Water Conservation
Population Pressure on Water Needs in Tarrant County
-
Tarrant County is home to about 2.24 million people, making it the third most populous county in Texas and fifteenth in the U.S.
-
The county welcomes around 59 new residents every day, and about 50 acres of land are developed each week to keep up with that growth.
-
The Texas Water Development Board estimates that by 2070, Texas’ population will reach 51.4 million. Texas will need 19.2 million acre-feet of water, but current infrastructure could leave the state short by 7 million acre-feet each year. (One acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons—enough to cover a football field in a foot of water!)
-
About a quarter of all treated water goes to outdoor use, mostly lawn and landscape irrigation, and roughly half of that runs off unused. In the summer months, watering the yard can make up as much as 60% of a household’s total water use.
Water Conservation Strategies
Landscaping: Rule of Thirds
Divide your yard into 3 equal parts:
-
1/3 Drought-tolerant turfgrass
-
1/3 Beds of native/adapted plants
-
1/3 Permeable hardscape (gravel, patios, walkways)
Less turf means less use of water.
Sign up here for free Weekly Watering Advice in Tarrant County.
Smart Irrigation Systems
-
Install drip tubing or soaker hoses to target roots
-
Install a Smart(programmable) Controller and Rain Sensor on your irrigation system
Click here for Installing a simple drip irrigation system.
Click here to learn about Water Sense Controllers.
Click here for a Free Sprinkler Evaluation in Tarrant County.
Rainwater Harvesting
-
Rainwater is free, has low pH, and is free of chlorine and salt
-
Rain barrels or cisterns catch and store overflow rain for use when needed to water gardens and lawn
-
Benefits:
-
Captures stormwater
-
Recharges groundwater
-
Reduces erosion and runoff
-
Click here for a Texas Water Guide.
Click here for a DIY Rain Harvesting Guide.
Choose Native Texas Plants
-
Water‐wise: thrive on local rainfall
-
Low maintenance: less mowing, fertilizer, pesticides
-
Wildlife magnets: support birds, bees, butterflies
-
Air coolers: lowers urban temperatures
-
Groundwater guardians: reduce contamination risk
Click here for Native Texas plants recommended by
the Native Plant Society of Texas.
Hydrozoning
-
Group plants by similar water needs
-
Turf zones get higher runtime; ornamentals get less
-
Prevents overwatering and conserves resources