The Texas Water Development Board is urging Texans to adopt water-wise habits at home as a persistent heat dome and expanding drought push water demand higher across the state. The agency laid out a set of indoor and outdoor conservation steps in an Aug. 24 article published by the Texas Water Newsroom, a communications project of the TWDB.
After a brief stretch of generous spring rains and a hopeful start to June, summer rainfall declined sharply, according to the agency. By late June, a stubborn upper-level ridge had parked itself over Texas, pushing temperatures up and driving precipitation chances to almost nothing. The agency said its latest Water Weekly report shows drought spreading, with pockets of exceptional drought returning to the Panhandle.
Inside the home, the agency recommends turning off the tap while brushing teeth, washing hands or shaving. A bathroom faucet typically flows at one to two gallons per minute, the TWDB said, so shutting it off during idle moments can save hundreds of gallons and several dollars a month. The agency also advises checking the water meter when no water is being used; if the meter is still moving, a leak is wasting water somewhere in the system. Because dishwashers and washing machines use nearly the same amount of water whether half-full or packed, running only full loads reduces overall use, the agency said. Keeping a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator, rather than running the tap until it turns cold, also cuts waste.
Outdoors, the TWDB recommends watering in the early morning, when calmer winds and lower temperatures limit evaporation and grass dries quickly enough to discourage fungus. The agency points to the cycle-and-soak method, which splits watering into shorter runs with rest periods so soil can absorb moisture without runoff, and notes that smart sprinkler controllers can automate it. Native and well-adapted plants require less water than non-native species, the agency said, and it identified local nurseries and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as sources for regional landscaping guidance.
The agency also urges residents to follow local watering restrictions, adjust in-ground irrigation manually for rainfall and seasonal changes, and choose sprinklers that produce large drops close to the ground. Every inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof yields roughly 1,000 gallons of collectable water, the TWDB said, and covering a pool prevents evaporation losses that can approach the pool’s full volume over a year.