Water restrictions in Bexar County, TX — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
SAWS enforces tiered drought rules tied to the J-17 Edwards Aquifer well. Stage 1 limits landscape watering to one day per week by address, with deeper stages tightening further.
Bexar County depends heavily on the Edwards Aquifer, and the Edwards Aquifer Authority manages withdrawals through the J-17 index well at Fort Sam Houston. When J-17 drops below 660 feet, SAWS activates Stage 1, and restrictions progressively tighten through Stage 2 at 650 feet, Stage 3, and Stage 4. In Stage 1, landscape watering with spray irrigation is limited to one designated day per week before 11 a.m. or after 7 p.m., with the day based on the last digit of the street address. Hand-held hoses, drip irrigation, and soaker hoses remain allowed any day during certain hours. Pressure washing non-impervious surfaces, runoff, and uncovered pools may be restricted in deeper stages. Violations can trigger warnings followed by fines that escalate with repeat offenses, and chronic violators can have water service modified. Smaller Bexar County utilities such as Bexar Metropolitan Water and East Central SUD follow parallel Edwards Aquifer Authority drought requirements. Tex Property Code 202.007 prevents HOAs from banning drought-tolerant landscapes.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Bexar County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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