Water levels in at least one part of the river have reached an all-time low. Then there is the ever-present danger of brush fires, which scarred Sarasota County recently and continue to flare up across the region. On Thursday, a campfire set by vagrants ignited a fire that burned 3 acres on West Shore Boulevard south of Gandy Boulevard in Tampa. Some signs of trouble are smaller in scale. Citrus trees are suffering.
Insects are thirsty, too, and are looking for water indoors.
Ants, some outdoor roaches and silverfish are coming into homes, looking for moisture. Our phones have hardly stopped ringing. The council had declined twice this year to pass the emergency ordinance, but crushing demand dropped pressure in the system so low that only a trickle of water would run from many customers' sprinklers. Hillsborough County leaders will meet this afternoon at the Emergency Operations Center to talk about banning the sale or use of fireworks in the county. We have definitely met that benchmark, and there's no relief in sight.