North Pinellas Reclaimed Water Use Restricted to Three Times a Week

To alleviate the risk of running out of reclaimed water, action is being taken to reduce daily system demands. Beginning Thursday, June 23, at 12:01 a.m., north county reclaimed water customers will have reclaimed water available two days per week for irrigation. Customers south of Alderman Road and west of U.S. 19 North will have reclaimed water available on Tuesday and Saturday from 12:01 a.m. until midnight. Customers in all other north county service areas will have reclaimed water available on Wednesday and Sunday, also in 24-hour intervals beginning at 12:01 a.m. On Monday, Thursday and Friday, the reclaimed water system will be down for maintenance and storage level recovery. This action affects over 4,800 reclaimed water customers.

During recent months, very limited rainfall in the north Pinellas reclaimed water service area, and higher than normal temperatures, have increased customer demand. The storage levels of reclaimed water have been rapidly declining to the point of exhausting the water in storage and potentially damaging the pump equipment.

As in previous years, this alternating availability is a temporary change that will provide reclaimed water on alternating days of the week within each of two designated zones. As a result, Utilities will be able to slowly restore normal pond operating levels and provide sufficient volume of reclaimed water to meet lawn irrigation needs and maintain adequate system pressure for all customers.

This irrigation schedule is anticipated to remain in effect until at least early July 2011, when seasonal rainfall resumes in the service area and storage levels recover, at which time the reclaimed water system will be returned to full operation.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation. For more details, please call Customer Service regarding reclaimed water at (727) 464-4000, or visit Pinellas County Utilities on the web.