Florida "Water Snitches"

Eager snitches monitor neighborhood water habits

Water snitches are alive and well in the Tampa Bay area.

Accoring to the St. Petersburg Times, water agencies throughout that region report a dramatic spike in residents eager to turn in their neighbors for violating new rules aimed at combating a widespread Florida drought.

Pinellas County has even increased the voice mail capacity on its water violator hotline to 50 from 20 to cope with the unexpected jump in tattling.

"We've got some people out there that are almost vigilantes, driving the streets morning and night," George Cassady, director of St. Petersburg's water resources department tells the Times. He says one morning caller offered to stand vigil indefinitely over a neighbor watering on the wrong day. A water cop was dispatched to issue a citation.

The fervor is not likely to subside anytime soon. On March 31, the Southwest Florida Water Management District will consider tightening water-use rules even more, extending restrictions to car washes and may reduce the hours for residential watering, the newspaper says.