The City of Sugar Land entered Stage 1 of the City's Drought Contingency Plan, effective August 30, 2023.
What this means
Residents and commercial customers are encouraged to voluntarily limit their non-essential water use and reduce outdoor irrigation to two days a week, between the hours of midnight to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to midnight.
Suggested residential watering days are based on the last digit of the physical street address between the hours of midnight to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to midnight.
Last digit of residential address
Suggested landscape watering days
0, 2, 4, 6, 8 (even)
Monday and Thursday
1, 3, 5, 7, 9 (odd)
Tuesday and Friday
Commercial Customers and Home Owner Associations
Commercial customers and home owners associations are encouraged to water on Wednesday and Saturday between the hours of midnight to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to midnight.
The City's Drought Contingency Plan Stages are triggered when there is a drought proclamation, total daily water demand exceeds specified thresholds, or when water supplies or treatment capacity become reduced. On August 22, Governor Abbott issued a declaration of drought disaster for Fort Bend County. With the proclamation of drought and increased water demand primarily attributed to outdoor water irrigation, the City has initiated Stage 1 Drought.
No, watering restrictions are not mandatory in Stage 1 Drought. However, all residents and customers are highly encouraged to reduce landscape irrigation with an irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler to two days a week and reduce water used for non-essential and aesthetic water needs.
Irrigation of landscaped areas and structure foundations is permitted at any time by means of a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle, a faucet filled bucket or water can of five gallons or less, or drip irrigation system.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires public water suppliers and wholesale water suppliers to adopt Drought Contingency Plans that lay out responses should a water shortage or water production and delivery emergency impact the ability to deliver drinking water.
There is currently no timeframe for how long the City will remain in Stage 1 Drought. The City will remain in Stage 1 until all triggering conditions have ceased to exist.