Find Your Watering Day

Exemptions

The following are allowed at any time on any day of the week:

• Watering with drip irrigation, a hand-held hose or a refillable container

• Watering trees with a Treegator®, soaker hose or automatic tree bubbler

• Watering vegetable gardens with a soaker hose

• Pressure washing at residences, including sidewalk, driveway, deck, patio, siding, fence, and paved areas

In limited situations, a variance from water restrictions may be granted. All variance requests must be submitted using the application forms below. Variances are granted on a case-by-case basis and applicants must continue to follow current watering restrictions until the variance request is approved.

See our frequently asked questions for more details. 

Types of Variances

• New Xeriscape Landscape – for a newly installed xeriscape landscape design that requires a special watering schedule.
• Large Property – for large residential or commercial property that cannot be completely watered under the current watering schedule (does not apply to new xeriscape landscape projects).
• Environmental – to protect an endangered plant, animal, aquatic species, or critical environmental feature.
• Health / Safety – to maintain the health, safety, well-being or cleanliness of the public or environment.
• Income – for businesses whose primary source of income depends on using water outside of the watering schedule.
• Medical / Disability – for a documented medical hardship or qualifying disability.
• Tree Disease / Pest Control – to treat a tree for diseases or to control pests.

Variance Approved Plant List

Austin Water might approve other plants that are low or very low water use once established. Stabilization/erosion control plants also qualify for this variance.