Garland Water Restrictions 2026
Dallas · Texas
Published:
Restrictions Active - NTMWD Stage 2 Conservation - Year-Round
2
Days/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$200 first violation; $500 escalating
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Even-numbered addresses | Monday & Thursday |
| Odd-numbered addresses | Tuesday & Friday |
Allowed Watering Hours
NTMWD Stage 2 mandatory rules apply year-round (strictest April 1 – October 31). Outdoor irrigation is limited to 2 days per week with NO watering between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Even-numbered addresses water Mondays and Thursdays; odd-numbered addresses water Tuesdays and Fridays. Hand-held hoses with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, and soaker hoses are permitted any time. Foundation watering with a soaker hose is allowed any time, maximum 2 hours. Runoff to streets or driveways is a violation even on your assigned day, use cycle-and-soak.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any time, any day.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$200 first violation; $500 escalating
Fines start at $200 for the first violation and escalate to $500 for repeat offences. Individual member cities respond to complaints and conduct neighbourhood patrols, especially during the April 1 – October 31 peak season. NTMWD also coordinates regional enforcement when Lake Lavon storage falls below trigger thresholds.
Citations begin Year-round (strictest April 1 – October 31)🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Texas Property Code § 202.007 prohibits HOAs from fining homeowners for brown or dormant lawns caused by complying with mandatory water restrictions. HOAs also cannot prohibit drought-tolerant xeriscaping. Document the NTMWD Stage 2 ordinance if your HOA challenges a brown lawn.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the Garland Water Utilities's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
Garland, TX is a member city of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which sources treated surface water from Lake Lavon, Lake Texoma, Jim Chapman Lake, Lake Tawakoni, and other regional reservoirs. NTMWD serves 13 member cities and 80+ customer cities across North Texas, about 2 million people total.
All NTMWD member cities follow the same Stage 2 Water Conservation rules year-round
- Outdoor watering: maximum 2 days per week
- No watering between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM
- Even-numbered addresses: Mondays and Thursdays
- Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays and Fridays
- Hand-held hose with shut-off nozzle: any time
- Drip irrigation and soaker hoses: any time
- Foundation watering: anytime with soaker hose (maximum 2 hours)
HOA protection: Texas Property Code § 202.007 prohibits HOAs from fining homeowners for brown or dormant lawns caused by complying with mandatory water restrictions.
Lake Lavon storage levels and drought conditions may trigger escalation from Stage 2 to Stage 3 (1 day/week, $200/$500 fines). Monitor Garland Water Utilities (https://www.garlandtx.gov/142/Water-Utilities) and ntmwd.com for current stage and updates.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Garland area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Garland Water Restrictions
10 tips tailored for Garland homeowners during NTMWD Stage 2 Conservation - Year-Round restrictions.
Programme your controller now: even-numbered addresses Mon/Thu, odd-numbered Tue/Fri, before 10 AM or after 6 PM. Garland actively enforces year-round.
Runoff to streets, gutters, or driveways is a violation even on your assigned day, use cycle-and-soak (multiple short cycles) on Texas clay soils.
Bermuda grass is the dominant North Texas lawn grass and tolerates 2–4 weeks of summer dormancy, allow browning rather than stressing on off-days.
St. Augustine in shaded yards needs more water than Bermuda, concentrate the 2 weekly cycles on the driest zones first.
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle is allowed any time, prioritise mature trees and high-value shrubs over turf.
Foundation watering with a soaker hose is allowed any time (max 2 hours), important during DFW summer to prevent slab heave on expansive clay.
Texas law (since 2009) requires rain/freeze sensors on all new automatic irrigation systems, verify yours is functioning to avoid wasted cycles.
Mow Bermuda at 2.5–3 inches and St. Augustine at 3.5–4 inches through summer to shade the soil and reduce evapotranspiration.
Skip nitrogen fertiliser June–August, it forces growth the lawn cannot support during peak heat with restricted watering.
Monitor https://www.garlandtx.gov/142/Water-Utilities and ntmwd.com weekly. Stage 3 (1 day/week) escalation depends on Lake Lavon storage levels.
Garland Water Restriction FAQs
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