Water Conservation

 

 

MAY - SEPTEMBER

STAGE 1 - PEAK DAY WATER USE

Do not water 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Hours allowed for outdoor watering are
between midnight - 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to midnight

 

Carrollton's Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader or print a quick reference watering schedule.

What is your water footprint?  Use the H2O calculator to find out. 

 

Where does all the water go?

Landscape irrigation accounts for most of the water consumption for the average Carrollton residence in the spring and summer months.  Water conservation does not mean digging up a lush lawn and planting prickly pear cactus in a bed of gravel.  It does mean that we have to be more efficient in how we use water for keeping our plants alive during North Texas’ hot, dry summers.  To do so, we have to encourage healthier root systems by less frequent watering of grasses.

The city’s Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan promotes an irrigation frequency of no more than twice a week between May 1 and September 30 each year.  During severe drought periods, these limits will become mandatory.   These dates can be extended due to drought conditions at the request of the City Manager.

Carrollton's Landscape Water Management Ordinance

Preventing waste is an important part of conserving water.  Under Carrollton’s Landscape Water Management Ordinance, these wasteful practices are prohibited:

  • Not repairing outdoor plumbing leaks

  • Allowing a constant stream of runoff during irrigation

  • Irrigating landscaping during any form of precipitation

  • Irrigating landscaping during freezing weather

  • Operating an irrigation system with broken or missing sprinkler heads

  • Operating an irrigation system that has not been properly maintained to avoid wasting water.

Weather-based irrigation controllers or smart sprinkler controllers

Smart sprinkler controllers reduce outdoor water use by monitoring environmental conditions such as rain, wind, temperature, soil moisture, slope and plant type and using this information to adjust the amount of water each time a property owner’s irrigation system operates.  With smart sprinkler controllers, the right amount of water can be applied to maintain healthy plants.

  • Residential Rain and Freeze shut-offs available.  While supplies last, city of Carrollton Water Utilities provides rain and freeze shut-off devices to residents for the purpose of retrofitting automatic, landscape irrigation systems installed prior to January 1, 2006.  The free devices are limited to one per residential premise and customers will be responsible for installation of the device.
     

  • Commercial ICI Rebate ProgramWhile supplies last, city of Carrollton provides a rain and freeze shut-off device to Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) customers and offer a rebate up to one-half the purchase price of water-saving equipment ($5,000 maximum) not related to landscape irrigation and installed on or after January 1, 2006 based on a review and approval process.  To request participation in the ICI Rebate Program, call Water Utilities 972-466-4206. 

    Requests for the rain and freeze shut-off devices must be made in person at Utility Customer Service, 1st floor of City Hall, 1945 E. Jackson Road, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
     

  • Additional smart sprinkler resources:  Homeowners and commercial property owners The Irrigation Association provides more information about smart sprinkler controllers.  Visit the San Diego County Water Authority’s (SDCWA) for a list of smart sprinkler controller manufacturers for both residential and commercial systems or contact your local landscape irrigation contractor.