WateringTimes
Mandatory scheduleVerified Schedule for October 2026

McKinney watering schedule 2026

City of McKinney customers water by trash pickup day all year: two days a week. April to October: never 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. November to March: any hour.

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Rules from: City of McKinney water utility (Public Works), which buys treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) (official schedule )

McKinney watering days by season

April through October

Two days a week
  1. MON
  2. TUE
  3. WED
  4. THU
  5. FRI
  6. SAT
  7. SUN

Some groups, see the listTodayEarlier this week

  • Group MondayMonday and Thursday
  • Group TuesdayTuesday and Friday
  • Group WednesdayWednesday and Saturday
  • Group ThursdayThursday and Sunday
  • Group FridayMonday and Friday

No sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day.

November through March

Two days a week
  1. MON
  2. TUE
  3. WED
  4. THU
  5. FRI
  6. SAT
  7. SUN

Some groups, see the list

  • Group MondayMonday and Thursday
  • Group TuesdayTuesday and Friday
  • Group WednesdayWednesday and Saturday
  • Group ThursdayThursday and Sunday
  • Group FridayMonday and Friday

No set hours in this season.

DaysWater on your normal trash day and, if needed, three calendar days later.
RulesApril 1 to October 31: no watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
RulesNovember 1 to March 31: the same two days, with no hour ban.
RulesNo watering during rain or freezing temperatures.
RulesNo City trash service? Find your days on the Watering Day Map.
How the rule works

McKinney homes water on two days a week: the normal trash pickup day and three calendar days later. A Monday trash zone waters Monday and Thursday, Tuesday waters Tuesday and Friday, Wednesday waters Wednesday and Saturday, Thursday waters Thursday and Sunday, and Friday waters Friday and Monday. Holiday pickups do not move the days. From April 1 to October 31, no watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on any day. From November 1 to March 31 the same two days apply with no hour ban. Never water during rain or freezing weather. These are standing rules of City Code Chapter 110, Article VIII. No drought stage declaration was found on City of McKinney or NTMWD pages.

Rules and fines in McKinney

Current stage No drought stage declaration was found. The trash day schedule and the hour ban from April 1 to October 31 are standing rules of City Code Chapter 110, Article VIII, and apply in every year. Drought stages under Article VI (amended by Ordinance No. 2024-04-023) start only when NTMWD gives notice and asks the City to start a stage; the City's WaterSmart pages and NTMWD's recent news items name no stage in force.

The exceptions include hand watering, new plantings and smart controllers, each with its own conditions. A written exception can also be requested. The full text is below.

First: a warning. Then $50, $100 and $150.

Full text of the rules

Exceptions to the McKinney rules

  • Hand-held hose or soaker hose: a defense to the hour ban and the day schedule (Section 110-426(f)). The exemption form says new plants can be hand watered daily without an exemption.
  • New landscape: watering within 30 days of installation is a defense to both rules (Section 110-426(g)). The City's page and form ask for a granted exemption first, one per year, and say the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ban from April 1 to October 31 still applies. Overseeding with rye or other seed is not exempt.
  • ET (weather based) controller: a registered controller from the City's list, properly programmed, with the City yard sign is a defense to the day schedule only (Section 110-427(b)). The hour ban, the rain and freeze ban and the broken head rule still apply (WaterSmart Programs). Registration costs $25 once and is renewed, free, each year.
  • Waivers: the Water Utility and Infrastructure Director may grant a waiver from the hour ban or the day schedule for extreme hardship or need, under a signed agreement to water only as the waiver allows (Section 110-428).
  • Trees, flowers and vegetable gardens: the City's FAQ says these can get extra water with watering cans, hand-held hoses, soaker hoses or dedicated drip zones. The code names only hand-held and soaker hoses.
  • Standing bans: no watering during any precipitation or freezing temperatures (110-426(c)); no broken, missing or misdirected sprinkler heads (110-426(d)); no filling ponds of 500 square feet or more with treated water (110-426(e)); systems installed on or after June 1, 2005 need rain and freeze shut off devices (110-427(c)).

Fines in McKinney

  1. 1First violation: warning (Section 110-429(b)).
  2. 2Second violation: $50; third violation: $100; fourth and each later violation: $150. Each day a provision is not followed counts as a separate violation (Section 110-429(b)).
  3. 3Penalties are added to the water bill; unpaid penalties can lead to shut off (Outdoor Water Use page). Further violations can lead to reduced or discontinued service (110-429(b)).
  4. 4No criminal enforcement for these rules (110-429(f)). A penalty can be appealed in writing within 15 calendar days of the notice (110-429(d)(8), 110-430).

Report water waste

Online form Report a Water Restriction Violation (McKinneyTexas.org/ReportWater) or the Water Violation Hotline, 972-547-7367. Give the exact address, the date and time, and your name and phone number.

Sprinkler minutes are not computed for McKinney: the free run time calculator and the personal plan use California's state climate table, so they cover California cities only.

McKinney watering questions

How do I know my watering days in McKinney?

Your first watering day is your normal residential trash pickup day and the second is three calendar days later (City Code Section 110-426(b)). Monday trash means Monday and Thursday; Tuesday means Tuesday and Friday; Wednesday means Wednesday and Saturday; Thursday means Thursday and Sunday; Friday means Friday and Monday. A holiday pickup does not move the days. Without City trash service, use the Watering Day Map.

Can I run sprinklers in the afternoon in McKinney?

Not from April 1 to October 31. Section 110-426(a) bans watering any lawn or landscape between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. in those months, even on your watering day. From November 1 to March 31 the code sets no hour ban, but the trash day schedule still applies.

What is the fine for watering on the wrong day in McKinney?

Section 110-429(b) sets a warning for the first violation, then $50 for the second, $100 for the third and $150 for the fourth and each later one. Each day counts as a separate violation. Penalties come on the water bill, and unpaid penalties can lead to shut off. You can appeal in writing within 15 calendar days of the notice.

Can I water new sod or new plants every day in McKinney?

For up to 30 days after installation. Section 110-426(g) covers watering of newly planted landscape, but not overseeding with rye. The City asks you to apply on the Watering Exemption Request Form before installing, allows one exemption a year, and keeps the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ban from April 1 to October 31. Hand watering new plants daily needs no exemption.

Does hand watering count against my McKinney watering days?

No. Section 110-426(f) makes watering with a hand-held or soaker hose a defense to both the hour ban and the trash day schedule. The City's FAQ adds that trees, flowers and vegetable gardens can get extra water with watering cans or dedicated drip zones, but the code itself names only hand-held and soaker hoses.

Does a smart ET controller exempt me from McKinney's watering days?

Only once it is registered. Section 110-427(b) makes a properly programmed and maintained ET controller that meets the City's standards a defense to the trash day schedule, and the WaterSmart Programs page grants the exemption after registration: $25 once, re-registered free each year, with the City yard sign shown. The hour ban, the rain and freeze ban and the broken head rule still apply.

Is McKinney under drought restrictions right now?

No drought stage declaration was found. Under City Code Article VI, a stage starts when NTMWD notifies the City that drought conditions exist and asks it to start a stage; the City Manager can then add stage rules. The City's WaterSmart pages and NTMWD's recent news items name no stage, so the standing trash day schedule is what applies.

How do I report someone wasting water in McKinney?

Use the online Report a Water Restriction Violation form at McKinneyTexas.org/ReportWater or call the Water Violation Hotline at 972-547-7367. The City needs the exact address, the date and time, and your name and phone number. Neighbors in Allen, Frisco or Plano report to their own city utility.

Sources and verification

Rules checked October 2026. The schedule is watched for changes and updated when the supplier changes it.

Water supplier: City of McKinney water utility (Public Works), which buys treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) (official schedule )

All 15 sources

Nearby water suppliers

FriscoCity of Frisco water utilityMandatory: By trash day: 1 day a week in spring and fall, 2 in summer, none in winterCity water
PlanoCity of Plano water utilityRecommended: twice a week April to October, once a week November to MarchCity water
DallasDallas Water Utilities (DWU)Mandatory: 2 days/week all year: even Sunday and Thursday, odd Wednesday and SaturdayCity water
Fort WorthFort Worth WaterMandatory: 2 days/week all year: even Wednesday and Saturday, odd Thursday and SundayCity water

The name on the water bill decides which rules apply.