High Temperatures Increase Water Demands
August 8, 2025 — As the weather heats up this summer, the demand for water is rising along with the temperatures. Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) delivers on average nearly 400 million gallons of water every day, with daily summer usage climbing above 600 million gallons, placing additional strain on water resources and system infrastructure.
When water consumption increases, the pipelines feel it—and that can lead to more water main breaks and leaks. To stay ahead, DWU has eight crews working around the clock to respond quickly. While pipeline repairs are happening, some customers may experience brief service interruptions. DWU crews notify impacted customers through individual notices left on the doors of residential and business properties (notices are not delivered after 9 p.m.).
DWU is asking residents and businesses to conserve water and help reduce water demands by:
- Following the Twice-Weekly Watering Schedule, which is in effect year-round, and can be viewed at bit.ly/WCOWateringSchedule
- Adhering to the City of Dallas Water Conservation Ordinance that prohibits watering with hose-end sprinklers or automatic sprinklers systems between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from April 1 to October 31
- Signing up for free weekly watering advice at bit.ly/WeeklyWateringAdvice
- Requesting a free irrigation system evaluation at savedallaswater.com
- Ensuring sprinkler systems have no leaks or malfunctioning heads, and preventing water runoff onto sidewalks, driveways and streets
- Reporting any unusual water flows from private or public property by calling the City of Dallas 3-1-1 information line
For emergency water main leaks, call 3-1-1 immediately. Crews will be dispatched promptly to assess and prioritize repairs.
DWU takes a multi-faceted approach to protect Dallas’ water system and invests between $140 and $160 million annually to replace and upgrade water and wastewater mains. Thanks to these efforts, water main repairs per 100 miles have dropped from 37 in FY 2011-12 to 19 in FY 2023-24.
