WaterSmart Tips, Tools & Resources

 
Water-saving tips

  • Cut back on outdoor watering. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, outdoor watering can account for up to 70% of home water use during the hot summer season.
    • Use sprinkler systems a maximum of two days per week and follow your water provider’s watering schedule.
    • Only water during the cooler parts of the day: before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. During the heat of the day, much of the water will be lost to evaporation.
  • Have sprinkler systems evaluated. An irrigation system evaluation will assess your sprinkler system’s needs, alert you to any necessary repairs, and potentially help lower water use by up to 30%.
  • Incorporate water-efficient landscaping and drought-tolerant plants.
  • Add mulch to landscape beds and compost to turf areas to increase organic matter, keep plants healthy and prevent water loss through evaporation.
  • Cover swimming pools to reduce evaporation.
  • Install water-efficient faucets, toilets and shower heads.
  • Keep an eye on your water bill. Unusually high water use could indicate a leak. Fix leaks immediately.

Find more quick and easy ways to save water for home and business. When you conserve water, you also conserve energy.  Use the interactive water calculator to learn how much water various household activities can use.

Water My Yard

Automatic irrigation systems often are improperly programmed and can lead to overwatering. LCRA has partnered with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to offer the free Water My Yard program, which provides recommendations on
how long to run irrigation systems efficiently while maintaining healthy lawns.

The program uses a home or business address, irrigation system information and local weather information to recommend outdoor irrigation runtimes for specific neighborhoods. By filling out a simple online form, residents and business owners can receive weekly email or text message updates on optimal watering times for their specific neighborhoods.

See Water My Yard service areas in LCRA’s service area:

WaterSmart landscaping for Central Texas

Thin soils, hot weather and periodic droughts punctuated by torrential downpours make gardening in Central and South Texas a challenge. LCRA adopted WaterSmart landscape guidelines  and recommends conservation landscaping guidelines to help homeowners and homebuilders create well-designed, water-efficient landscapes.

Governmental resources

EPA WaterSense Save water and money by choosing WaterSense®-labeled products, and encourage innovation in manufacturing.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Landscape Irrigation Cycling Quick Guide, Preventing Runoff with Cycle and Soak Irrigation, and Landscape Irrigation Efficiency Learn more about designing and setting your irrigation system to prevent runoff and water waste.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Irrigation Technology Center Learn about Water My Yard, a project of the Irrigation Technology Program of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and City of Austin Native and Adapted Landscape Plants Get help with choosing native and adapted plants and designing your landscape.

Texas Water Conservation Advisory Council Keep up to date with state, regional and local efforts to conserve water.

Texas Water Development Board Find information about water conservation in Texas.

Texas Water Resources Institute Water Conservation and Technology Center Find out about the development and adoption of new and innovative technologies to solve emerging water problems and meet future water supply needs.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality™s Take Care of Texas Program Learn how you can conserve and how others are conserving water.

Organizations

Alliance for Water Efficiency Help improve water efficiency in the United States.

The Irrigation Association Read about the irrigation industry™s trade organization and its best management practices.

Texas Irrigation Association Find an irrigator in your area from this association for licensed irrigation professionals in Texas.

Texas Master Gardeners Association Learn from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension™s Texas Master Gardener, a volunteer program designed to grow horticultural information throughout the state, town by town.

Sensible Landscaping for Central Texas. Read the Austin Homebuilders Association™s online guide to create successful landscapes that save time, energy and water.

LCRA Customers

Find information about some of our customers’ water conservation programs, rebate programs, watering schedules and free irrigation system checkups.

 

Rainwater Harvesting

Texas Water Development Board™s Rainwater Harvesting Resources Dive into an 88-page guide on capturing rainwater and view reports on rainwater harvesting commissioned by TWDB.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Rainwater Harvesting Catch up on rainwater harvesting basics, upcoming events and programs, and locations where you can watch rainwater harvesting demonstrations.

American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association Learn sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, non-potable, stormwater and energy challenges throughout Texas and the world.

LCRA Redbud Center Stop by and check out the center™s innovative 31,000-gallon water harvesting system, which collects both rainwater and air conditioning condensate for use in toilet flushing, drip irrigation and the on-site Highland Lakes water feature.