Punta Gorda residents can water their lawns only once a week, and even washing a dirty car has to wait for the right address-based day.
The city remains under an extended Phase III water shortage amid a stubborn drought.
Here's what to know
Officials expect the restrictions to remain in effect through October 1, Gulf Coast News reported.
Phase III ties outdoor water use to address numbers. Each home gets one weekly irrigation day; at-home car washing is allowed only on that day, and irrigation is not allowed on weekends.
Showers have not changed the Southwest Florida Water Management District's view that the restrictions are still needed. Gulf Coast News meteorologists said Punta Gorda was still nearly two inches below average rainfall, and the district said the rain has not been enough to ease the drought.
Assistant City Manager Mike Bonasera said the rules are based on reaching the numbers the city needs, not simply on whether rain makes the shortage appear less severe.
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"There's a science to it, so it's important that we can get to the numbers that we need to be at for this time of year, especially when we're in this much of a drought, and there is rainfall, we get it, and it seems like this is going above and beyond, but it's making sure that you and your family just have water at the end of the day," Bonasera said.
More background
Business owner Noelbis Vazquez said, "I water my lawn. I mean, almost every other day, and then wash my car, I'd say two times a week, so it's tough."
Resident Chris Brooke said the car-washing restriction can be frustrating when a vehicle gets dirty before the approved day.
"I want to wash my car. If we have a nasty day and it gets dirty, I can't; I have to wait until Tuesday to wash my car, that's awkward," Brooke said.
Bonasera said household behavior plays a major role because "more than half of the water usage is from residential homes" through irrigation, pools, and other uses.
During a prolonged drought, water systems face added strain, households must limit routine outdoor use, and property upkeep and business operations can become harder and more expensive to manage.
What's being done?
Bonasera said the district imposed the Phase III restrictions, and Punta Gorda is handling enforcement within the city.
The rules also require a shutoff nozzle on hoses used for car washing, ban pressure washing done for aesthetic purposes, and limit irrigation to one day per week based on a resident's address.
Irrigation is not allowed on weekends.
At 3 p.m., the district is scheduled to review conditions to help determine whether the restrictions will remain in place through October 1.
Where can I learn more?
To see how drought is affecting water use, these stories examine tightening outdoor water rules in Florida and beyond. They cover extreme dryness in Florida, enforcement in Tampa, shrinking reserves in Southwest Florida, a possible tropical soaking, and lawn-watering limits in Utah.
• Across Florida, the worst drought of the century has pushed 80% of the state into extreme conditions.
• In Tampa, hundreds of households were fined as water use rose during a historic drought.
• Southwest Florida's main water reserve fell to half full as a drought dragged on.
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