Katy’s 2025 Water Restrictions: What to Know and How to Save

Water drives daily life in Katy—from morning coffee to backyard gardens. In 2025, the City of Katy’s Drought Contingency Plan outlines clear stages of water restrictions designed to protect public health, safeguard supply, and keep infrastructure running. This guide explains the four stages (Mild, Moderate, Severe, Emergency), their goals, what’s required at each step, and how you can do your part to conserve water, avoid penalties, and keep our community resilient.

By the end, you’ll know:

How each drought stage works and what it means for your home or business
Watering schedules and time windows that apply in each stage
Practical, low-cost ways to cut water use without upending your routine
What enforcement looks like and how to stay compliant

Why the Drought Contingency Plan Matters

Katy’s groundwater and surface water supplies can face strain during heat waves, extended dry spells, or infrastructure issues. The Drought Contingency Plan uses a step-by-step approach to reduce demand before shortages occur. It aligns with guidance from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and sets measurable reduction targets at each stage. The goal is simple: maintain reliable water for essential needs while limiting waste.

A key part of the plan is timing. Watering during cooler hours reduces evaporation, so more water reaches your lawn and less is lost to heat. Another key part is fairness. Address-based watering schedules spread demand across days, easing pressure on system capacity.

Overview of the Four Stages

Stage 1 (Mild): Goal—reduce total use by about 5% through voluntary steps and education.
Stage 2 (Moderate): Goal—reduce total use by about 10%; introduces stricter limits for landscape watering and curbs nonessential uses.
Stage 3 (Severe): Goal—reduce total use by about 15%; mandatory restrictions on many nonessential uses and tighter watering schedules.
Stage 4 (Emergency): Goal—reduce total use by about 20% or more; one-day-per-week watering and strict limits on pools and commercial use.

The City may adjust details based on conditions, but the structure and intent stay the same: save water early to prevent emergency shortages later.

Stage 1: Mild – Voluntary Conservation (Target: 5% Reduction)

In Stage 1, the City raises awareness and asks everyone to cut back. You’re encouraged—not yet required—to:

Water landscapes only during the coolest windows: 12 a.m.–8 a.m. and 8 p.m.–11:59 p.m.
Repair leaks quickly (indoor and outdoor).
Reduce nonessential uses like washing vehicles at home or hosing down driveways.
Avoid draining and refilling pools; top off only to replace normal evaporation.
Cut watering frequency where you can; most lawns stay healthy with deep, less frequent watering.

What you can do now:

Install hose-end shutoff nozzles to stop water when you set tools down.
Set sprinkler controllers to water early morning only and cut run times by 10–15%.
Put food coloring in your toilet tank; if color appears in the bowl without flushing, replace the flapper to fix a leak.

Why it matters: Small, voluntary steps add up. Lowering peak demand makes it less likely we’ll need stricter measures later.

Stage 2: Moderate – Structured Schedules (Target: 10% Reduction)

Stage 2 activates a consistent schedule and further limits nonessential use. You’ll see:

Watering landscapes no more than three times per week.
Water only during 12 a.m.–8 a.m. and 8 p.m.–11:59 p.m.
Address-based schedules help spread demand:

- Even addresses (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
- Odd addresses (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
- Commercial/HOA/greenspace/right-of-way: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

Reduce water use for power washing hard surfaces.
Delay establishing new landscaping until conditions improve.
City operations reduce or stop nonessential uses (e.g., ornamental fountains, vehicle washing, hydrant flushing except for repairs).

What you can do to comply:

Program your irrigation controller to water only on your assigned days and within the allowed times. If you start at 11:45 p.m., you must stop by 11:59 p.m. to avoid watering into a restricted day.
Use the cycle-and-soak method: split longer runs into two shorter cycles to cut runoff and improve soil absorption.
Add a rain or soil moisture sensor to your sprinkler system so it skips watering when the yard doesn’t need it.
For drip irrigation, keep the same allowed days and time windows. Drip is efficient—use it if you must water plants with special needs.

Stage 3: Severe – Mandatory Restrictions (Target: 15% Reduction)

Stage 3 tightens rules and makes many restrictions mandatory to protect supply. Key measures include:

Water landscapes no more than two days per week, only during 12 a.m.–8 a.m. and 8 p.m.–11:59 p.m.
Address-based schedule:

- Even addresses: Sunday and Thursday
- Odd addresses: Saturday and Wednesday
- Commercial/HOA/greenspace/right-of-way: Tuesday and Friday
- No watering on Mondays (storage recovery day)

Prohibitions:

- Hosing down paved areas, buildings, and windows
- Operation of ornamental fountains
- Washing or rinsing vehicles by hose at home
- Using water in a way that causes runoff or waste

Pools:

- No draining and refilling of pools; topping off to replace normal use losses may be allowed.

New landscaping:

- Prohibited during Stage 3 due to high water demand from new plantings.

Enforcement and penalties:

First violation: written warning.
Second and subsequent violations: citations from $100 up to $2,000 per incident; service may be disconnected (subject to appeal).
Report violations or suspected leaks to Public Works to help the City reduce waste and protect supply.

How to stay on the right side of the rules:

Check your address’s last digit and set calendar reminders for your water days.
If you miss a watering day, wait until your next scheduled day—no makeups.
Switch to spot-watering with a hose and shutoff nozzle for flower beds, within allowed times, to save water and stay compliant.

Stage 4: Emergency – One Day Per Week (Target: 20%+ Reduction)

Stage 4 is the most restrictive. When supply is at risk or infrastructure needs relief, the City moves to one watering day per week within the same cool-hour windows (12 a.m.–8 a.m. and 8 p.m.–11:59 p.m.). A typical one-day schedule looks like:

Addresses ending in 1 or 3: Tuesday
0 or 2: Wednesday
5 or 7: Thursday
4 or 6: Friday
8 or 9: Saturday
Commercial/HOA/greenspace/right-of-way: Sunday
Monday: No watering (storage recovery day)

Additional restrictions:

No washing vehicles except for health, sanitation, or safety reasons. Commercial car washes may be restricted depending on City directives.
No filling private pools; commercial/public pools may only refill to replace normal operating losses.
Commercial water users may be required to reduce usage by a City-specified percentage.

Enforcement is stricter in Stage 4:

First violation: written warning.
Subsequent violations: higher fines (often starting at $200) and possible service disconnection, subject to appeal.

Practical Water-Saving Tips That Make a Real Difference

Indoors (about 50–60% of household use):

Fix leaks fast: A running toilet can waste 200+ gallons a day. Replace flappers and worn fill valves.
Install WaterSense fixtures: High-efficiency showerheads (2.0 gpm or less) and bathroom faucets (1.2 gpm) cut use with no noticeable drop in comfort.
Shorten showers: Reducing by 2 minutes can save 4–10 gallons per person.
Full loads only: Dishwashers and clothes washers use similar water whether half-full or full; run only when full.
Reuse where safe: Collect shower warm-up water in a bucket to water plants outdoors on your allowed days.

Outdoors (the biggest swing factor):

Water deep, not daily: Most lawns do well with 1 inch per week split across allowed days; use a tuna can to measure output.
Raise mower blades: Taller grass (3–4 inches for many turf types) shades soil and reduces evaporation by up to 30%.
Mulch 2–3 inches deep: Maintain mulch around trees and beds to cut evaporation and reduce watering frequency.
Convert spray zones to drip: Drip can halve water use in beds and deliver water right to roots.
Check for overspray: Adjust heads so you’re not watering sidewalks or streets. That runoff also violates restrictions in higher stages.
Smart scheduling: Shift start times to early morning; stagger zones to finish by 7:45–8:00 a.m. and complete evening cycles by 11:59 p.m.

Pools and patios:

Use a pool cover: Covers reduce evaporation by up to 70%.
Sweep, don’t spray: Use a broom for patios and driveways.
Top off efficiently: If topping off a pool is allowed, use a low-flow setting and stop as soon as the skimmer line is reached.

Landscaping choices:

Prioritize established plants and trees; let nonessential turf go dormant in peak heat.
Choose drought-tolerant species and native plants that need less water once established.
Group plants by water needs so you don’t overwater low-need beds.

Irrigation controller setup checklist:

Confirm your allowed days for your address digit.
Set watering windows within 12 a.m.–8 a.m. and 8 p.m.–11:59 p.m.
Enable “skip” features tied to rain and soil moisture sensors.
Shorten runtimes by 10–20% during Stage 2+ and use cycle-and-soak for clay soils.

Community Role: How Compliance Protects Everyone

Every person’s effort matters when it comes to water conservation. By following the watering schedule for your address and observing city-mandated restrictions, you’re not just following a rule—you’re helping to ensure that our water system remains reliable for everyone, even during drought or high-demand periods.