Tampa is stepping up enforcement as a historic drought tightens its grip on the region.
City officials say hundreds of customers have already been fined for breaking watering rules, as overall water use has increased during what leaders are calling the area's worst drought in 50 years.
Since the shortage began Dec. 1, 2025, the Tampa Water Department has issued 430 tickets to customers accused of violating emergency watering restrictions, according to Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
That's nearly 30% more citations than during the same period a year earlier, city officials said. Fines range from $100 to $500, depending on how many times someone has broken the rules.
Mayor Jane Castor said many of the violations are coming from high-use areas such as South Tampa and New Tampa, where some customers use upward of 10,000 gallons of water each month. At the same time, water use across the city rose over the past month despite regional limits meant to curb consumption.
Under rules from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, residents can water lawns only once a week, and irrigation is prohibited from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Officials say rain alone won't quickly solve the problem because moisture takes time to seep into the aquifers that help replenish the region's water supply.
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City leaders are urging residents to check their assigned watering day and set irrigation systems to run only when permitted. The Tampa Water Department is also offering free one-on-one irrigation evaluations for homeowners. Officials say residents who take part typically save around 5,000 gallons each month, helping reduce waste while lowering utility bills.
The city is also handing out free water-saving tools and leak-detection devices so residents can catch hidden household problems before they turn into major losses.
"The message is we are asking the community to help us conserve water during this drought, the worst drought that we have had in 50 years, and even if it starts raining in the afternoon, it has been so long since we have had water that all of that water has to seep down into the aquifers before it is going to make a difference," Castor said Tuesday.
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