Florida is in the grip of its worst drought in at least 14 years, and the effects are starting to show up in everyday ways.
If you sit down at a restaurant in the coming weeks, don’t be surprised if no one brings water to the table unless you ask.
That’s one of several changes tied to new water restrictions from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), which has declared a modified Phase III “Extreme” water shortage across much of West Central Florida, including Polk County.
Tighter restrictions start April 3
In late January, the district declared a Phase II “Severe” water shortage, limiting lawn irrigation to once a week starting Feb. 8 after months of dry weather and falling water levels. The latest order marks a further tightening of rules as the drought persists…