Citrus County Water Resources Reminds Citizens of Watering Restrictions

Citrus County’s Department of Water Resources reminds citizens that in 2020, mandatory irrigation 
restrictions were enacted in response to increased irrigation demands that resulted in groundwater 
withdrawals exceeding Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (SWFWMD) permitted amounts. The 
watering schedule is necessary to bring water use into permit compliance and avoid regulatory 
penalties.
These landscape irrigation restrictions remain in place for all Citrus County except the cities of 
Crystal River and Inverness. The restrictions include:
•            Landscape irrigation is limited to one day per week for unincorporated Citrus County.
•            Irrigation is only allowed on a specific day of the week based on the last number of 
the address.
•            All landscape irrigation is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to reduce 
evaporation.
•            Established lawns less than one acre in size, shall choose to irrigate either before 
10 AM or after 4 PM – not both.
•            Hand watering and micro-irrigation of plants (other than lawns) can be done on any day 
before 10 AM or after 4 PM.
•            All wasteful and unnecessary water use is prohibited.  For example, irrigating within 
12 hours of receiving ¾” of rain, irrigating with a broken sprinkler head/part or allowing water to 
flow from a hose without a nozzle.
•            All new plant material qualifies for additional watering. However, how watering is 
accomplished is restricted. For example, if new plantings cover at least 50% of an irrigation zone, 
that zone can be irrigated via the automatic system. Zones with less than 50% new material must be 
watered via a targeted method such as a hose-end sprinkler focused on the new plantings or hand 
watered.  Plugs are an example of plantings that require targeted watering.
Below is the one-day per week unincorporated Citrus County watering schedule. A user may irrigate 
established lawns and landscaping during only one (1) of the specified time periods on the 
allowable watering day.
Address    Irrigation Day     Choose AM or PM Irrigation (not both)
Address that ends in 0 or 1          Monday          12 a.m. to 10 a.m.  or  4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Address that ends in 2 or 3          Tuesday          12 a.m. to 10 a.m.  or  4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Address that ends in 4 or 5          Wednesday    12 a.m. to 10 a.m.  or  4:00 p.m. to 11:59  p.m.

Address that ends in 6 or 7          Thursday          12 a.m. to 10 a.m.  or  4:00 p.m. to 11:59  p.m.

Address that ends in 8 or 9 and locations with a mix of addresses, or for which an address cannot 
be determined (such as multi- family units and common areas associated with a subdivision)
Friday 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.

For questions and additional information on watering restrictions, please call 352-527-7669.