Watering Restrictions Extended TAMPA (WUSF) - Citing "severely abnormal groundwater" conditions, the Southwest Florida Water Management District governing board voted to extend its emergency order for once a week watering through June 30, 2008.

Those outdoor water restrictions apply throughout the 16 county district.

Rainfall is more than 20 inches below historic averages in the region and water levels below normal in the rivers, lakes and the aquifer according to district spokeswoman Robin Hanke.

She's offering an option to the once-a-week watering restriction. It's a voluntary, "skip a week" program that encourages homeowners to irrigate their lawns only every 14 days in the winter.

"This does a couple of things," says Hanke. "It conserves the water and also it trains your lawn to be more drought tolerant it encourages the roots to grow deeper."

Hanke says the program is based on research by scientists at the University of Florida.
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