Sunnyvale Updates Lawn-Watering Schedule for Summer Conservation

The Town of Sunnyvale updated its summer lawn-watering guidelines July 15, assigning outdoor watering days based on residential address numbers and property type.

The schedule is intended to support conservation requirements from the North Texas Municipal Water District, Sunnyvale’s wholesale water provider, and the goals of the Town’s 2024 Water Conservation Plan.

Sunnyvale’s watering schedule

• Residential addresses ending in an odd number: Mondays and Thursdays
• Residential addresses ending in an even number: Wednesdays and Sundays
• Commercial properties: Tuesdays and Fridays
• No outdoor watering: Saturdays
• Restricted hours: No watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day

Residents should check the number at the end of their street address before setting irrigation days. Businesses and landscape contractors should use the commercial schedule and coordinate timer settings for the properties they maintain.

What residents and businesses should do

Automatic irrigation controllers should be updated to match the permitted days. Timers should also be programmed to avoid the daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. restriction and the Saturday prohibition.

Property owners should check for broken sprinkler heads, leaks and overspray onto sidewalks or other hard surfaces. Adjusting irrigation runtimes and watering only when needed can reduce waste during the hottest part of the year.

Why Sunnyvale is using an address-based format

The Town’s 2024 Water Conservation and Water Resource and Emergency Management Plan identifies Sunnyvale as a member city of NTMWD. The plan says the Town purchases treated water from the district and sets goals that include reducing water loss, improving indoor and outdoor efficiency, protecting environmental resources and extending existing supplies.

The Sunnyvale Town Council approved the plan April 22, 2024. The plan also says NTMWD conservation strategies are minimum measures that are intended to remain in effect on a permanent basis, separate from temporary water-resource management stages.

The Town says the address-based format will simplify compliance and help staff report on watering patterns and trends. That information could support stronger conservation efforts if future water-supply conditions require them. The July 15 notice does not declare a drought emergency or announce a new drought stage.

Regional water-supply context

NTMWD says North Texas relies largely on surface water stored in reservoirs. Those supplies are vulnerable to reduced rainfall, lower watershed inflows, summer demand, heat and evaporation. The district says outdoor residential landscape watering can account for up to half of regional water use during the summer.

For Sunnyvale households, the immediate step is to adjust irrigation timers according to the address number and avoid watering during restricted periods. The Town’s water-conservation page provides the schedule, water-zone map and link to the 2024 plan.

Sources

• Town of Sunnyvale lawn-watering guidelines
• Sunnyvale Water Conservation page
• North Texas Municipal Water District conservation update