Save Fort Worth Water

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

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 and much more. This semi-annual conference is offered each spring and fall.

Spring 2021

Saturday, February 13, 2021

9 a.m.–11:45 a.m. (English) View details 

11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. (Spanish) View details

This virtual event will be streamed live on Fort Worth Water and Fort Worth Agua Facebook pages. (No registration is required.)

Fall 2021

This is a new full-day, multi-track conference format, including a keynote speaker and classes in English and Spanish. Topics will be announced and registration will begin in early August.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

9 a.m.–4 p.m. (English) 

9 a.m.–1 p.m. (Spanish)

Fort Worth Botanic Garden^*, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.

Topics will be announced and registration will begin in August.

*Facility is wheelchair accessible. To arrange for sign language interpretation, call TDD 817-392-8544 at least 72 hours prior to event.

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, 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 will be offered in-person (as allowable by COVID-19 restrictions) and online each month. Please register for only one option. Registration for in-person attendance will open one month prior to each event.

All in-person seminars are scheduled for Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), 1700 University Drive. 

Irrigation 101 workshops 

Fort Worth Water and Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) have scheduled four 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.

All virtual workshops are scheduled for Tuesdays at 6 p.m.

Learn more.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden/BRIT educational classes

 Fort Worth Water and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden/BRIT will offer six (6) new classes during 2021. The classes will include both adult and family-oriented activities.

Classes will be held at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), 1700 University Drive.

Check back for topics, dates, and registration information in mid-January.

Takeback Meds Day

The Take Back Meds event is over. Check back in the spring for more information about the next event, or visit the Department of Justice website to find other drug take back events happening near you.

Accepted

• Prescriptions/over-the-counter 
• Veterinary medications 
• Vitamins, minerals and samples

Not Accepted

• Oxygen tanks, inhalers or nebulizers 
• Needles and other sharps 
• Thermometers or IV bags

Before you arrive

• Keep medicines in original containers 
• Mark through personal information 
• Stay in your vehicle at all times

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 of 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) 

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.