It’s summertime in North Texas. The hot, dry weather is already producing drought-like conditions. With no rain in sight, some water providers are asking customers to reduce the number of times per week they water their lawn because water usage increases 50 to 80 percent during the summer, mainly from outdoor watering. The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) uses water from several area lakes to provide water service in 10 counties for 2 million people in North Texas. To keep up with population growth and to help reduce the stress on our landscapes during the summer, NTMWD is a sponsor of the Water My Yard program.

WaterMyYard.org is a free tool that helps native and longtime area residents better manage their water usage. The program uses local weather station data from 17 cities to provide free weekly watering advice from Texas A&M AgriLife to 17,000 subscribers in the service area. This weather data allows for precise water recommendations sent in a weekly outdoor report to customize watering solutions based on what kind of grass, soil and sprinkler system each homeowner has. Here are some summer outdoor watering tips.

·   Check the sprinkler system, change the program as needed and adjust misaligned spray heads.

·   Soil moisture meters can measure water content in the soil to indicate watering needs.

·   Run more cycles for shorter durations, giving more time to soak up water before it runs off..

·   Grass can get diseases from overwatering.

·   Don’t be afraid of a brown or tan yard.

Many common North Texas grasses go dormant in summer, so the bright green color isn’t necessarily best for a particular grass. Once the weather is cooler, those grasses will green-up.

For more information, visit ntmwd.com/savewater and WaterMyYard.org. Helen Dulac is the NTMWD public education manager.