Austin watering schedule 2026

Exceptions to the Austin rules

• No day or hour limit for watering with a hand-held hose or refillable container (City Code 6-4-14(C)(2); Find Your Watering Day page).
• No day or hour limit for an automatic bubbler, or for drip irrigation or a soaker hose placed within the drip line of a tree canopy or used for a vegetable garden (6-4-14(C)(1), (3) and (4)).
• Using reclaimed or auxiliary water that is not mixed with Austin Water potable water (6-4-14(A)(2); Find Your Watering Day page).
• Testing, repairing or installing a landscape irrigation system while the person doing the work is present (6-4-14(C)(7)).
• New landscaping required by a land development permit: watering between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. (6-4-14(D)(1)). A new xeriscape can get a variance: daily watering before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. for the first 10 days, then twice a week through day 40 (6-4-30(D)).
• Variances are granted case by case, for example for a large property, a medical hardship or tree disease treatment. Apply through the Austin Water Conservation Hub and keep following the schedule until Austin Water grants the variance (6-4-30; Find Your Watering Day page).
• Water waste is prohibited at all times: fix controllable leaks such as a broken sprinkler head or drip line, and do not let irrigation water run 50 feet or more into a street or parking area (6-4-12(B)).
• Foundation watering only on the designated day and within the allowed hours (6-4-11(D)). Car washing at home needs a hose with a positive shutoff valve (6-4-15(E)).

Fines in Austin

1. 1First witnessed violation, when the account had no violation at the address in the previous 365 days: a warning notice of violation (Austin Water Equity-Based Penalties Guidance).
2. 2A second witnessed violation within 365 days brings a notice of citation with a penalty. For a residential facility in the Conservation Stage, City Code 2-13-24(E)(1) sets $25 to $100 for a first violation.
3. 3Second violation: $50 to $200. Third violation: $200 to $400. Fourth or later violation: $300 to $600 (2-13-24(E)(1)). Citation levels count violations in a rolling 12 months.
4. 4Within each range, Austin Water sets the amount by the home's average summer water use: the lowest use tier pays the minimum ($25, $50, $200, $300) and the highest pays the maximum ($100, $200, $400, $600).
5. 5Austin Water's schedule page warns that penalties can reach $1,000 per violation; the higher ranges apply in drought stages and to commercial properties (2-13-24).

Report water waste

Call 3-1-1, use the 3-1-1 mobile app or submit a report online. Include the address, date, time and type of violation (Find Your Watering Day page).