District Declares Water Shortage Crisis
By ELLEN GEDALIUS The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 19, 2007
TAMPA - The Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a water shortage emergency Friday for the Hillsborough River Reservoir, the main source of drinking water for the city.
The emergency order was prompted by the lack of rainfall, drought conditions and increased demand for water. It allows Tampa Bay Water to withdraw additional water from the Tampa Bypass Canal.
The order also requires Tampa to aggressively enforce its one-day-a-week lawn watering restrictions and pursue changes to its water rates to promote conservation.
Water department spokesman Eli Franco said the city is enforcing the lawn watering restrictions by issuing citations, rather than warnings, to violators.
"The conditions have forced us to step it up, if you will," Franco said.
Franco said the water department also is reviewing its rate structure, but no decisions have been made.
Brad Baird, the city's water department director, said this month that he will ask the city council for approval to charge customers for the cost of buying additional water to combat persistent drought conditions.
The lack of rain is forcing the city to buy water from the region's utility, Tampa Bay Water, rather than rely on the Hillsborough River as a source of fresh water.
Each day, the city has been buying about 30 million gallons from Tampa Bay Water for about $66,000. The city needs to turn to its 120,000 water customers to pay the bill.
The management district's emergency order also requires the city to work with Tampa Bay Water and the district to develop an emergency action plan, detailing steps to be taken if drought conditions continue.
The emergency order is scheduled to expire Sept. 30.
Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at egedalius@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7679.
Tampa Water Shortage Crisis
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Water department spokesman Eli Franco said the city is enforcing the lawn watering restrictions by issuing citations, rather than warnings, to violators.
Geesh.. A little late eh? We have been giving tickets for years. That will teach them and bring in money..get with the program people. Sounds like a stupid water district managament..of course in a high population metro area. Interestingly they did just start up one of the largest desalination plants in North America. Everyone in this state should be getting hefty fines for breaking watering restrictions.
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