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SWFWMD Irrigation Rules
Florida Gulf Coast Guide
The complete watering schedule, rain sensor law, water shortage phases, and establishment exemption guide for all four Gulf Coast counties — Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas.
Updated April 2026 · Covers Sarasota · Manatee · Hillsborough · Pinellas
2×/week
Max irrigation days
Year-round
Not 10am–4pm
Restricted window
Every day, all year
Mandatory
Rain sensor
FL Statute 373.62
30 days
Sod exemption
Daily watering allowed
4-County Guide Series
Find Your County
Every county guide covers your specific schedule, community compliance context, and county-level permit authority — click your county for the full deep-dive.
Sarasota County
Wellen Park · Palmer Ranch · Venice · Siesta Key
Odd address
Wed & Sat
Even address
Thu & Sun
Allowed hours
Before 10am / After 4pm
Primary enforcer
Sarasota County + SWFWMD
Key Communities
Wellen Park CDD adds ARC documentation layer above SWFWMD baseline
Manatee County
Bradenton · Lakewood Ranch · Parrish · Palmetto
Odd address
Wed & Sat
Even address
Thu & Sun
Allowed hours
Before 10am / After 4pm
Primary enforcer
Manatee County
Key Communities
Lakewood Ranch CDDs (Esplanade, Polo Run, Lorraine Lakes) require full ARC irrigation documentation
Hillsborough County
Tampa · Brandon · Riverview · FishHawk Ranch
Odd address
Wed & Sat
Even address
Thu & Sun
Allowed hours
Before 10am / After 4pm
Primary enforcer
Hillsborough County + SWFWMD
Key Communities
Tampa Bay Water Authority supplies wholesale water — SWFWMD still governs your schedule
Pinellas County
St. Petersburg · Clearwater · Clearwater Beach · St. Pete Beach
Odd address
Wed & Sat
Even address
Thu & Sun
Allowed hours
Before 10am / After 4pm
Primary enforcer
PCU (Pinellas County Utilities)
Key Communities
PCU is the primary front-line enforcer. Pinellas has extensive reclaimed water — different schedule applies
Applies to All 4 Counties
The Universal SWFWMD Rules
These rules are identical across Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas counties. No exceptions, no county-level variations — this is the floor every homeowner must comply with.
Year-Round Watering Schedule
All 4 CountiesOdd-numbered addresses
Wednesday & Saturday
Even-numbered addresses
Thursday & Sunday
HOA common areas
Tuesday & Friday
Watering hours: Before 10am or after 4pm — every day, year-round
The mid-day window is prohibited permanently — not just during drought. Program start times before 8am (all zones complete by 10am) or after 5pm for evening runs. A controller watering at noon during a rainy July is just as much a violation as one running in a March drought.
Rain Sensor Requirement — FL Statute 373.62
State Law Since 1991Florida Statute 373.62 requires every automatically operated irrigation system across SWFWMD's entire jurisdiction to have a functioning rain sensor or soil moisture sensor that overrides the system when sufficient rainfall has occurred. This applies to all new and existing systems — a 1998 installation is just as required to have a working sensor as a 2024 installation.
Required on
- All new automatic systems
- Any controller replacement
- Any permit modification
- All commercial irrigation
- HOA / CDD common areas
Testing your sensor
- Pour water over sensor head
- System pauses in 30–60 sec
- If it doesn't pause — it's failed
- Check wiring at controller
- Coastal: inspect for salt corrosion
Staying compliant
- Test annually before dry season
- Replace every 3–5 years
- Marine-grade housing for coast
- Document sensor in ARC submissions
- $25–$75 replacement cost
SWFWMD Water Shortage Phases
Restricts Beyond BaselineDeclared phases stack additional restrictions on top of the year-round baseline. SWFWMD can declare phases across the entire region or for specific counties when aquifer conditions deteriorate.
| Phase | Irrigation Frequency | Trigger Condition | Last Tampa Bay Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-Round Measures | 2× per week | Always active | Permanent baseline |
| Phase I — Moderate | 2× per week (unchanged) | Aquifer below seasonal avg | Every few years |
| Phase II — Severe | 1× per week | Significant aquifer decline | 2011–2012, 2007–2008 |
| Phase III — Extreme | 1× per week + restricted hours | Critical aquifer stress | Rare — 2 decades+ |
| Phase IV — Emergency | Full ban — no irrigation | Emergency aquifer threshold | Historical only |
Check current phase status at swfwmd.state.fl.us
30-Day Establishment Exemption
All CountiesNewly planted sod, ground covers, trees, and plants qualify for a 30-day daily-watering exemption — regardless of the address-based twice-per-week schedule. This window is critical in Florida's hot, sandy-soil environment where newly installed Floratam St. Augustine can fail within days without adequate establishment watering.
Install & document
Retain sod delivery receipt or contractor invoice with exact installation date and property address.
Water daily
Any time of day is permitted during the 30-day window — the standard before-10am/after-4pm rule is suspended for new plantings.
Notify HOA/ARC
In CDD communities (Wellen Park, Lakewood Ranch, FishHawk), notify ARC in writing before installation to prevent complaints during the exemption.
Revert on day 31
Program your controller to switch back to the address-based twice-per-week schedule exactly on day 31. Set a calendar alert.
Side-by-Side Reference
Complete 4-County Comparison
All four counties, every rule, one table. Bookmark this for quick compliance reference.
| Rule / Factor | Sarasota | Manatee | Hillsborough | Pinellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watering days (odd address) | Wed & Sat | Wed & Sat | Wed & Sat | Wed & Sat |
| Watering days (even address) | Thu & Sun | Thu & Sun | Thu & Sun | Thu & Sun |
| Restricted hours | 10am – 4pm | 10am – 4pm | 10am – 4pm | 10am – 4pm |
| Rain sensor (FL 373.62) | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Sod establishment exemption | 30 days daily | 30 days daily | 30 days daily | 30 days daily |
| Primary enforcer | Sarasota County | Manatee County | Hillsborough County | PCU (Utilities) |
| Reclaimed water network | Limited | Growing | Limited | Extensive — diff. rules |
| Major CDD communities | Wellen Park, Palmer Ranch | Esplanade, Polo Run, Lorraine Lakes | FishHawk, Westchase | Feather Sound, Tierra Verde |
| Coastal CCCL factor | Siesta Key, Casey Key | Anna Maria, Longboat Key | Minimal | Clearwater Beach, Tierra Verde |
| County permit office | Sarasota Development Services | Manatee Dev. Services | Hillsborough Permitting | Pinellas BDRS / City permit |
Common Questions
SWFWMD Irrigation FAQ
The most-asked questions about SWFWMD rules across all four Gulf Coast counties.
Continue Your Research
Landscaping Services in Your City
SWFWMD compliance is just the start — explore full landscaping, hardscape, irrigation, and outdoor services in your Gulf Coast city.
Sarasota
City HubSarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Palmer Ranch
View servicesTampa
City HubTampa, Riverview, Apollo Beach, South Tampa
View servicesBradenton
City HubBradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Parrish
View servicesClearwater
City HubClearwater, Clearwater Beach, Pinellas Park, Seminole
View servicesOfficial Sources Referenced
All regulatory data in this guide and the county series is sourced directly from SWFWMD and Florida state statutes.
SWFWMD Year-Round Conservation Measures
Official twice-per-week watering rules for all four Gulf Coast counties
Florida Statute 373.62 — Rain Sensor Law
Mandatory rain sensor requirement for all automatic irrigation systems
SWFWMD Water Shortage Phases
Current phase declarations and historical shortage phase records
SWFWMD Water Use Permits
Permitting requirements for new irrigation systems and large-volume water users
Pinellas County Utilities — Water Conservation
PCU-specific enforcement, reclaimed water rules, and Pinellas irrigation resources
UF IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping
University of Florida IFAS Extension — water-efficient landscaping principles
Need SWFWMD-Compliant Irrigation?
We install and audit irrigation systems across all four Gulf Coast counties — Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. Every installation includes rain sensor certification, SWFWMD schedule programming, and county permit documentation.