Spring is an unincorporated area north of Houston. It’s made up of many subdivisions, each served by its own utility district. Your sprinkler rules and your water bill both depend on which district serves your home, so start there.
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Spring Watering Rules
Spring is an unincorporated community, not a city, so there’s no single city water department setting the rules. Most neighborhoods get their water from a MUD or utility district, and each district adopts its own drought contingency plan. Many districts in northwest Harris County belong to the North Harris County Regional Water Authority’s groundwater reduction plan (NHCRWA participants). When the Authority changes drought stages, its member districts usually pass the change on to customers (NHCRWA Water Conservation Plan).
To find your rules: look at your water bill for your district’s name, then check that district’s website or notices for its current stage and watering days.
Soil and Climate
Soils vary from one neighborhood to the next around Spring. To see what’s under your own yard, look up your address in the USDA Web Soil Survey. If water runs off or pools, use shorter cycles. If the soil drains fast, check that heads overlap well so the lawn doesn’t dry out between runs.
This area is in USDA hardiness zone 9b, where the coldest night of a typical year reaches 25–30°F (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map). Freezes are rare, but they happen. During the February 2021 winter storm, the City of Houston fell to 13°F, and the National Weather Service reported broken pipes across the region (NWS Houston/Galveston). Backflow preventers and exposed pipe above ground are the sprinkler parts most likely to crack. If yours sprays or drips after a freeze, see backflow preventer leaking.

Problems Spring Conditions Make More Likely
- Dry spots where coverage is uneven
- Heads that won’t pop up, from debris or low pressure
- Underground leaks and valve boxes full of water
- High water bills
- Backflow preventer leaks after a freeze
Hiring Someone in Texas
Texas licenses landscape irrigators at the state level. Under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1903, anyone who installs, repairs or services an irrigation system for pay generally needs a state irrigator license, or must work under a licensed irrigator. A homeowner working on their own property is exempt. Ask any contractor for their license number and check it with the state (license information).
Texas rules also require backflow protection on irrigation systems connected to drinking water (30 TAC 344.50). If your backflow device is leaking or was damaged, have a licensed professional repair it rather than taking it apart yourself.
Get Help With a Spring Sprinkler Problem
Not sure what’s wrong? Use the sprinkler diagnosis tool, check typical repair costs, read the Houston-area watering restrictions guide, or find local help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sets watering restrictions in Spring, TX?
The utility district that serves your home. Many districts in the area follow North Harris County Regional Water Authority drought stages. Your water bill names your district.
Is a high water bill always a sprinkler leak?
No. Check whether your meter moves with all water turned off, then shut off the irrigation supply and check again. That tells you whether the sprinkler system is involved.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Rules change with drought stages, so always confirm with your water provider.
- NHCRWA: Groundwater Reduction Plan participants
- North Harris County Regional Water Authority: 2025 Water Conservation Plan
- USDA-NRCS Official Series Description: Lake Charles soil series
- USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023), looked up by ZIP
- National Weather Service Houston/Galveston: Valentine’s Week Winter Outbreak 2021
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1903 (Irrigators)
- State of Texas: landscape irrigator license information
- 30 Tex. Admin. Code 344.50: Backflow prevention methods
