The Southwest Florida Water Management District is extending a water shortage emergency order allowing Tampa Bay Water to withdraw additional water from the Alafia River.
The executive order, which was scheduled to expire Sept. 30, was issued so Tampa Bay Water could prepare for the upcoming dry season by storing more water.
Tampa Bay Water cannot use the full storage capacity of the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, which is south of Plant City, because of cracks on the soil-cement lining of the giant manmade lake.
The reservoir has about 6.5 billion gallons in storage, a low level that facilitates inspection of the soil-cement lining.
Tampa Bay Water's withdrawals from the Alafia will go directly to a surface-water treatment plant, bypassing the reservoir.
The order has been extended through Dec. 31.
The order allows Tampa Bay Water to take up to 19 percent of the flow from the Alafia River. Minimum flow studies indicate that these temporary withdrawals don't pose a significant threat to the ecology of the river.
Tampa Bay Water provides water to Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa.
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