You heard correctly—the situation has officially escalated. As of today, March 24, 2026, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swiftmud) has moved from a “Severe” to an “Extreme” (Modified Phase III) Water Shortage.
The biggest change isn’t just the schedule; it’s the enforcement. The “no more warnings” part is literal: starting 14 days from now, utilities are directed to issue citations immediately for violations without a prior warning.
The New “Extreme” Rules
While the one-day-a-week schedule remains, the allowable “windows” have tightened significantly to reduce evaporation during this 25-year record drought.
1. Your Watering Day (Based on address ending)
- 0 or 1: Monday
- 2 or 3: Tuesday
- 4 or 5: Wednesday
- 6 or 7: Thursday
- 8 or 9: Friday (and locations with no address)
2. The New Tightened Hours. Unless your local city/county has even stricter rules, you must choose only one of these windows on your assigned day:
- Morning: 12:01 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.
- Evening: 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Note: If your property is one acre or larger, you can use both windows.
3. Other Key Restrictions
- Hand-watering: Allowed any day, but only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- Car Washing: Only allowed on your designated watering day; a shut-off nozzle is mandatory.
- Fountains: Aesthetic fountains are now limited to just 4 hours per day.
- Restaurants: May only serve water if a customer specifically asks for it.
Why the sudden jump?
The district is facing a massive rainfall deficit—central counties are seeing rainfall totals in the 5th percentile, which is considered “extremely abnormal.” Regional reservoirs, like the C.W. Bill Young, are at less than half capacity (44%), and we still have several months of the dry season left.