§ 13.03.040. Permanent water conservation requirements.

The following water conservation requirements are effective at all times and shall be permanent. Violations of this section shall be considered waste and an unreasonable use of water.

A. Automated Watering (Irrigation) System Operation.

1. Automated watering or irrigation of any lawn, landscape, or other vegetated area with potable water is prohibited between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on any day. Automated landscape irrigation systems may nevertheless be operated during these hours for very short periods of time, such as ten minutes, for the express purpose of adjusting or repairing a landscape irrigation system.

2. Automated Watering Duration Limits.

a. High Flow Sprinkler Heads (Greater than two gallons per minute). All watering activities are required to avoid visible runoff or pooling on adjacent hard surfaces. Automated sprinkler heads with flow rates greater than two gallons per minute may be operated up to a maximum of ten minutes (per valve station) on each authorized day so long as no visible runoff or pooling occurs. If runoff or pooling is visible, the sprinkler station run time shall be further reduced to eliminate runoff and pooling. Watering is prohibited from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

b. Low Flow Sprinkler/Rotator Heads (Less than two gallons per minute). All watering activities are required to avoid visible runoff and pooling on adjacent hard surfaces. Automated sprinkler heads with flow rate less than two gallons per minute may be operated up to a maximum of twenty minutes (per valve station) on each authorized day so long as no visible runoff or pooling occurs. If runoff is visible, the sprinkler station run time shall be further reduced to eliminate runoff and pooling. Watering is prohibited from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

c. Drip Watering Systems (Less than two gallons per hour). Properly installed automated drip systems with flow rates less than two gallons per hour are exempt from day and duration limitations so long as no visible runoff or pooling is created. Watering is prohibited from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

B. Handheld Watering of Lawn, Tree and Vegetable Gardens. All watering activities are required to avoid visible runoff on adjacent hard surfaces. Use of a handheld bucket or similar container, a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut off nozzle or device is exempt from day, time of day and duration limitations. Vegetable gardens may be watered by hand or with soaker hoses without day, time of day and duration limitations. Trees may be watered by hand, soaker hose under the drip-line of the tree canopy or with automatic tree bubblers without limitation.

C. Excessive Water Flow or Runoff or Pooling. Any watering; irrigating of any lawn, landscape or area with vegetation; or any other use of water in a manner that causes or results in excessive water flow, runoff or pooling onto an adjoining surfaces, including but not limited to sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas, streets, alleys, gutters, or ditches is prohibited.

D. Washing Down Hard or Paved Surfaces Prohibited. Washing of driveways, sidewalks, parking areas, patios, other outdoor impermeable surface areas, kitchens or objects, such as kitchen non-skid mats with a hose, is prohibited unless using a water-conserving pressurized cleaning device as defined herein. A water-conserving pressurized cleaning device is defined as a device that discharges water at a minimum of one thousand pounds per square inch or a device that has been rated at using less than three gallons of water per minute. A simple spray nozzle does not qualify as a water-conserving pressurized cleaning device.

E. Obligations to Fix Leaks, Breaks, or Malfunctions. Excessive use, loss, or escape of water through leaks, breaks, or other malfunctions in the water user's plumbing or distribution system for any period of time after such escape of water should have reasonably been discovered and corrected and in no event more than seven days of receiving notice from the city is prohibited.

F. Re-circulating Water Required for Water Fountains and Decorative Water Features. Operating a water fountain or other decorative water feature that does not use re-circulated water is prohibited.

G. Limits on Washing Vehicles. Using water to wash or clean a vehicle, including but not limited to any automobile, motorcycle, truck, van, bus, recreational vehicle, boat or trailer, camping or cargo trailer, whether motorized or not is prohibited, except by use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut off nozzle or device. No excessive water flow or runoff as defined in Section 13.03.040 is permitted. This provision does not apply to any commercial car washing facility.

H. Drinking Water Served Upon Request Only. Eating or drinking establishments, including but not limited to a restaurant, hotel, cafe, bar, club, or other public place where food or drinks are sold, served, or offered for sale, are prohibited from providing drinking water to any person unless expressly requested.

I. Commercial Lodging Establishments Must Provide Option to Not Launder Linen Daily. Hotels, motels, and other commercial lodging establishments must provide customers the option of not having towels and linen laundered daily. Commercial lodging establishments shall prominently display notice of this option in each bathroom using clear and easily understood language.

J. No Installation of Single Pass Cooling System. Installation of single pass cooling systems is prohibited in buildings requesting new water service.

K. No Installation of Non-re-circulating Commercial Car Wash and Laundry Systems. Installation of non-re-circulating water systems is prohibited in new commercial conveyor car wash and new commercial laundry systems.

L. Restaurants Required to Use Water Conserving Dish Wash Spray Valves. Food preparation establishments, such as restaurants or cafes, are prohibited from using non-water conserving dish wash spray valves.

M. Commercial Car Wash Systems. Effective on January 1, 2011, all commercial conveyor car wash systems must have installed and operational re-circulating water systems, or must have secured an extension of this requirement from the city.

N. Large Landscape Areas - Rain Sensors: Effective January 1, 2011, large landscape areas, such as parks, cemeteries, golf courses, school grounds, and playing fields, that use landscape irrigation systems to water or irrigate, must use landscape irrigation systems with rain sensors that automatically shut off such systems during periods of rain or irrigation timers which automatically use information such as evapotranspiration sensors to set an efficient water use schedule or must have secured an extension of this requirement from the city.

O. Reporting Mechanism - Hotline. The city will establish a water waste hotline for residents to report violations of this chapter. This hotline may be set-up and offered through a dedicated phone number and/or through submittal on the city's website.

P. All automated outdoor irrigation during and within forty-eight hours following measurable rainfall is prohibited.

Q. Exemptions to Permanent Restrictions:

1. Watering with a hand-held hose or a refillable watering vessel, such as a bucket or a tree irrigator, is allowed at any time on any day of the week.

2. Drip irrigation systems with emitters of less than three gallons per hour capacity are exempt from run time and day restrictions due to increased efficiency.

3. Soaker hoses or automatic tree bubblers may be used to water trees so long as watering is done under the drip-line of the tree canopy.

4. Watering a vegetable garden with a soaker hose is exempt from the watering limitations.

(Ord. 2015-09-1478 § 3 (part); Ord. 2009-04-1399 § 1 (part))