Manatee Viewing Center Celebrated for
Florida-Friendly Landscapes

TAMPA, Fla. (October 19, 2011) - The famed, Florida "sea cow" isn’t the only thing worth witnessing at the Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach. Hillsborough County, in association with the program sponsor Tampa Bay Water, has named the center a winner of the 2011 Community Water-Wise Awards for its Florida-friendly landscape practices and tasteful design.

"Our Florida-friendly gardens are viewed by more than 250,000 visitors each year," said Wendy Anastasiou, environmental specialist at Tampa Electric and coordinator of the Manatee Viewing Center's education programs. "We are very proud of this honor."

Its landscaping bested the competition by integrating Florida-friendly landscape principals, such as planting drought-tolerant trees and redirecting rain runoff into plant beds. The landscape has made the location a great observation center for not just manatees, but native flowers and butterflies.

"The Manatee Viewing Center is a great example of how simple steps toward water conservation can not only save water, but also refresh the natural vegetation that makes Florida the beautiful state it is," says Dave Bracciano, Demand Management Coordinator for Tampa Bay Water.

For more than a decade, the Community Water-Wise Awards have been recognizing individuals and businesses that are committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using the best in attractive, Florida-friendly landscaping as well as irrigation systems or techniques that minimize water waste. More information about the Water-Wise Awards can be found at www.tampabaywaterwise.org.

Tampa Bay Water is the state's largest wholesale water supplier, providing water to Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. More than 2 million people throughout the Tampa Bay region are served through Tampa Bay Water's member governments.