What are the watering restrictions in and AROUND Austin? (Spring: HOA, Home Depot)

[janejanejanejanejane]

Curious what each neighborhood is requiring. I hear various things. Just cause the city is on once a week or none a week watering, does not mean every neighborhood is requiring this even though they must. In places around Austin, what is your neighborhood requiring and what are the HOAs saying about grass/dying grass?

[scm53]

You can actually water more than once a week. We have a automatic sprinkler system - on our day, once a week, starting at 1 AM. One inch on all turf zones. There are shrubs on two zones that have drip manifolds on all sprinklers in that zone - can go any time. If you have a soaker hose laid at the drip line for your trees, any time. Hand held hose end manual or watering can - any time. Then, you can use hose end sprinklers on another day from your automatic day. And our rain barrel is exempt - as long as it lasts!

Really no excuse to have a burnt up yard. If you want one, fine. But not because of the restrictions.

[janejanejanejanejane]

Originally Posted by scm53

You can actually water more than once a week. We have a automatic sprinkler system - on our day, once a week, starting at 1 AM. One inch on all turf zones. There are shrubs on two zones that have drip manifolds on all sprinklers in that zone - can go any time. If you have a soaker hose laid at the drip line for your trees, any time. Hand held hose end manual or watering can - any time. Then, you can use hose end sprinklers on another day from your automatic day. And our rain barrel is exempt - as long as it lasts!

Really no excuse to have a burnt up yard. If you want one, fine. But not because of the restrictions.

What part of town are you?

[scm53]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

What part of town are you?

City of Austin. If you are a Austin water customer, those are the restrictions you follow.

Where do you live?

[AustinTraveler]

Originally Posted by scm53

You can actually water more than once a week. We have a automatic sprinkler system - on our day, once a week, starting at 1 AM. One inch on all turf zones. There are shrubs on two zones that have drip manifolds on all sprinklers in that zone - can go any time. If you have a soaker hose laid at the drip line for your trees, any time. Hand held hose end manual or watering can - any time. Then, you can use hose end sprinklers on another day from your automatic day. And our rain barrel is exempt - as long as it lasts!

Really no excuse to have a burnt up yard. If you want one, fine. But not because of the restrictions.

I think you are misinterpreting the restrictions. You are only supposed to water once a week, not once with your automatic sprinklers and then again with a hose-end sprinkler. Your lawn will survive with a once-a-week watering so long as you water deep (which you are doing) and mow it on the highest setting. Grass will look greyish and wilted in the late afternoon but that doesn't mean it's dying. Look at it in the morning after the dew to determine if water is needed.

Everyone should have rain barrels. It's amazing how quickly they fill up when you just have a little rain. Using that water on potted plants, vegetable gardens, etc. is excellent. The plants just respond better than with chlorinated City water.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by AustinTraveler

I think you are misinterpreting the restrictions. You are only supposed to water once a week, not once with your automatic sprinklers and then again with a hose-end sprinkler. Your lawn will survive with a once-a-week watering so long as you water deep (which you are doing) and mow it on the highest setting. Grass will look greyish and wilted in the late afternoon but that doesn't mean it's dying. Look at it in the morning after the dew to determine if water is needed.

Everyone should have rain barrels. It's amazing how quickly they fill up when you just have a little rain. Using that water on potted plants, vegetable gardens, etc. is excellent. The plants just respond better than with chlorinated City water.

I think you are interpreting the restrictions the way you want. There is nothing to prevent one from watering on both residential days - provided you are on the right day, with the right equipment for that day. FWIW, I get all the water I need in that one day from the automatic system. But there is nothing in the restrictions that would prevent one from doing what I laid out. I've read those things fourteen times - please show me where is says what you say. I will be the first to admit I'm wrong.

And as far as your recommendations about length, you are right - unless one has hybrid Bermuda turf. You need to cut it at the LOWEST possible setting - .75 to 1.25 inches, removing only the top 1/3 of the blade.

I was reading the restrictions recently to my wife and told her the recirculating fountain in our courtyard has to be turned off, since the fall is more than four inches. Her reply "When did we move to China? If they want to come up to our front door and tell me to turn it off, they can go _____ themselves." Another happy denizen of the People's Republic.

[gpurcell]

I planted an oak tree in the front yard. Turns out soaker hoses around it also do a credible job at watering the grass. Just by accident, understand.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by scm53

I think you are interpreting the restrictions the way you want. There is nothing to prevent one from watering on both residential days - provided you are on the right day, with the right equipment for that day. FWIW, I get all the water I need in that one day from the automatic system. But there is nothing in the restrictions that would prevent one from doing what I laid out. I've read those things fourteen times - please show me where is says what you say. I will be the first to admit I'm wrong.

I agree, I have even read the ordinance it self. There does not appear to be anything even implying that you can't water with both an automated sprinkler system on Wed. (in my case) and a hose with above ground sprinklers on Sat. That may not have been intended but that is the way it is written. However I don't expect many people who are used to the conveince of an automatic sprinkler system are going to go out and drag hoses around on the weekend, during the wee hours of the morning or evening. They will probably just increase their watering time on Wed/Tues, or go lay out a soaker hose anytime.

I was glad to see they changed the definition of a soaker or drip hose to include the kind anyone can buy at home depot. Originally that part of the draft ordinance seemed to describe a special type of buried drip irrigation system.

Read the restrictions here http://www.austintexas.gov/departmen...g-restrictions

[CptnRn]

LCRA customers and utility watering restrictions

LCRA municipal customers following mandatory water use restrictions:
City of Austin
City of Cedar Park
City of Cottonwood Shores
City of Granite Shoals
City of Horseshoe Bay
Dripping Springs WSC
Hays County WCID 1
Hurst Creek MUD
Jonestown WSC
Kingsland WSC
City of Lago Vista
Lakeway MUD
LCRA Hill Country Water Utilities
City of Leander
Llano County MUD #1
City of Pflugerville
River Place MUD
Travis County MUD #4
Travis County MUD 10
Travis County WCID No. 17
Travis County WCID 20
West Travis County Public Utility Authority
Village of Briarcliff

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

In places around Austin, what is your neighborhood requiring and what are the HOAs saying about grass/dying grass?

Our HOA Legend Oaks has lightened up on the notices about dead lawn or dry patches, recognizing that can be difficult to correct while under watering restrictions. I however have been able to keep my landscaping healthy while watering only once a week and occasionally using a soaker hose on dry spots.