Lubbock officials are begging—again—for residents to stop running sprinklers during freezing weather, because spraying water onto streets and sidewalks when it’s below 32 degrees turns the city into a low-budget ice rink. Code Enforcement says runoff during cold snaps is a serious hazard for drivers and pedestrians, which feels less like a warning and more like an observation backed by years of lived experience.
Just in case anyone needed a real-world example, a six-vehicle crash happened near 82nd St & Quaker Ave Tuesday morning, prompting traffic alerts across Lubbock. Shocking twist: icy roads are, in fact, dangerous. But somewhere between common sense and civic responsibility, a chunk of this town decided the rules don’t apply to them—or their Fescue grass.
The city points out there are two ordinances at play: one that flat-out bans irrigation during freezing weather, and another that says you can’t create public nuisances—like water spray that freezes into a slip-and-slide for commuters. Even folks on private wells aren’t magically exempt from the nuisance rule, despite the popular local belief that “my well, my rules.”
And yes, officials would really love you to use the MyLBK app to report violations, because apparently the fastest way to keep roads safe in Lubbock is crowdsourced enforcement. It’s either that or wait for the next pileup while someone proudly waters their lawn in 25-degree weather during a drought.
At this point, the only thing more predictable than freezing temps is someone in Lubbock deciding their sprinkler schedule matters more than everyone else’s tires—what could possibly go wrong?
https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/latest/report-sprinkler-violations-mylubbock/