Spring forward, water smarter: Watering restrictions for Central Florida starting March 9

Belle Isle, Fla., Mar. 5, 2025 — As daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9, the St. Johns River Water Management District is reminding residents and businesses across the Upper Ocklawaha River and Middle St. Johns River basins—Alachua, Marion, Lake, Seminole, Orange and Volusia counties—about important changes to watering restrictions.
With warmer weather on the horizon, residents will be allowed to water twice a week instead of once, but just because you can water twice a week doesn’t mean you should. Pay attention to the weather and look for signs of a stressed lawn. Only water when necessary to conserve resources and keep your landscape healthy.

Public water supply is the District’s largest water use, consuming about 626 million gallons per day— enough to fill nearly 949 Olympic-sized pools daily. Much of this water is allocated to outdoor irrigation. Adjusting landscape watering not only conserves water but also enhances lawn and plant health by reducing the risk of mold, fungus, weak roots, weeds, and pests.  General watering restriction guidelines:

• Homes with odd-numbered or no addresses: Wednesday and Saturday.
• Homes with even-numbered addresses: Thursday and Sunday.
• Nonresidential properties: Tuesday and Friday.
• Watering hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is prohibited to reduce evaporation and enhance soil absorption.
• Watering time: Limited to one hour per zone.
• Coverage: These restrictions apply to all water sources, including private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities. It does not apply to residents or businesses that use reclaimed water to irrigate.
• These restrictions will remain in effect until Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025.

As temperatures rise and evaporation rates increase, the need for watering grows. Shifting to twice-a-week watering helps balance this demand, keeping landscapes healthy without wasting water resources. Conversely, during fall and winter, cooler temperatures and frequent rainfall make less irrigation necessary, which is why the restrictions change to once per week.

The District’s watering restrictions are in place to help preserve the region’s water supply, protect the ecosystem, and prevent overwatering, which can lead to runoff and wasted resources. By adjusting irrigation schedules with the changing seasonal conditions and only watering when necessary, both residents and businesses help reduce unnecessary strain on local water reserves.

"Water conservation is key to ensuring a sustainable water supply for future generations," said St. Johns River Water Management District Water Conservation Coordinator Deirdre Irwin. "When we all follow these seasonal restrictions, we’re helping protect our natural resources and maintain a healthy environment."

For interview requests regarding watering restrictions, please contact Danielle FitzPatrick at dlfitzpa@sjrwmd.com.
About the St. Johns River Water Management District

St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the District and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface
water supplies in the state. The District encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff also are available to serve the public at service centers in Apopka, Jacksonville and Palm Bay.  Connect with us on Twitter at @SJRWMD, Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin. For more information about the District, please visit www.sjrwmd.com.