HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The dry spell gripping the Tampa Bay region is officially reaching a breaking point. On March 24, the Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a “Modified Phase III” water shortage, triggering a wave of strict new rules for Hillsborough County residents that go into effect on April 3.
With a staggering 13.7-inch rainfall deficit over the last year, local aquifers, rivers, and lakes are dropping well below normal levels.
To protect what’s left of the public supply, officials are shrinking the window for lawn irrigation and cracking down on “aesthetic” water use until at least July 1…