Watering Restrictions in Dallas, Irving and Plano

It’s shaping up to be a fantastic 2019 in Texas, at least when it comes to drought. As the year began, more than 95% of the state was NOT in drought, and water levels were at their highest since the early 1990s. It’s certainly a very different picture than it was 10 years ago when Texas survived intense drought across much of the state.

That doesn’t mean you can go wild with your sprinklers and water your yard every day. Most local governments learned their lesson in that bad drought — and many cities have watering restrictions that remain in place.

Dallas

Texas was still in that bad drought when the Dallas City Council passed permanent watering restrictions for homes and businesses inside city limits. It was an attempt to be proactive about the water supply. Now years later, it looks like it has helped. And don’t worry too much about those summer days with highs in the triple digits. Lawn care experts say your grass only needs a long drink of water every five days or so.

Everyone may turn on the sprinklers twice a week in Dallas:

• Those whose addresses end in an even number can water on Sundays and Thursdays.
• Those with addresses ending in an odd number can use their sprinklers on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
• In the rare case that there isn’t an address — that sprinkler schedule is Sundays and Thursdays too.
• You can also use drip irrigation, soaker hoses, or hand water any day of the week without risking a fine.

Plano

The city of Plano also has recommended watering guidelines for 2019, and like Dallas, it’s a twice-weekly schedule:

• Addresses ending in an even number should water on Mondays and Thursdays.
• Addresses ending in an odd number are scheduled to let it sprinkle on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• Watering between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the hottest hours of the day is prohibited. It’s also bad for the lawn since watering in the heat of the day tends to put stress on the grass. The grass needs time to absorb the water when it’s cool, and watering at night just invites mildew and disease.
• You can water by drip irrigation or hand, any day of the week.

Irving

In the City of Irving:

• Watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from April 1 to Oct. 31. (It’s for the same reason it’s illegal in Plano. Those are the hottest times of the day, during the hottest time of the year in a region that’s famous for its heat.
• No one may turn on their sprinklers in Irving on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
• People with addresses ending in even numbers may use the sprinkler on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
• People at addresses ending in odd numbers can do it on Wednesday and Sundays.

The city also recommends planting low-maintenance, drought-resistant plants for your yard. Native flowers like hibiscus and verbena are easy to care for and need little watering. It’s also helpful if you install plumbing fixtures and appliances that conserve water.

If you live in another city in the Metroplex that isn’t mentioned here, it’s pretty easy to search your city or county government’s website for watering restrictions. The restrictions are likely to be similar to the ones enacted by Dallas, Plano, and Irving. In a drought-prone state like Texas, we’re all in it together — and every drop of water counts.

Do you want to know more about lawn care in the DFW? Visit our Dallas, TX lawn care page for more guides and additional information.