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Irrigation & Sprinkler Systems in Austin, TX

Quick answer

In Texas, irrigation systems must be designed, installed and repaired by a TCEQ-licensed irrigator, with limited exemptions. Systems need backflow prevention, and utilities like Austin Water have testing and reporting rules. Good Austin systems zone lawn and beds separately, use drip in beds, run cycle-and-soak schedules and follow your assigned watering day.

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An irrigation system in the Austin area has to do a lot with a little. Most utilities limit automatic sprinklers to set days and hours, soils either shed water fast (thin soil over rock) or soak it up slowly (clay), and summer heat pulls moisture out quickly. A well-designed system puts water where roots are, as efficiently as possible, on the days you're allowed to run it.

Texas requires a licensed irrigator

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires anyone who sells, designs, installs, maintains, alters, repairs or services an irrigation system, or consults on one, to be licensed. The main license is Landscape Irrigator; Irrigation Technicians work under a licensed irrigator's supervision when connecting a system to a water supply. TCEQ lists limited exemptions in its rules, so ask any company you hire for its irrigator license number. Many cities also require a permit and inspection for new systems.

Backflow prevention

Irrigation systems connected to a public water supply need a backflow prevention assembly to keep yard water out of drinking water. Austin Water says backflow assemblies are typically required on irrigation systems and are subject to inspection, testing and reporting, with tests submitted by a tester registered with the utility. Other cities have their own testing schedules, so ask your installer and utility what applies to your address.

Designing around Austin conditions

  • Separate zones for lawn, beds, and sun and shade, since they need different amounts of water.
  • Drip in planting beds. Spray heads in beds waste water and wet foliage. In Austin, drip has been allowed on more days than automatic spray zones.
  • Cycle and soak. Several short runs back to back let water soak in on slopes and clay instead of running down the street.
  • Head-to-head coverage for spray zones, with matched nozzles and correct pressure.
  • Smart controllers and rain sensors that skip watering after rain. EPA's WaterSense program labels controllers that meet its criteria.

Watering rules

Austin Water assigns automatic irrigation days by address, and its watering hours have been limited to early morning and evening. Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander and other utilities set their own schedules and drought stages, which change with lake levels and demand. Hand watering is generally allowed more freely. Program your controller to your utility's current schedule and check again whenever a drought stage changes.

Common repairs

  • Broken heads from mowers and foot traffic.
  • Leaking valves and cracked lines, often after a hard freeze or from shifting clay.
  • Misaligned heads spraying the driveway or street, which some cities treat as water waste.
  • Controllers still set to a schedule that no longer matches the rules.

Questions to ask an irrigation company

  • What is your TCEQ irrigator license number?
  • Will you pull the permit and arrange backflow testing?
  • Can you convert bed zones to drip and set the controller to my watering day?
  • Do you offer a system check before summer?

Ready? Request an irrigation company and describe your current system, if you have one.

See how it works

How a sprinkler zone waters a lawn. Press the buttons to run each step and see what happens inside. Made with Colorfigures ·
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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licensed irrigator in Texas?

TCEQ requires a license for anyone who sells, designs, installs, maintains, repairs or services an irrigation system, with limited exemptions listed in its rules. Ask for the company's irrigator license number.

What day can I water in Austin?

Austin Water assigns automatic irrigation days by address and limits hours to early morning and evening, with different allowances for hose-end sprinklers, drip and hand watering. Look up your day on Austin Water's Find Your Watering Day page.

Does my sprinkler system need a backflow test?

Austin Water says irrigation backflow assemblies are subject to inspection, testing and reporting by a registered tester. Other cities set their own schedules, so ask your utility.

Sources and further reading

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