Water Conservation & Guidelines

All in Together - Water Smart PlanoThe City of Plano is committed to conserving and protecting our water supply in a cooperative effort with our citizens and other North Texas Municipal Water District member cities through education and enforcement that contributes to the overall quality of life.

Because we purchase our water, we must be good stewards of this resource. The City implemented a Water Management Plan in 2009 (updated in 2019) with the intent to provide a year-round water efficiency plan with measures designed for long-term water savings. This plan aims to reduce loss and waste of water and improve efficiency to extend the life of current water supplies. Our Drought and Emergency Response Plan is only implemented to immediately reduce demand when water supply shortages occur.

In the summer, we often see a large spike in water use due to outdoor watering. Research has shown that with normal rainfall in Texas, lawns thrive in no more than twice a week watering in spring/summer and once per week in fall/winter. Therefore, our Water Management Plan limits irrigation with sprinklers to no more than twice a week from April through October and once a week November through March. Water conservation is a priority for our region.

Winter Watering Guidelines
November 1 - March 31

Plano residents and businesses are asked to only water a maximum of once per week from November 1 - March 31.

  • Turn off automatic sprinklers now that cooler weather has arrived. Most grasses go dormant until spring, which reduces your lawn’s need for water. Subscribe to WaterMyYard.org for customized weekly watering recommendations.
  • If watering is needed, set your sprinklers to run when the temperature is warmer, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., to avoid icing of streets and sidewalks.
  • Planting cool season grasses, such as rye or fescue, is discouraged. These grasses require extra water during winter.
  • Excessive water runoff and watering during rain, ice or snow is prohibited.
  • Visit plano.gov/outdoorwateruse for more ways to save water outdoors.

*As HOA watering involves watering of their common areas and in many cases the City of Plano right of way (which has no address), it was decided that all HOA watering and addresses ending in zero would follow an EVEN address watering schedule.

Printable Guidelines

Winter Watering Guidelines 2019-2020