Water Conservation

Conserve, Preserve ...because Water matters

Water Restrictions - Went Into Effect on September 1, 2014

Lawn irrigation is still not permitted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from April 1 through October 31 (hand watering and soaker hoses are permitted).

Conserve Park Cities Water

Several immediate changes can be made to reduce water usage while maintaining the charming, picturesque view of our Park Cities’ lawns and gardens. One of the most effective methods for water conservation is decreasing the number of watering days during the week, ensuring sprinkler use on alternative days while timing it during the coolest part of the day.

Lawn Watering

Currently, the Town of Highland Park allows residents to water their landscape on the following days:

  • Even number addresses: Sundays & Thursdays
  • Odd number addresses: Saturday & Wednesday

Helpful Website for Lawn Watering: Water My Yard

The Water My Yard website was created by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and designed to provide homeowners guidance on when and how much to water to use for their landscaping.

Residents and business owners who don’t know the precipitation rate can calculate it by answering a few questions about their type of sprinkler system or conducting a catch-can test. If that test cannot be completed to achieve the greatest accuracy, use the number 0.75, which was determined using an oscillating sprinkler. Then, click on “Sign Up for Weekly Email” to begin receiving an email with watering recommendations.

Over 50% of landscape water is wasted due to over-watering, inefficient watering practices, and/or broken or poorly maintained irrigation systems. Information from the Water My Yard website assists homeowners with water use estimates based on rainfall, temperature, and the type of irrigation system used for landscaping. Updated information is provided in the form of a weekly email that includes how much water is needed and an estimate of how long to run the sprinklers to achieve this amount of water.

Water Challenges

Living in the Park Cities brings an exceptional quality of life, beautiful neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a dedicated source of a vital natural resource; water. The Park Cities' water quality and its abundant availability is one of our most vital assets. We all can do our very best to exercise a conservative approach to lawn irrigation and responsible water use during the hot Texas summers.

Where do we get our Water? Our water is procured from the Dallas County Park Cities Municipal Utilities District (DCPCMUD) which maintains senior water rights in Grapevine Lake. Since Grapevine Lake is the sole source of supply for the District, and since that supply is of a limited volume, water conservation is vital to the Town and the District.

DCPCMUD may initiate a drought response stage or water emergency that will affect Highland Park. The Town may also experience conditions independent of the DCPCMUD that triggers a drought response stage or water emergency.

Water Conservation and Drought Contingency

Most of Texas is under extreme drought conditions. The Town of Highland Park is currently under Drought Emergency Response Stage 1. The DCPCMUD advises Park Cities’ residents to implement prudent water conservation methods, helping us to maintain an adequate supply for our future.

We are not alone in this. Water is in short supply in many parts of the United States. Monitor the drought here.  

Procedures for Granting a Watering Variances to the Plan

The Town Administrator, upon the direction of the Town Council, may grant temporary variances for existing water uses otherwise prohibited under this drought contingency plan if one or more of the following conditions are met: 

  • Failure to grant such a variance would cause a condition adversely affecting health, sanitation, or fire safety for the public or the person requesting the variance.
  • Compliance with this plan cannot be accomplished due to technical or other limitations.
  • Alternative methods that achieve the same level of reduction in water use can be implemented.

To petition for a watering variance please complete and submit the Watering Variance Request form.   


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