Frequently Asked Questions

The maximum twice-weekly watering schedule went into effect on April 23, 2012.

The Water Conservation ordinance focuses on outdoor watering because it is considered a non-essential use and, on average, accounts for approximately 30% of our total annual water use.

Water is a critical issue in the state of Texas. We are susceptible to drought and the population continues to grow – it is projected to double in North Texas by 2060. All water providers in Texas are working very hard to ensure we have enough water for the future, but we must use existing supplies efficiently before additional sources are likely to be built. Aggressive water conservation efforts are critical to demonstrate that our region is using existing resources responsibly.

Residents are restricted from watering between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from April 1 through October 31 every year. Hand watering and soaker hoses will be permitted at any time. In addition, lawn and landscape watering is restricted to two assigned days per week. Variances may be available in certain circumstances.

Personal and community vegetable gardens are allowed to water any day with drip irrigation, soaker hoses or hand watering. Experts agree these are the best ways to water for healthy vegetable gardens.

Residents or businesses using non-potable water for irrigation (rainwater, well water or grey water) are not required to follow the watering schedule. However, if the alternate source watering system is permanently installed, a building permit is required and a small purple sign stating that non-potable water is in use. This requirement is for public safety and public health reasons. For more information on those requirements, please see section J106, page 11 of the Irrigation Systems Ordinance. Wholesale raw water customers, depending on the terms of their contract with DWU, may also be exempt from the mandatory schedule.

Horticultural experts agree that landscapes are healthiest with deep and infrequent watering. Even in the heat of summer, landscapes only need about one inch of water every 5 to 10 days to thrive. Watering your landscape often encourages shallow roots, which are more susceptible to damage from extreme heat, freezing temperatures, pests, diseases and future drought conditions. Once established, native or adapted plants require even less water – in the right conditions some perennial flowers can go weeks without supplemental watering.

Keep in mind that signs of heat stress are similar to the signs of a plant needing more water. If a plant is drooping in the afternoon, check it the next morning. If it looks OK, the plant is reacting to the high air temperature. Also check the soil – the surface area may feel dry, but check a few inches below the surface. The soil below may still have plenty of water. This will prevent the accidental drowning of your landscape. Three to four inches of mulch can also make a big difference in shading the soil and reducing evaporation.

Temporary variances will be allowed for new landscaping. Applications for variances to the Water Conservation Ordinance are available on the Variance webpage. Hard copies can be obtained for those without access to the Internet by calling (214) 670-3155. Variances will be considered for both residential and commercial customers.

If you are only planting a few new shrubs or a new tree, those can be watered with a soaker hose, hand watering or drip irrigation on any day without a variance.

Please be aware that if conditions require that Dallas go into the Drought Contingency Plan, variances to establish cool season grasses (such as winter rye and others) will not be considered.

Very large properties, golf courses and athletic fields also may request variances to the watering schedule on the Variance webpage but are required to reduce consumption by 5%, based on their previous 5-year average consumption. If a large property does not obtain a variance, and waters outside the mandatory maximum schedule, they will be in violation of the ordinance.

There may be other situations where the watering schedule may not be manageable. Types of variances and forms can be found on the Variance webpage.

Exceptions to the watering schedule are also made for irrigation professionals working on or checking on irrigation systems. Irrigation professionals must be on site for there to be an exemption from day of week or time of day restrictions. Commercial nurseries are also exempt from the watering schedule and time of day requirements.

Each wholesale city’s contract requires water conservation measures. And while some wholesale cities have implemented the mandatory twice weekly schedule, they cannot be compelled to mirror City of Dallas requirements. Customer city mayors were briefed on the new twice-weekly watering schedule and encouraged to implement a similar schedule in their cities.

YES! Although the City has encouraged conservation for many years, since the City began a more concentrated effort in 2001, Dallas residents and businesses have reduced our gallons per capita per day by 30% resulting in a projected water savings of 398 billion gallons.

For information on other cities, visit SaveNorthTexasWater.com.

All City of Dallas parks, golf courses and other City of Dallas properties are required to observe watering restrictions. Large parks and golf courses may have variances to the twice-weekly watering schedule because the properties are too large to water in one day. Large property variances are also available to customers on the Variance webpage.

The Dallas City Council amended the water and wastewater ordinance (Chapter 49) to include restrictions on the irrigation of lawns and landscapes on September 21, 2001 and again on April 23, 2012. The ordinance is intended to help the City of Dallas defer the costs of expanded infrastructure and water supply sources that will be necessary to meet the increasing demands made on the system.

See the Water Conservation Ordinance page for the guidelines.

You may call in the violation to 3-1-1 or use our online contact form. This is the information we will need:

– Address of violation
– Time of violation
– Date of violation
– Your name and phone number

(This information is just for us to call you back if we have questions. Your name will be kept private.)

Residents are restricted from watering between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from April 1 through October 31 every year. Hand watering and soaker hoses will be permitted at any time. In addition, lawn and landscape watering is restricted to two assigned days per week. Variances may be available in certain circumstances.

Government properties and quasi-government areas such as parks, golf courses, and other City of Dallas properties have applied for large property variance permits. This is largely due to the fact that they have installed large areas of new turf that must be watered at least twice daily to spur root development and to protect the City of Dallas’s investment.

Variances will be granted to water new seed or sod during restricted watering days and hours for new-installed landscapes. Please be prepared to show proof of sod, seed, and soil amendment purchase when you apply for a variance. All sprinkler systems must have a sprinkler permit as required by the City of Dallas Irrigation Systems Ordinance.

Most people water their lawns a lot more than they need to. The Water-Wise way to maintain your lawn also encourages healthier turf. You can find tips on how to water your lawn in our How to Save Water Outdoors brochure.

Yes, City of Dallas Water Conservation has licensed irrigators that will come to your home FREE of charge to help find leaks and assist with efficient watering schedules. Go to our FREE Irrigation System Evaluation page to learn more.

As more people have learned the advantages of Water-Wise landscaping, native and drought-tolerant plants have become more widely available. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can find some varieties of Water-Wise plants and Texas Superstar® plants at your local garden center. You may find a larger selection of native and drought-tolerant plants at nurseries that specialize in Water-Wise landscapes.

We have brochures available in PDF format on our Resource Center page. In the spring and fall we offer FREE Water-Wise Landscape Seminars, and every year we have a FREE, self-guided Water-Wise Landscape Tour. You can find out more about these learning opportunities on our “Upcoming Events” column of our website.

There are lots of ways to save water indoors that take very little time or money. Most are simply changing behaviors we don’t stop to think about. Visit our Saving Water Indoors page to learn some great ways to save water.

Yes, there are two options – Dallas homeowners can apply for either a voucher or rebate on their water bill towards the replacement of up to two toilets per household if those toilets were installed prior to January 1, 1994. Multi-family residential managers and owners can also apply for up to 200 toilets per account per year. However, the rebate option is not available for multi-family residential customers, only the voucher.

For more information, go to our New Throne for Your Home Toilet Replacement Program page.

Our Minor Plumbing Repair Program helps low-income homeowners fix leaks in their homes. Go to our Minor Plumbing Repair Program page to learn more.

The rate was added to encourage water conservation and curb increasing demands on the water system. Increasing demands impact DWU’s ability to treat and deliver water to its customers.

Residential customers who use more than 15,000 gallons a month are charged a higher rate for gallons used above 15,000. Seventy-five percent of residential customers use less than 15,000 gallons and are not affected. The conservation tier also affects commercial customers who use more than 10,000 gallons a month and whose usage exceeds 1.4 times their annual monthly average. Eighty-eight percent of commercial customers are not affected.

Commercial accounts are calculated based on the previous 12-month’s average. Once your average is established, it will be recalculated every year on October 1. New accounts that have been established for three months, or a minimum of 75 days, will be calculated based on the average monthly usage for that period. The average for new accounts active less than three months, or for a minimum of 75 days, will be established on the following October 1. Click here to see current water rates.

If you have questions regarding your account, please call Customer Service at 3-1-1.

Because it is not cost effective to meter wastewater use, DWU estimates it. To estimate wastewater use, DWU uses your winter months average (the average of your water use billed in December, January, February and March). This is thought to be the best time to average because customers water their lawns less in the winter. However, if a customer’s current month’s actual water use is less than the winter month’s average, the customer’s sewer (wastewater) bill is based on the actual water use.

The City of Dallas provides water to customers from six reservoirs: Fork, Grapevine, Lewisville, Ray Hubbard, Ray Roberts and Tawakoni.

– Buy only the amount of fertilizers, pesticides or other hazardous chemicals that you need so that you don’t have to dispose of the leftovers.
– Read all the labels and follow directions.
– Be an informed consumer. Consider alternatives if any of the following words are on the labels: “caution”, “warning”, “danger”, “poison”, “flammable”, “volatile”, “caustic” or “corrosive.”
– Use organic lawn and garden alternatives that do not contain synthetic chemical poisons.
– Recycle your used oil, automotive fluids, batteries and other products.
– Don’t dispose of hazardous wastes in wastewater systems, storm drains, creeks, alleys or the ground. This pollutes the water supply.

For more information on how to prevent pollution of our rivers and lakes, go to the City of Dallas Storm Water Management website.

Please visit our Resource Center page to find other organizations that are involved with water resource issues.

If you wish to have brochures or other educational materials mailed, please complete the Water Conservation Division Contact Form. You may also request a speaker or event participation.

The City of Dallas has developed the following plans that deal with water conservation: the Dallas Water Conservation Five-Year Strategic Plan, the Water Conservation Plan and the Drought Contingency Plan.