No purchaser of water from the city of Palo Alto, nor any customers of the water utility of the city of Palo Alto, shall use water or allow any other person to use water under the control of such customer or purchaser in the following ways:
(a) Potable water shall not be allowed to flood or run off into gutters: driveways, sidewalks, streets or other unlandscaped areas.
(b) By means of a hose to wash cars, boats, trailers, buses or other vehicles or to wash sidewalks, building structures, other hard-surfaced areas or parts thereof without an operating automatic shut-off valve. Use of a hose for such purposes should be avoided whenever possible.
(c) Potable water for consolidation of backfill and other nondomestic uses in construction shall not be used if other water sources such as reclaimed water are available, as determined by the director of utilities or his or her designee. Applicants for hydrant permits from the city of Palo Alto shall be deemed to have consented to restrictions on water use which may be imposed by the director of utilities or his or her designee.
(d) Any broken or defective plumbing, sprinklers, watering or irrigation systems which permit the escape or leakage of water shall be repaired or replaced as soon as possible, but no later than the date established by the director of utilities, or his or her designee, as reasonable after observation of the broken or defective system.
(e) The irrigation of turf or ornamental landscapes, which serve purely decorative purposes, and are distinguished from trees, edible gardens or landscapes that provide more than a purely aesthetic function, with potable water shall not be allowed between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except via hand watering with a bucket or a hose with an operating shut-off valve.
(f) The use of potable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature is prohibited, except where the water is part of a recirculating system.
(g) The use of potable water for street sweepers and washers is prohibited if non-potable water is available, as determined by the Director of Utilities, or his or her designee.
(h) Commercial car washes must use recycled water systems, if recycled water is available, as determined by the Director of Utilities, or his or her designee, and economically feasible.
(Ord. 5385 § 1, 2016; Ord. 4041 § 1, 1991: Ord. 3964 § 1, 1990: Ord. 3884 § 2 (part), 1989)