Find Your Watering Day
Watering once a week could save you $150 every month.
Water conservation saves money, reduces the energy needed to treat and deliver water and wastewater, and helps ensure clean water for future generations.
Watering only one day a week instead of two or three times a week could save an average household 7,000 to 14,000 gallons every month and up to $150 on your monthly bill. Learn how to program your irrigation controller to improve efficiency with our video guide.
As of Sept. 2, 2025, Austin is under Conservation Stage Water Use Restrictions. Find your schedule, exemptions and variance options on this page, and read our Drought Contingency Plan for more information.
Current Water Restrictions
Hose-end sprinklers and drip irrigation — 2 days per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- Even addresses: Thursday and Sunday
- Odd addresses: Wednesday and Saturday
Automatic and manual irrigation systems — 1 day per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- Even addresses: Thursday
- Odd addresses: Wednesday
Drip irrigation — 2 days per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- All addresses: Tuesday and Friday
Automatic and manual irrigation systems — 1 day per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- Even addresses: Tuesday
- Odd addresses: Friday
Hose-end sprinklers and drip irrigation — 2 days per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- All addresses: Monday and Thursday
Automatic and manual irrigation systems — 1 day per week, midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight
- All addresses: Monday
- Wasting water is prohibited.
- Home car washing must use a positive shutoff valve.
- Charity car washes may only be held at commercial car washes.
- Fountains must recirculate water.
- Restaurants may not serve water unless requested by a customer.
- Patio misters at commercial properties may only operate between 4 p.m. and midnight.
- Commercial power and pressure washing equipment must meet efficiency requirements.
- Golf courses using potable water may irrigate fairways only on their designated watering day between midnight and 5 a.m. or 7 p.m. and midnight. Tees and greens may be watered every other day with notice to Austin Water.
The following activities are allowed at any time on any day:
- Watering with a hand-held hose or refillable container
- Watering trees with a Treegator®, soaker hose or automatic tree bubbler
- Watering vegetable gardens with a soaker hose or drip irrigation
- Watering to protect public health, safety or welfare
- Using reclaimed or auxiliary water
- Irrigating athletic fields
- Watering plant material at a commercial nursery
- Applying commercially applied herbicide or pesticide
In limited situations, a variance from water restrictions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. You must continue to follow current restrictions until your variance is approved. Submit all variance applications through the Austin Water Customer Portal.
Types of variances available:
- New Xeriscape Landscape — for a newly installed xeriscape design that requires a special watering schedule
- Large Property — for residential or commercial property that cannot be fully watered under the current schedule (does not apply to new xeriscape projects)
- Environmental — to protect an endangered plant, animal, aquatic species or critical environmental feature
- Health and Safety — to maintain public health, safety, well-being or cleanliness
- Income — for businesses whose primary income depends on using water outside the watering schedule
- Medical and Disability — for a documented medical hardship or qualifying disability
- Tree Disease and Pest Control — to treat a tree for disease or control pests
Some low and very low water use plants may qualify for a xeriscape watering schedule variance once established. See the Austin Water Approved Plant List and stabilization and erosion control plant standards for details.
Failing to follow water restrictions may result in penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. To report a violation, call 3-1-1, use the 3-1-1 mobile app or submit a report online. Please include the address, date, time and type of violation.
Resources
Austin Water's equity-based penalty structure for fines related to water use
The water conservation section of Austin's municipal code
Austin Water's equity-based penalty structure for fines related to water use
The water conservation section of Austin's municipal code
A comprehensive outline of Austin's water conservation strategy
Video guides for programming your irrigation controller and improving water efficiency