Full Notification

Officials with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) have initiated Stage 3 seasonal watering of the NTMWD Water Conservation and Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan, which goes into effect November 1st. On November 1st, Stage 3 seasonal watering goes into effect in the Town of Fairview. Under Stage 3 seasonal watering restrictions landscape watering is limited to once every two weeks for sprinklers and/or irrigation systems at each service address between November 1^st and March 31^st, and is prohibited from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A hand-held hose, dedicated zone using a drip irrigation system, or a soaker hose can be used for up to two hours on any day for foundations and new plantings (first year) of trees and shrubs.

Fairview residents and businesses should continue to water on their permitted day, as shown in the town’s Stage 3 Seasonal Zone Designation Map (see below). In addition to residents and businesses being permitted to water once every two weeks (effective 11/1/2014), all other watering restrictions will continue to be in effect and enforced. Approved watering weeks can be found in the November 2014 Watering Schedule below. Approved weeks for watering are highlighted in green.

Despite recent rains, NTMWD's primary raw water supplies remain below normal conservation levels. Lavon Lake is 12.51 feet below normal and Lake Jim Chapman is also 11.55 feet below the normal conservation level. "Our cities and customers did a tremendous job reducing landscape watering during the hot summer months. Now, as we move into cooler fall and winter months, lawns and other landscaping require less water," said Tom Kula, Executive Director of NTMWD. "NTMWD recommends customers: turn off irrigation systems and operate on manual mode; utilize weather based watering recommendations such as www.WaterMyYard.org, Frisco's WaterWise program, or the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife) ET Network; and water lawns only if needed to supplement natural rainfall," Kula added.

Experts at AgriLife in Dallas cite that during the fall and into the winter months, lawns in North Texas require very little to no supplemental watering.

"Usually in September of each year, lawns begin to go dormant," said Dotty Woodson, extension program specialist at AgriLife. "During the fall and into the winter, lawns receive enough water naturally and do not require the use of automatic sprinkler systems," Woodson added.

Stage 3 Details

In addition to the current Stage 3 seasonal watering restrictions, the Town will continue to implement restrictions listed in Stages 1 and 2. Below you will find more details related to the current Stage 3 seasonal watering restrictions that are approved from November 1^st to March 31^st.   

Landscape watering with sprinklers and/or irrigation systems at each service address is limited to once every two weeks, and is prohibited from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from November 1^st to March 31^st. The day of the week you water will continue to be the day that was originally established for Stage 3 watering restrictions. This system is based on being located in one of four zones that the town has been broken into for watering purposes. The zone you’re in determines which day watering is allowed. For example, if you live in Zone 3 you can only water on Wednesday during Stage 3 restrictions. CLICK HERE TO  SEE: Stage 3 Seasonal Zone Designation Map

Exceptions for Stage 3 watering restrictions are as follows:

• Foundations, new landscaping, new plantings (first year) of shrubs, and trees may be watered for up to 2 hours on any day by a hand-held hose, a soaker hose, or a dedicated zone using a drip irrigation system.
• Golf courses may water greens and tee boxes without restrictions.
•  Locations using other sources of water supply for irrigation may irrigate without restrictions.
• Registered and properly functioning ET/Smart irrigation systems and drip irrigation systems may irrigate without restrictions.
• Hosing of paved areas, buildings, or windows is allowed.
• Operation of all ornamental fountains is allowed.
• Existing swimming pools can be drained and refilled.
• Hydroseeding, hydromulching and sprigging are allowed.