Tampa Bay Water: Phase 3 Water Shortage, Rebates & Drought Tips

0:00This is Corey, here with your quick two-minute update from Tampa Bay News today. Tampa Bay water just declared a phase three extreme water shortage, the worst in 50 years for the region. Low rainfall, dropping river flows, and shrinking reservoir levels triggered the move, with the alifier river too low to use right now. Officials say the area is about 12 inches short of no more rain over the past year. They stress that drinking water supplies are stable and will keep flowing through groundwater and desalinated seawater. The regional reservoir holds 15,500,000,000 gallons, but it needs a strong rainy season to rebound for next year's dry spell. Meanwhile, one day per week watering restrictions are now in place across Hillsboro, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, plus Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Newport, Ritchie. Residents can check their watering day at MyWaterDay.org. Irrigation makes up half of home water use, so cutting back there helps a lot. Officials warn tighter rules could come if things worsen, like hand watering only, or limits on golf courses. Hillsboro County launched a

1:05new program called Florida Friendly Landscaping Incentive, or Flipp, offering up to $3,000 back for smart upgrades. Attend three low-cost workshops on drought-tolerant plants, micro irrigation, composting, and rain barrels. Then get reimbursed for changes to 500 square feet of yard. Tampa Bay water also has rebates for efficient toilets and irrigation fixes. The whole state of Florida sits in drought, with no improvement this week and fire risks rising. Simple steps like fixing leaks, shorter showers, and skipping irrigation after rain can save thousands of gallons. Saving now means lower bills and more water for later. Quick thanks to today's sponsor, see the description for more. It looks like a pillow. It sounds like headphones. Built for comfort and sound. S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com