The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a “Modified Phase III Water Shortage,” imposing mandatory water-use restrictions on a large portion of the region beginning this week.

The watering restrictions run from April 3 through July 1, 2026, and apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter counties, as well as portions of Charlotte, Highlands, and Lake counties.

Under the new rules, outdoor watering hours are limited to 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., with properties under one acre permitted to use only one of those windows. Low-volume irrigation, such as soaker hoses and hand watering, is allowed any day but only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

Restaurants are required to serve water only upon customer request. Residential car washing is permitted only on a property’s designated lawn-watering day and must be done with a hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle. Decorative fountains may operate for no more than 4 hours per day, and HOAs may not enforce rules that require residents to increase their water use.

Enforcement of the restrictions falls to local municipal governments.

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