Year-round outdoor watering requirements

Although two days are allowable, remember you don’t have to water if your landscape doesn’t need it. To find out exactly how much water your yard needs each week, sign up to have the Weekly Watering Advice delivered to you via text or email.

The Weekly Watering Advice is a Tarrant Regional Water District program, supported by Fort Worth Water.

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service recommends different lawn watering frequencies for each season. Applying one inch of water is recommended throughout the year, however, the frequency varies by season. Following this schedule will help you water efficiently all year long.

• Winter: Every 15 to 20 days (if any water is needed at all, turn system off and operate manually) 
• Spring: Every 10 to 15 days 
• Summer: Every 5 to 7 days 
• Fall: Every 10 to 15 days

• Rain and freeze sensors are required on all systems installed on or after June 1, 2007. New irrigation system installations, or retrofits of systems to add these sensors, require a city permit obtained by a licensed irrigator or Master Plumber. The work can be performed by the licensed irrigator or Master Plumber or by someone working under their direct supervision. 
• Rain and freeze sensors are required on all commercial irrigation systems. An annual inspection of rain and freeze sensors is required and it can be done in conjunction with the annual backflow inspection.

• Watering for no more than 30 consecutive days to: establish newly-planted hydromulch, grass sod or grass seed with an approved variance. Request an irrigation schedule variance by completing and submitting this form(PDF, 202KB).
• Use of an supplemental or alternative water source, such as a well, water from the Trinity River, reclaimed or reuse water. The alternative source must be registered with the city(PDF, 196KB) , with sufficient proof provided to the water director. If deemed necessary, the source can be inspected by the water director or their designee. Use of the source must also comply with the city’s Backflow and Cross-Connection Control Program and City Code Sections 12.5-525 through 12.5-599.

• Conduct dust control for sport fields. 

• Conduct maintenance, repair or testing of an irrigation system.

• It is unlawful for any person to knowingly or recklessly install, operate, cause or permit the installation or operation of an irrigation system in violation of these requirements on premises they own, lease or manage.   
• Any person, firm or corporation that violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with this ordinance shall be fined up to $2,000 for each offense. Each day a violation is permitted to exist will constitute a separate offense.
• Ordinance amendments also allow locking out in-ground irrigation systems as an enforcement option. The lock out would occur either at the backflow device required on all irrigation systems or at a separate irrigation meter, if it exists. Most commercial accounts have separate meters for irrigation systems but few residential accounts have a separate meter. 
• There is an administrative fee to remove the device. The fee would be $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $75 for the third offense. Multiple violations could result in lock out as well as a citation. The fee would be added to the customer’s water bill. There is also a process for appealing the administrative fee.