Pinellas County Utilities will temporarily suspend the reclaimed water system for customers north of Curlew Road to allow the supply to be replenished. After it is back on, the county will escalate enforcement of watering restrictions.

PINELLAS COUNTY – To promote long term availability of reclaimed water, Pinellas County Utilities will temporarily suspend the North County reclaimed water system.

The water system will be shut off from Tuesday (April 3) through Friday (April 6) because of approaching low storage pond levels. This will allow for storage level recovery, avoid damaging infrastructure, and ensure there is adequate water for customers to irrigate their landscapes. Customers north of Curlew Road will only lose one scheduled day of irrigation during this suspension.

Once the system is back online, Pinellas County Utilities emphasizes that mandatory seasonal restrictions are currently in place for Utilities reclaimed water customers countywide through June 30. Utilities reminds North County reclaimed water customers to follow the mandatory two-day-per-week restrictions to avoid incurring a violation, service interruptions, and more stringent restrictions. Enforcement of these watering restrictions will be intensified to encourage responsible use of reclaimed water.

North County reclaimed water customers may currently water twice weekly, based on house address according to the following schedule:

• Addresses ending in even numbers (0,2,4,6 or 8), may irrigate on Tuesday and/or Saturday.
• Addresses ending odd numbers (1,3,5,7or 9), may irrigate on Wednesday and/or Sunday.
• Addresses with mixed or no addresses, such as common areas associated with a residential subdivision, may irrigate on Wednesday and/or Sunday.
• Irrigating with reclaimed water is prohibited between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Reclaimed water demand is exceeding the generated supply. In addition, rainfall totals have been lower in recent weeks resulting in dry conditions that have increased the demand for reclaimed water.

Pinellas County Utilities customers must follow reclaimed watering restrictions throughout the year to promote a healthy, sustainable Florida lawn and landscape. The dry season also offers customers the opportunity to learn about, and put into practice, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices, including watering only when grass and plants start to wilt and, when needed, watering deeply to encourage deep, drought-tolerant root systems.

Pinellas County Extension offers a multitude of information about creating Florida-appropriate landscapes that are attractive, healthier with less water and are less costly than replacing plants every year. Go to pinellascounty.org to view lawn and garden resources and a listing of upcoming classes.

For information about reclaimed water, go to pinellascounty.org, or call Pinellas County Utilities Customer Service at (727) 464-4000. Customers are advised to monitor the website, as additional restrictions may be implemented if seasonal rainfall is lower than anticipated and the reclaimed water supply becomes limited.

The Pinellas County reclaimed water program underscores a key component of Pinellas County’s Strategic Plan: reducing, reusing and recycling resources including energy, water and solid waste.

Pinellas County | Reclaimed Water | Water Restrictions | Water Rules | Tampabay News

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