Frequently Asked Questions

If your irrigation system is leaking, please follow this link for detailed instructions for shutting the system off.   

To maximize water conservation, please contact the City's Water Conservation Specialist, Derek Warren, to schedule an irrigation audit, by calling 830.598.9973.

This depends on the time of year and the type of heads, or emitters, on your system. In Horseshoe Bay, it is necessary to irrigate during the eight months from March 1 to November 1. You may shut down over the winter. You will irrigate for shorter times in the spring and early fall because of lower temperatures and wetter weather.

The chart below contains approximate run times in minutes, which should work for most lawns in full sun with two cycles per week. These times may not work for all landscapes depending on soil or other site conditions, so you should remain ready to make adjustments by adding or subtracting minutes based on your own judgment.

Beds with drought-tolerant plants or turf or beds in shaded areas should be able to run with times set 10 percent less than shown on this chart.

The City usually maintains a twice-weekly watering schedule for all utility customers based on odd or even addresses, or if the customer is a commercial or multi-family property. The watering schedule encourages conservation, which helps make sure water is always available, and reduces costs for the City water system and for our customers.

Please be sure to check current water restrictions, especially during periods of drought, by visiting the Utility Department page on the website. 

All public water supply customers are required under state law and local rules to take steps to make sure the water in their plumbing and irrigation system cannot contaminate the public water supply or sicken people visiting their properties.

Part of this requirement means that you must have backflow prevention assemblies at certain places on your property. These devices are designed to keep water from reversing the flow and possibly carrying contaminants back into the potable supply. One place you must have a backflow device is on your irrigation system. The irrigation backflow preventer must be tested upon installation and then every five years under our local rules. An exception to the five-year rule is backflow preventers on irrigation systems at properties where there is a septic system or if the irrigation system is equipped to inject fertilizer or pesticides. Such systems are at higher risk, so their backflow preventers must be tested annually. Backflow preventers are also required to be on automatic refill lines for swimming pools, garden ponds and fountains.

For more information about backflow prevention and testing requirements, please visit the Backflow Prevention webpage.

TCEQ is an acronym for the Texas state environmental agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. All municipal water utilities in the state are subject to TCEQ regulation.

For installation or maintenance on an irrigation system, you should use a professional irrigator licensed by the state environmental agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The license means they have gone through specialized training to do their work, including periodic continuing education, and have been checked for criminal records by the state. 

Homeowners may also install and maintain systems if they are doing the work at a property that is their residence. You can find irrigators in telephone listings. You may confirm their licensing online through records maintained by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ. 

To find an irrigator’s license records use this link: TCEQ Search Licensing or Registration Information (texas.gov).