Residents of Apollo Beach, Ruskin and surrounding unincorporated communities can water their lawns just one day per week, and only during overnight hours, under extreme drought restrictions that will remain in place through Thursday, October 1.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's governing board has declared a Modified Phase III water shortage, the most severe level, after the region recorded a 13.7-inch rainfall deficit compared to its average 12-month total. Officials have called it one of the worst droughts in 50 years, according to a Hillsborough County press release issued June 30.
The restrictions apply to all properties in unincorporated Hillsborough County, including those on private wells. Reclaimed water used for lawn and landscape irrigation is exempt.
When you can water
Irrigation is limited to one day per week, based on the last digit of a property's street address:
- 0 or 1 — Mondays
- 2 or 3 — Tuesdays
- 4 or 5 — Wednesdays
- 6 or 7 — Thursdays
- 8 or 9 — Fridays
On that designated day, watering is allowed only between midnight and 4 a.m. or between 8 p.m. and midnight. Properties under one acre may use only one of those two windows. Common areas and locations without a single address may water only on Fridays.
Hand-watering of plants other than lawn or turfgrass is permitted any day before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
Burn ban: 12 weeks and counting
A separate emergency burn ban prohibits all outdoor open burning in Hillsborough County, including fire pits, fireworks and sparklers. The ban had been extended for 12 consecutive weeks as of July 25, according to the Observer News. Outdoor grilling is allowed only when continuously supervised and all flames stay inside the grill.
Statewide, 1,524 forest and brush fires have burned 90,076 acres across Florida so far in 2026.
"People don't realize how fast wildfires can get out of control and burn up thousands of acres in very short order," Betty Jo Tompkins, of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District and a former Riverview Citizen of the Year, told the Observer News on July 25.
Tompkins said the drought is hitting South Hillsborough agriculture hard, noting that farmers need water for crops and ranchers need it to hydrate cattle. She said the crisis is tied to the region's rapid growth, warning that the natural resources drawing new residents to Florida "can all be destroyed if we're not careful about conservation and breakneck development."
Fines for violations
Hillsborough County code enforcement is actively citing violators. Fines start at $100. Residents can report violations by calling the Water Conservation Hotline at (813) 224-8993 or visiting hcfl.gov.
To confirm a specific watering day, residents can search "Find My Watering Days and Times" at hcfl.gov or call the Water Conservation Team at (813) 663-3295.
The restrictions remain in effect through Thursday, October 1. No further SWFWMD board action on the water shortage declaration has been publicly scheduled.
