Southern Nevadans allowed to water once per week under winter watering schedule

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new mandatory winter watering schedule is in effect for Southern Nevadan starting Monday.

The winter schedule goes through Feb. 28, 2022, as residents and businesses are asked to water one day per week based on the property’s address, according to a Southern Nevada Water Authority press release.

Anyone unsure which day they’re allowed to water can check here, officials advised.

Southern Nevadans are reminded that watering according to the mandated schedule is required by law and those who don’t comply may be subject to waste-water fees starting as high as $80. Those fees double with each violation, officials noted.

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The winter restrictions limit both turf and drip irrigation. The water authority offered the following advice to avoid wasting water through runoff while helping the soil absorb more moisture:

• Irrigate grass for no more than 12 minutes per watering day using three watering cycles of four minutes each. Each four-minute cycle should be spaced one hour apart.
• Water during the mid-morning hours to avoid freezing and prevent ice from forming on lawns and sidewalks.
• Drip irrigation should be run every seven to 14 days since trees and plants need less water than grass.

The water authority also advised residents to change the time on their irrigation clocks after daylight saving time begins on Nov. 7.

Winter watering restrictions carry an added importance this year in light of federal restrictions limiting the amount of water Southern Nevada can draw from Lake Mead amid historic drought conditions in the American southwest, according to water officials.

Beginning Jan. 1, Nevada’s water allowance from Lake Mead will decrease by 7 billion gallons.

“If every property owner in Southern Nevada changes their watering clock each season, the community could save more water than is being cut under shortage conditions,” officials stated.

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Community members were advised to visit here for more information about seasonal water restrictions, water conservation, and preventing and reporting water waste.