Addison, Texas 2025 Water Restrictions
Water is a shared resource, and in Addison, Texas, smart use helps keep our community thriving. For 2025, the Town of Addison has specific water restrictions in place that focus on commercial properties. This guide explains what the rules are, why they matter, and how both businesses and residents can cut water use without sacrificing comfort or curb appeal.
You’ll learn:
- The exact watering restrictions for businesses in Addison
- The rationale behind the policy and how it protects our water supply
- Practical, compliant tips to lower water use (and bills) year-round
- Action steps for facility managers, HOAs, and households
The 2025 Addison Water Restrictions at a Glance
Addison’s ordinance targets outdoor watering by non-residential users to limit waste during the hottest parts of the day.
- Who is covered: All “businesses,” including commercial and industrial facilities, local retail properties and buildings, apartment complexes, and condominiums (i.e., multi-family communities).
- Who is not covered: Single-family residences are not included in this specific restriction.
- What’s restricted: Watering of lawns and landscaped areas.
- When you cannot water: Between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
In practice, this means businesses and multi-family properties should schedule irrigation during the overnight and early morning hours only—typically between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM. This timing reduces evaporation, improves absorption at the root zone, and helps keep peak demand under control.
Note: While single-family homes are not restricted by this rule, the town strongly encourages voluntary water conservation. Everyone benefits when usage drops during hot, dry months.
Why These Restrictions Make Sense
Addison’s approach reflects a few realities about urban water systems and Texas climate patterns:
- Heat and evaporation: Watering during the heat of the day can lose 20–30% of applied water to evaporation. Night and pre-dawn watering significantly improves efficiency.
- Peak demand management: When many users draw water at once, utilities face strain on pumps and storage. Off-peak watering helps balance the system and reduce costly infrastructure wear.
- Regional growth: North Texas continues to grow. Even outside drought periods, conservation safeguards supplies and delays expensive capacity expansions.
- Soil and plant health: Plants absorb water better during cooler hours, reducing runoff and stress. That can mean healthier landscapes with less water.
In short, these rules aren’t just about using less; they’re about using water smarter.
How Businesses Can Comply and Save
For property managers, facility teams, and HOA boards, the restrictions are a chance to tune systems, cut waste, and reduce costs. Start with the basics and build toward long-term efficiencies.
1.) Optimize Irrigation Scheduling
- Water only between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM.
- Use cycle-and-soak: Split watering into shorter cycles (e.g., 2–3 cycles of 5–8 minutes) with breaks in between to let water infiltrate and prevent runoff.
- Adjust for seasons: Reduce frequency in spring and fall; pause during rain or cool spells.
2.) Enable Smart Controls
- Install a smart irrigation controller with weather and soil moisture sensors. These systems can reduce outdoor water use by 20–40% by skipping watering when soils are moist or rain is forecast.
- Set rain/freeze sensors to automatically halt irrigation in bad weather.
3.) Audit Your System Quarterly
- Check for broken heads, misaligned nozzles, and overspray onto sidewalks and parking lots.
- Verify pressure: High pressure atomizes water into mist, which drifts away. Pressure-regulated heads or in-line regulators keep spray efficient.
- Inspect zones for uniformity and pooling. Adjust heads to ensure even coverage.
4.) Match Plants to Place
- Use drought-tolerant, native or adapted species for medians, entrances, and high-visibility beds. They need less water once established and hold up better in summer.
- Convert turf-to-bed areas where foot traffic is low. Shrub and groundcover beds with drip irrigation can cut water use substantially compared to spray on turf.
- Mulch beds 2–3 inches deep to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
5.) Upgrade Irrigation Hardware
- Switch to high-efficiency rotary nozzles in turf zones for better distribution at lower precipitation rates.
- Use drip irrigation for trees, shrubs, and foundation plantings to deliver water directly to roots, reducing evaporation and runoff.
- Add check valves on low heads to prevent drainage and puddling after the system shuts off.
6.) Train Staff and Vendors
- Share the no-watering window (8:00 AM to 9:00 PM) with landscaping crews and building engineers.
- Include compliance in vendor contracts, including penalties for out-of-window watering and expectations for routine audits.
- Post the irrigation schedule in maintenance areas so everyone stays aligned.
7.) Track Use and Spot Leaks
- Monitor monthly water bills or submeter irrigation zones to identify spikes.
- Conduct a simple nightly meter test: record the reading after business hours with all fixtures off; recheck in the morning. Movement suggests a leak.
Best Practices for Multi-Family Communities
Apartment and condo communities fall under the restriction and face unique challenges.
- Stagger watering by building zone to avoid simultaneous peak draws.
- Create shaded, low-water-use common areas with trees, benches, and native plant beds; these are resident-friendly and cost-effective.
- Communicate with residents: Post watering facts, tips, and the overnight schedule. Encourage residents to report broken sprinklers or pooling water.
- Consider converting dog areas and high-wear turf to synthetic turf or decomposed granite with shade sails for comfort.
Practical Tips for Addison Residents
Even though single-family homes aren’t covered by the non-residential watering window, households can make a big difference—and save money.
- Water early: Pre-dawn watering is more effective and usually required by neighboring cities.
- Fix leaks fast: A dripping faucet can waste hundreds of gallons a month; a running toilet can waste thousands.
- Upgrade fixtures: High-efficiency showerheads and aerators cut use without sacrificing pressure.
- Smart landscaping: Mulch beds, raise mower height to 3–4 inches, and use native plants. Healthy soil with compost holds water better.
- Car washing: Use a bucket and trigger nozzle, or visit a commercial car wash that recycles water.
- Rain capture: A simple rain barrel can supply water for pots and beds between showers.
How Conservation Aligns With Addison’s Goals
Addison encourages water-wise habits even outside drought conditions. The town’s guidance includes:
- Early morning outdoor watering to maximize absorption and reduce evaporation
- Using timers and ensuring sprinklers target landscapes, not hardscape
- Indoor efficiency upgrades like aerators, low-flow showerheads, and front-load washers
- Insulating hot water lines to shorten warm-up times and limit waste
These small steps, multiplied across households and businesses, protect our system capacity and keep costs manageable.
year or two through water savings. For those who need help reprogramming irrigation systems, many local landscape companies and irrigation specialists can assist with setup and troubleshooting.
By staying informed and proactive, both businesses and residents can make a lasting impact on Addison’s water future. Small changes today add up to significant benefits for our community—and together, we can ensure that Addison remains a vibrant, thriving place to live and work for years to come.
Addison Official Website: https://www.addisontx.gov/
Addison Water Leak Report Page: https://www.addisontx.gov/Services/Utilities/Report-a-Water-Leak
Addison Operation Tel:972-450-2871