Save Fort Worth Water

Classes & Events

Please note that all classes are subject to change of format from live to virtual due to COVID-19. 

Water Saving Seminars

Using less water is not only good for the environment; it is also great for saving money on your water bill. The seminar series, taught by local and regional experts from Rooted In, covers a wide variety of landscape and gardening topics each year. Fort Worth Water Conservation staff attend each seminar in case you have questions about Fort Worth outdoor watering requirements and conservation programs.

Classes are offered online at 6 p.m. on the dates below. Registration is not required for virtual classes. Just join using the link below.     

Date	Topic	Registration Links
March 11, 2021	Spring yard cleanup
April 8, 2021	Turf & irrigation maintenance
May 13, 2021	Plant combos & companions
June 10, 2021	Soil health & amendments
July 8, 2021	It's irrigation season
August 12, 2021	Made for the shade
September 9, 2021	Containers and edibles
October 14, 2021	Pollinators & native plants	Virtual
November 11, 2021	Trees for North Texas	Virtual

 

YardSmart Conferences

YardSmart is now a free, informative full-day conference designed to provide effective, beneficial ways to use water wisely in the landscape. Topics vary by season and have included butterfly gardening, landscape watering, container gardens, perennials, trees, rainwater harvesting, edibles, lawn care and much more. This conference is offered each spring and fall.

Fall 2021

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Fall YardSmart registration is now closed.

 Spring 2022

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Topic announcement and registration will begin in January 2022.

 

Irrigation 101 Workshops

Fort Worth Water and Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) holds virtual sprinkler do-it-yourself workshops to help you get your sprinkler system up and running at maximum efficiency. An efficient system saves water and helps keep your water bill lower during those hot summer months. A special emphasis in these classes will be regulating water pressure in your system to improve efficiency.

Workshops were held on January 19, February 25, March 16, April 13.

 View a video of the workshop taught by regional AgriLife expert Dottie Woodson.

 

Fix A Leak Week Workshops

Two joint virtual workshops were held with the cities of Dallas and Houston to promote water conservation through finding and fixing leaks.

March 16, 2021 (indoor leak detection and fixes)

March 18, 2021 (outdoor leak detection and fixes)

 

WaterSense®  Your Better Yard Workshops

The EPA WaterSense® Your Better Yard program starts with the premise that making yards more attractive and functional can also save water, money and time with the right WaterSense®-labeled products and water-saving techniques included in homeowners’ landscape and irrigation plans. Fort Worth Water partnered with the Fort Worth Public Library for a virtual two-part workshop taught by regional experts from Rooted In to examine the eight types of landscape lifestyles and provided tips to help make you make your preferred landscape fit your lifestyle. 

July 31, 2021 (Community Plot, Family Fun, Backyard Beauty, Dog Digging Dilemma)

August 7, 2021 (Urban Oasis, Playdate Priorities, Landscape Luxury, Low Maintenance Living)

 

BRIT Adult & Family Classes

Fort Worth Water and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden/Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) partnered to offer water conservation classes with both adult and family-oriented activities.

Adult Classes

June 17, 2021: Drip Irrigation DIY

July 22, 2021: Gardening for Rainwater: BRIT Bioswales and Beyond

August 19, 2021: Bulletproof Plants

Family Classes

May 15, 2021: Build Your Own Living Roof

June 5, 2021: Catch the Rain: DIY Rain Barrel Class 

July 24, 2021: Bioswales & Raingardens

Other Opportunities

 Speaker's Bureau

 When you turn on your tap for a drink of water, to take a shower or wash clothes, you take for granted that water will flow. Water is a precious natural resource that cannot be manufactured. It is important that we know how we can preserve and conserve it for now and future generations.

The Speakers Bureau provides an educational forum to heighten the awareness of water conservation and water quality issues. We provide speakers for neighborhood associations, churches, schools or social organizations at no charge. Request a Speaker.

 Learning About Water at Home

Fort Worth Water has created a compilation of lesson plans and resources about water for parents and children learning together or teachers looking for lessons to supplement classroom curriculum. Lesson plans have been created by respected organization in the water field.

Download the Resource Guide.(PDF, 3MB) Fort Worth Water has a certified teacher on staff to support you if needed. 

Fort Worth Water is committed to water efficiency and conservation strategies that reduce water use and waste to help extend the life of existing water supplies and keep clean, safe water affordable for all residents.

The Water Conservation Plan goals are:

• To reduce water consumption from the levels that would prevail without conservation efforts.
•  To reduce the loss and waste of water.
• To improve efficiency in the use of water.
• To encourage efficient outdoor water use.
• To document the level of recycling and reuse in the water supply.
• To extend the life of current water supplies by reducing the rate of growth in demand.

Part of the conservation plan includes setting goals for reducing water consumption.  The 2019 Water Conservation Plan's gallons per capita per day (gpcd) goals are shown below. Weather plays a major factor in water use, and can cause significant variations in water use from one year to the next. To smooth out the impacts of weather changes, Fort Worth uses a five-year running average to determine goals and track progress. 

 

Fort Worth Water uses several documents to guide its water conservation program:

Water Conservation Plan(PDF, 10MB)

Drought/Emergency Water Management Plan(PDF, 230KB)

Conservation Ordinance(PDF, 12MB)

Irrigation Ordinance(PDF, 906KB) 

 

Alliance for Water Efficiency

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is a voice and a platform for water use efficiency and water conservation; bringing a critical perspective to an increasingly thirsty North America.

AWE is a partnership of organizations and professionals changing the way people think about water. Driven by a belief that using water efficiently saves money, preserves the environment, and helps communities thrive, AWE work to achieve sustainable water use. Since day one, AWE has embarked to support and enhance water conservation efforts, providing benefit to water utilities, water conservation professionals, planners, regulators, and consumers. Success comes with help of members and partners, including Fort Worth Water. Learn more.

Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) & Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

BRIT supports botanical solutions to address globally challenging problems ranging from pollution clean-up to sustainable food sources. By serving as a think tank and catalyst, BRIT inspires learning and forms interdisciplinary collaborations for critical research within scientific, educational, social, cultural, and business communities. Their work impacts our community and the world in a number of functional areas including, environment, by giving people a local sense of stewardship; society, by training a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers; and conservation, by offering methods for better stewardship of the land. Read more.

As of October 1, 2020, BRIT will manage the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Both institutions host Fort Worth Water events and classes. In 2021, BRIT will offer six new classes for adults and families for Fort Worth residents.

 

Rooted In

Fort Worth Water collaborates with Rooted In to provide education and outreach classes. Through education, conservation, and community collaboration, Rooted In’s innovative and knowledgeable horticulture and conservation specialists offer a holistic, science-based approach to meeting the demands of an ever-changing Texas landscape and help your projects take root.

 

EPA WaterSense

EPA is building WaterSense as a national brand for water efficiency. That brand is more than just a product label; it is a symbol representing the importance of water efficiency in the United States.  Making WaterSense labeled products, new homes, and services the preferred choice among consumers will help preserve water supplies for future generations, save on utility bills, and protect the environment.

EPA cannot achieve these goals alone. Fort Worth Water is proud to be part of a partnership program to share resources and encourage the adoption of water-efficient behaviors and quality products that use less water. Fort Worth Water participates in WaterSense public education and outreach campaigns. Learn more about WaterSense.

 

Keep Fort Worth Beautiful

Keep Fort Worth Beautiful (KFWB) is an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful that has served our community for more than 40 years. Its mission is to educate and engage Fort Worth residents and businesses to take responsibility for improving their community environment. Read more.

KFWB and Fort Worth Water partner to promote events and volunteer opportunities that help protect and beautify the local environment. 

 

North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

Working together with over 230 member governments including 16 counties, numerous cities, school districts, and special districts, the NCTCOG Environment & Development Department (E&D) guides and promotes collaboration among public entities to progressively address common environmental issues and development challenges facing them due to our region’s rapid growth and urbanization. To accomplish our goals, E&D has six strategic initiatives for Sustainable Environmental Excellence: Materials Management, Natural Resources, Public Works, Regional Codes, Watershed Management, and Development Excellence. Read more.

Fort Worth Water staff serve on committees and task forces to help design collaborative public education and outreach that promote water efficiency and conservation, as well as work to protect the water sources and water quality of the entire region. Familiar programs include Doo the Right Thing pet waste disposal and Defend the Drains fats, oils and grease disposal campaigns.

 

Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD)

TRWD provides raw water to more than 30 wholesale customers in 11 North Texas counties.

With more than two million people in the district’s rapidly growing service area, their mission is to ensure residents and businesses have a safe, reliable water supply that meets their needs today and for decades to come. Primary wholesale customers include the cities of Arlington, Fort Worth and Mansfield and the Trinity River Authority. Read more.

TRWD has two other websites with valuable information about water efficiency and water conservation. SaveTarrantWater.com and WaterIsAwesome.com offer information and education about saving and protecting water, including classes, events, weekly watering advice, and more. Download the TRWD 2021 Learn and Grow class schedule.(PDF, 3MB)   See past presentations on the TRWD Save Tarrant Water YouTube channel. 

Fort Worth Water partners with TRWD on YardSmart, Weekly Watering Advice, irrigation system evaluations and other classes and events.