It was getting on in the afternoon when Jim Norman finally cut to the chase and summed up the situation with some accuracy. ...more

October 23, 2009

As expected, Hillsborough County commissioners this morning adopted the stricter lawn watering regulations passed Tuesday by regional water authorities, but did not imitate Tampa's actions in completely banning the use of lawn irrigation systems. ...more

April 1, 2009

Back in the 1990s, Judy Williams watched the lake in her backyard slowly disappear, a consequence of massive groundwater pumping. ...more

February 8, 2009

Pumping will increase slightly starting this month, peaking in May at 168 million gallons a day, according to projections. In ...more

February 3, 2009

Yes, the area has suffered a three-year drought. Yes, the reservoir has encountered some unanticipated problems. But it is still appalling that Tampa Bay Water, which supplies drinking water to Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, is on the verge of violating groundwater pumping limits less than a month after the long-sought lower level went into effect. ...more

January 31, 2009

Although regional water supply levels are low, city residents continue to violate outdoor water use restrictions, Tampa Water Department officials say. Water enforcement officers have written an average of six water-use violation citations a day since the beginning of January. Violating Tampa's water-use restrictions could result in fines ranging from $100 to $450 and a mandatory court appearance. ...more

January 21, 2009

Regional water authorities are extending an emergency order that allows Tampa Bay Water to take up to 19 percent of the Alafia River's flow. ...more

December 27, 2008

With the region's drought conditions worsening, Tampa is still using millions of gallons of drinking water to keep lawns, cemeteries and flower beds green. A report from the city's parks and recreation department shows that since January, nearly 139 million gallons of potable water has been used on city owned parks and properties, compared with about 15 million gallons of reclaimed water. ...more

November 11, 2008

A new desalination plant near Tarpon Springs and an expansion of the existing plant in Apollo Beach are among projects being considered to meet the region's water needs through 2019. ...more

October 16, 2008

When cracks first began appearing in the wall of the C.W. "Bill" Young Reservoir, Tampa Bay Water officials said the problems were nothing to be worried about. ...more

October 11, 2008