday — Street addresses ending in 8 or 9
• Saturday — Street addresses ending in letters A through Z and common-area landscaping with no address assigned (including entranceways to developments, medians and roadside plantings, around clubhouses and recreational areas)
Additional water restrictions include:
• Car washing — Permitted only on each property’s designated watering day. All hoses must have a shutoff nozzle.
• Fountains — Permitted to run for four hours per day. Signage must be posted showing the time fountain operations began.
• Restaurants — May serve water only to customers who request it.
• Citations — As of April 17, public utilities staff began issuing citations without warning to protect the remaining water supply.
Year-round restrictions apply to sources of water including wells, ponds or utility systems used for manual and automated irrigation systems, except for low-volume irrigation, spot treatment, residential drip lines, soaker hoses and reclaimed water.
Rain sensor shut-off devices are required for automated irrigation systems. Timers should be checked for proper settings following daylight saving time and power outages. Rain sensor shut-off devices should also be checked to ensure they are intact and functioning properly.
To report a water restriction violation, contact Utilities Customer Service at 941-861-6790 or email utilitybill@scgov.net and include the day, date, time and address of the violation.
More information is available through the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/. To learn more about the Southwest Florida Water Management District, visit https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/.
