Water Wise Denton

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Stage 2 Drought Restrictions are officially lifted. We are very grateful to our community for reducing irrigation to one day a week while we were under restrictions. All necessary repairs have been completed and residents may now resume twice-per-week irrigation based on address. As a reminder, irrigation days are based on address and schedule is as follows:


Welcome to Water Wise Denton!!!

We are happy you are here. Water is our most precious resource, and Denton Water Utilities is dedicated to ensuring water security for our community today, and for our long term future. One way are ensuring water security, is by being a better steward of discretionary water use. Discretionary water use is water that is used for non-necessities. The largest discretionary water use is irrigation used to keep front lawns green. This specific use of water accounts for up to 70% of all water usage in the summer, unfortunately a large quantity of water is also wasted through summer irrigation. Misaligned sprinklers that water the pavement, and over watering (which creates shallow roots) can waste millions of gallons each day. B

Water security involves water supply, and water demand - and we need your help, but we also understand that it isn't fair for us to ask you to conserve without providing you the full picture. This website is created with the purpose of providing our community facts on how much water Denton is using day to day, and how that daily usage fits into the larger picture of how much water we actually have. We also understand that it isn't fair to ask our community to conserve, without providing information on how to do so.

Everyday, we will update the website with a few key pieces of information:

- Rain Totals: Our water utility tracks and monitors the rainfall patterns so that we can predict and understand if we are trending towards a drought situation long before it happens. We provide a chart showing this information, because we believe our community has the right to know what we know. Rainfall totals are an average for Denton, sometimes parts of Denton will receive rain, and other parts will not, but ultimately the rain received will make its way into our water supply lakes.

- Daily Water Usage: We track and monitor how much water is used daily. Our largest discretionary use of water is irrigation, which typically begins in the Spring, but as the temperature rises can become very problematic in the summer. In the last few years we have come very close to using as much water as we can produce, which puts us in a drought contingency scenario. We will track and monitor our Daily usages and rolling averages to show you how we are trending, and where that matches up against our drought stage triggers.

Every year water usage is highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. This is because the largest discretionary use is irrigation. Have you wondered how we stack up year to on our monthly totals? Here is our 13 month rolling average.

- Conservation Tips, Water Utility News and other information - In the News update section below, we will provide updates at least once a week on free resources for conservation classes, gardening tips, critical water news, and more.


Lastly, you have the ability to reach out to us with questions and suggestions, and we want to hear from you. We do our best to respond quickly, typically within 1 business day.



Stage 2 Drought Restrictions are officially lifted. We are very grateful to our community for reducing irrigation to one day a week while we were under restrictions. All necessary repairs have been completed and residents may now resume twice-per-week irrigation based on address. As a reminder, irrigation days are based on address and schedule is as follows:


Welcome to Water Wise Denton!!!

We are happy you are here. Water is our most precious resource, and Denton Water Utilities is dedicated to ensuring water security for our community today, and for our long term future. One way are ensuring water security, is by being a better steward of discretionary water use. Discretionary water use is water that is used for non-necessities. The largest discretionary water use is irrigation used to keep front lawns green. This specific use of water accounts for up to 70% of all water usage in the summer, unfortunately a large quantity of water is also wasted through summer irrigation. Misaligned sprinklers that water the pavement, and over watering (which creates shallow roots) can waste millions of gallons each day. B

Water security involves water supply, and water demand - and we need your help, but we also understand that it isn't fair for us to ask you to conserve without providing you the full picture. This website is created with the purpose of providing our community facts on how much water Denton is using day to day, and how that daily usage fits into the larger picture of how much water we actually have. We also understand that it isn't fair to ask our community to conserve, without providing information on how to do so.

Everyday, we will update the website with a few key pieces of information:

- Rain Totals: Our water utility tracks and monitors the rainfall patterns so that we can predict and understand if we are trending towards a drought situation long before it happens. We provide a chart showing this information, because we believe our community has the right to know what we know. Rainfall totals are an average for Denton, sometimes parts of Denton will receive rain, and other parts will not, but ultimately the rain received will make its way into our water supply lakes.

- Daily Water Usage: We track and monitor how much water is used daily. Our largest discretionary use of water is irrigation, which typically begins in the Spring, but as the temperature rises can become very problematic in the summer. In the last few years we have come very close to using as much water as we can produce, which puts us in a drought contingency scenario. We will track and monitor our Daily usages and rolling averages to show you how we are trending, and where that matches up against our drought stage triggers.

Every year water usage is highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. This is because the largest discretionary use is irrigation. Have you wondered how we stack up year to on our monthly totals? Here is our 13 month rolling average.

- Conservation Tips, Water Utility News and other information - In the News update section below, we will provide updates at least once a week on free resources for conservation classes, gardening tips, critical water news, and more.


Lastly, you have the ability to reach out to us with questions and suggestions, and we want to hear from you. We do our best to respond quickly, typically within 1 business day.



  • Water Conservation Practices in Your Home

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    Did you know that the average family can waste 180 gallons of water per week resulting in 9,400 gallons wasted annually? Check out The Blue House an interactive tool that shows you how to save water in your home.

    Blue House - Smart Approved WaterMark

  • WaterSense Label

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    If you see a WaterSense Label on a product, then it is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as a water saving tool. There are several WaterSense products you can purchase for every part of your home that uses water. A home that is fully equipped with WaterSense products can save 50,000 gallons of water or more!

    For more information and a full list of WaterSense products check out:

    WaterSense | US EPA

  • WaterSmart Landscape Ideas

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    Fall and winter is the best time to start making a landscaping plan for next season, and WaterSmart landscapes or xeriscapes are the best in the long run. These landscapes are not always a gravel yard. To get some ideas, the Environmental Protection Agency created a gallery of photos of WaterSmart landscapes. Pictured below are few favorites, but you can check them all out at:

    Landscape Photo Gallery | US EPA

  • Recycling Water for Your Plants

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    There are a few sustainable ways to recycle water and give your flowers, herbs, or garden a variety mineral that can’t be found in store bought fertilizers.

    1. Rainwater is great to give to your outdoor plants directly and collect for your indoor plants. Keep in mind, rainwater can be prone to bacteria growth. To avoid this, every month add 1 ounce of bleach to every 55 gallons of rainwater. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours for dilution.
    2. Pasta water is nutrient- and starch-rich water that is perfect for your house plants. Pasta water will have nutrients like manganese, selenium, copper, and iron. Just make sure you let the water cool down to room temperature before giving it to your plants.
    3. Aquarium water is a great way to reuse your water after your next cleaning. Aquarium water will have nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Be sure to use freshwater and not saltwater.
    4. Dehumidifier grey water is perfect for a few houseplants; just dump into your plants instead of down the drain!
  • Stream Clean December 7th

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    Join us for the 2024 Stream Clean!

  • Water Conservation Tips for the Winter

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    Winter is coming! Here are some tips to save yourself some headache later in the season.

    1. Protect your pipes! You can buy faucet covers, but if not available you can wrap a towel around the faucet and use something like tape to secure it in place to insulate.
    2. Put up outdoor hoses. Right before winter is a good time to drain and store your water hoses inside. Don’t forget to cover the exposed faucets.
    3. Look for leaks. A very effective way to do this is turn off the water inside and outside your home, take a meter reading, wait 15 minutes, then take another reading.
    4. Shut off your sprinkler. To conserve water and prevent damage to your system, turn off your irrigation. If your system has a main shut off, turn off the water supply to the system, wrap any exposed pipe, and drain your lines.


  • It's Never Too Early to Prepare for Spring

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    It’s time to start thinking about your tulips and hyacinths. Right now, in November, put your bulbs in the refrigerator to be ready to plant in late December and early January. Once planted, your new flowers should be emerging by late winter or early spring.

  • Embrace The Gold

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    In the winter, warm season grasses like Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia go dormant. Dormancy is period of rest that grasses use to survive unfavorable conditions like the winters. During this time, the grass stores energy in stems and roots. You don’t need to water your grass even when it turns brownish gold. Just embrace the gold!

  • Backflow Winterization

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    With below freezing temperatures common here in North Texas, it’s important to keep your backflow device protected all winter. Like other plumbing fixtures that sit outside, as water freezes it can break pipes leading to significant water leaks that often can go undetected for weeks.


    You may recognize backflow devices from your yard, but many are unaware of the important role they play in keeping drinking water safe. There are several different scenarios which can lead to water running from your irrigation system back into the water supply system. This can introduce contaminants that make water unsafe to drink. Keeping these protected and inspected annually can go a long way to ensuring safe drinking water for your family and community.


    Take a look at the graphic below describing how to safely winterize the backflow device in your yard.

  • Freezing Temperatures and Native Landscapes

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    When the temperatures drop, so do the leaves; this is called dormancy. When plants go into dormancy, it is essentially a hibernation. Plants will store energy and shed foliage, making it seem lifeless. The importance of plants going into dormancy is water conservation, pest prevention, and, ultimately, continued survival. To have a beautiful landscape next spring without replanting, try North Texas native plants! Natives are much more adaptive to the climate we have than non-natives. They go dormant prior to long periods of freezing temperatures. This protects the plants from a harsh freeze. For an extra layer of protection add a layer of mulch!

    For more information on native plants for your area, check out the Native Plant Society of Texas. npsot.org/resources/native-plants/native-plants-database/

Page last updated: 07 Feb 2025, 05:38 AM