Tampa Bay Water asks public to reduce water use

By Suzette Porter

CLEARWATER – Tampa Bay Water officials are asking the public to reduce water use as much as possible.

The agency, which provides wholesale drinking water to Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, as well as Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, announced April 17 that it is in a Phase 4 water status, under the agencies modified Water Shortage Mitigation Plan.

Alison Adams, spokesperson for TBW, said the Phase 4 designation is part of a system to monitor of supply and demand.

“It has to do with supply availability, water supply readiness,” she explained “With the reservoir out of service, and as dry as it is now, we have no surface water, which is why we have a level 4 water supply shortage.”

Phase 4 is the highest alert, signifying a critical shortage due to the lack of surface water.