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:
(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. Click here for an example of how these charges are calculated.
The City of Dallas provides water to customers from six reservoirs: Fork, Grapevine, Lewisville, Ray Hubbard, Ray Roberts and Tawakoni.
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, as well as an Executive Summary of the Five-Year Strategic Plan.
