Killeen, TX Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

The city manager or designee triggers each stage based on Brazos River Authority drought declarations, Lake Belton drawdown, or how much of the city's 32.0 MGD contract supply from Bell County WCID No. 1 is being used. At Stage 1, mild shortage, Sec. 30-8(d) asks customers to voluntarily limit landscape irrigation to Sundays and Thursdays for even-numbered street addresses and Saturdays and Wednesdays for odd-numbered addresses, watering only from midnight to 10:00 a.m. or 8:00 p.m. to midnight. Stage 2, moderate shortage, makes the same schedule and hours mandatory under Sec.

30-9(d)(1) "under threat of penalty for violation," while still allowing hand-held hose, bucket or drip irrigation at any time. Stage 3, severe shortage, tightens the clock under Sec. 30-10(d)(1): irrigation on designated days only between midnight and 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m. and midnight, using hand-held hoses, buckets, drip lines or a permanently installed automatic sprinkler, with hose-end sprinklers banned outright. Stage 4, emergency shortage, is absolute: Sec. 30-11(d)(1) prohibits all landscape irrigation, with no exceptions for any address or method. Triggers include Brazos River Authority drought stages tied to specific Lake Belton drawdown levels (6.8 feet for Stage 1, up to 28.2 feet for Stage 3) and daily demand thresholds reaching 80 to 90 percent of contract capacity. The city publicizes each stage change through the Killeen Daily Herald, its website, and local broadcast media.