Outdoor Watering Requirements
Fort Worth's Drought Contingency and Emergency Water Management Plan includes the following Stage 1 requirements. Once Stage 1 is initiated, landscape watering is limited to the following twice per week schedule. Watering with a soaker hose, drip irrigation or by hand is allowed at any time.
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The twice a week watering schedule includes Fort Worth's year-round restrictions of no watering between 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., no watering hard surfaces, no watering during precipitation and no watering with missing or broken sprinkler heads.
Exceptions:
- Foundations may be watered up to two hours on any day using a handheld hose, soaker hose or drip irrigation system placed within 24-inches of the foundation, that does not produce a spray of water above the ground.
- Newly installed shrubs (first year) and trees (two years) may be watered up to two hours on any day by handheld hose, drip irrigation, a soaker hose or tree bubbler. Tree watering is limited to an area not to exceed the drip line of a tree.
- Establishing new turf is discouraged. If hydromulch, grass sod, or grass seed has been installed, watering is allowed for the first 30 days to establish roots. After that, the above schedule applies. This does not include over seeding with rye since turf already exists.
- Newly installed shrubs (first year) and trees (two years) may be watered up to two hours on any day by handheld hose, drip irrigaiton, a soaker hose or tree bubbler. Tree watering is limited to an area not to exceed the drip line of a tree.
- All users are encouraged to reduce the frequency of draining and refilling swimming pools.
- All users are encouraged to use native and adapted drought tolerant plants in landscaping.
- Washing of any motorized vehicle is limited to a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive-pressure shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station.
- Supervised testing, repair or maintenance of a sprinkler system is an exception to allow water to run more than 50 feet away from the property.
- No hosing of paved areas (sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, patios or other impervious surfaces), except to alleviate an immediate health or safety hazard.
- No hosing of buildings or other structures for purposes other than fire protection or surface preparation prior to painting.
Violations will receive an initial warning. Repeat offenses will be subject to an irrigation system lock-out which carries an administrative fee. Subsequent offenses may be issued a citation, with a fine of up to $2,000 per day. Each day is considered a separate violation.
For a complete list, view the full requirements: Drought/Emergency Management Plan
Questions? Contact us at 817-392-4477.
Most of the state is facing drought conditions. View the drought monitor to see which areas are facing exceptional drought conditions.