A. For the purposes of this title only, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein.
ESSENTIAL USE: | The use of water necessary for firefighting, health, welfare and safety; water needed to sustain basic human, aquatic and animal life; and water necessary to satisfy federal, state, and local laws for the protection of public health, sanitation and safety. |
EXCESSIVE WATER USE: | Means use that is not considered reasonable, prudent, or a wise use of water for an authorized purpose. |
LANDSCAPE: | An area with vegetative groundcover or other natural living plant materials including but not limited to: grass, turf, trees, ornamental perennials, shrubs, perennial flowers, annual flowers, food gardens, and surrounding landscape design elements such as rock mulch and wood mulch. |
LOW VOLUME DRIP IRRIGATION: | The application of irrigation water at low pressure through a system of tubing or lateral lines and low volume emitters such as drip, drip lines, and bubblers. |
NON-ESSENTIAL USE: | The use of water not for essential use, which may be curtailed during times of shortage without compromising public health, sanitation, welfare and safety. |
OUTDOOR WATER USE: | The use of water, excluding water which has been used indoors and is being recycled for outdoor use, for: a. Sprinkling or irrigating gardens, lawns or other outdoor vegetation; b. Washing motorized and non-motorized vehicles, including but not limited to automobiles, trucks, vans, buses, motorcycles, boats, bikes and trailers; c. Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas, outside building walls, patios, alleys or other outdoor surfaces; d. Washing any business or industrial equipment machinery; e. Operating any ornamental fountain or other similar structure not employing a recirculating system; and f. Filling swimming pools, wading pools, hot tubs and spas not employing a filter and recirculating system. |
POSITIVE SHUT-OFF NOZZLE: | A nozzle placed on the end of a garden hose and other water delivery systems to stop any waste of water prior to the user’s need. |
SPRAY IRRIGATION: | The act of applying water to landscape by sprinklers or spray nozzles that deliver water to the landscape through the air. |
TURF: | Grass and the surface layer of earth held together by its roots, including but not limited to cool season lawn grasses. |
WATER WASTE: | The intentional or unintentional excessive use of water; allowing water to be applied in any manner, rate or quantity such that the runoff from the landscaped area being watered is allowed to pool or flow across the ground, into any drainage way, or onto any impervious surface; water that has escaped or run to waste; and the escape of water through defective plumbing, breaks, leaks, or malfunctions in the plumbing or irrigation system. |
WATER: | Water from the city's water service utility. |
WATER RESTRICTION: | A required curtailment of specific water uses enacted due to a water restriction declaration. |
WATERING WINDOW: | The period, timeframe, or continuous hours of the day(s) in which outdoor watering is permitted. (Ord. 158-2023, 7-27-2023) |