Arlington, TX Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Arlington Water Utilities enforces outdoor watering rules as part of the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) regional drought contingency framework. Under baseline (year-round) rules, irrigation with automatic sprinkler systems and hose-end sprinklers is limited to two days per week assigned by address, and watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from April 1 through October 31 when evaporation is highest in the North Texas heat. When TRWD declares Stage 1 drought conditions, the two-day-per-week schedule is formalized and publicized. Stage 2 restrictions reduce outdoor watering further and may ban ornamental fountain use. Stage 3 and Stage 4 impose more severe cuts, including potential bans on non-essential outdoor watering. Hand watering with a hose with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, and watering of new landscaping under a variance are generally allowed outside the watering window. Lake Arlington, the city's primary local surface water source, is managed by TRWD in coordination with other regional reservoirs. Customers can look up their assigned watering days by address on the Arlington Water Utilities website.