Drought shuts down Tampa Bay’s surface water supply

Mar. 13–TAMPA — With local lakes and rivers at critically low levels, the region’s water provider has virtually shut down the surface water supply to the Tampa Bay region. "The reservoir’s level is so low we are unable to provide water, consistently, to the water treatment plant and we are unable to pull water from the Alafia River or the Tampa Bypass Canal," said Tampa Bay Water spokeswoman Michelle Robinson. The agency is asking everyone to cut back in every way possible, from repairing leaky toilets and faucets to shortening showers and only watering lawns when it is absolutely necessary. … "The water in the reservoir is depleted," Robinson said, referring to the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, south of Plant City. "Without surface water, we have to rely on groundwater and the relatively small amount of desalinated water" coming from the local desalination plant, she said. "It’s going to be a couple of months before we get any real rain." …

FL: Area surface water supply nearly gone, supplier says