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Austin watering days and restrictions

Austin is under Conservation Stage water rules: hose-end watering two days a week by address, sprinklers one day. Your days, the exceptions, and the fines.

Short answer

Austin is in Conservation Stage water use restrictions. Even addresses may use hose-end sprinklers Thursday and Sunday; odd addresses Wednesday and Saturday, only midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight. Automatic irrigation systems get one day a week: Thursday for even addresses, Wednesday for odd. A hand-held hose, a refillable container, or a soaker hose on trees and vegetable gardens is allowed any day at any time. Violations can bring penalties up to $1,000 per violation, and variances (new xeriscape, large properties, medical hardship, and a few others) are requested through the Austin Water Customer Portal.

Who this is for

Austin Water customers who water a lawn or garden and want to stay inside the current restrictions.

The steps, in order

  1. Find your days: even addresses water Thursday and Sunday, odd addresses Wednesday and Saturday, with hose-end sprinklers only midnight to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight.
  2. Automatic sprinkler systems get one day only: Thursday for even addresses, Wednesday for odd. Reset the controller.
  3. Skip the schedule with a hand-held hose or refillable container: allowed any day, any time. Soaker hoses and drip work for trees and vegetable gardens any day.
  4. Need an exception? New xeriscape, large properties, medical hardship, and a few other cases can get a variance through the Austin Water Customer Portal.
  5. See water waste? Report it to Austin 3-1-1 with the address, day, and time.

Have this ready

  • Whether your address is even or odd
  • Your watering method: hose-end, automatic system, or hand watering
  • Ten minutes to reset an automatic controller to its one day

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Running automatic sprinklers two days a week. Automatic systems get one day, not two.
  • Watering midday. Outside midnight to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight is a violation even on your assigned day.
  • Treating hand watering like sprinkler watering. A hand-held hose is allowed any day.
  • Ignoring a violation notice. Penalties can reach $1,000 per violation.

Common questions

What are the current watering days in Austin?

Under Conservation Stage rules: even addresses use hose-end sprinklers Thursday and Sunday, odd addresses Wednesday and Saturday. Automatic irrigation systems get one day a week: Thursday for even addresses, Wednesday for odd.

Can I hand-water whenever I want?

Yes. A hand-held hose or refillable container is allowed any day at any time, and soaker hoses or drip irrigation for trees and vegetable gardens are allowed any day.

What happens if I water on the wrong day?

Water restriction violations can bring penalties up to $1,000 per violation, enforced through Austin 3-1-1 reports and city patrols.

Official sources

Checked August 26, 2026. Recheck the official page monthly and when the official page changes.

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