Following the declaration of a drought stage, no person may make, cause, use, or permit the use of water for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, governmental or any other purpose in a manner contrary to any provision of this section, or in an amount in excess of that use permitted by the drought management stage. The water use restrictions in each less restrictive stage apply to all more restrictive stages unless the higher stage has a more stringent requirement on the same subject.
A. Stage 1, Water Alert. During a water alert, the department shall issue one or more notifications to the public. The department shall ask all persons to implement voluntary reductions in water use, ask restaurants to provide water only upon request, urge hotels and motels to conserve water, and engage in a campaign to increase public education to promote awareness about water conservation issues.
B. Stage 2, Water Warning. During a water warning, the following additional conservation measures will be implemented:
1. Persons may only irrigate landscaping between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
2. Persons working in or operating restaurant-type uses may provide water only upon request.
3. No person may operate outdoor misters;
4. No person may operate or use public fountains or water features;
5. No natural person may wash a car except with use of a bucket and a shut-off nozzle;
6. No charity car washes may occur except at commercial car washes that recycle water; and
7. No person may overseed turf areas. Areas to be irrigated exclusively by a rainwater harvesting system are exempt from this measure.
C. Stage 3, Water Emergency. During a water emergency, the following additional conservation measures will be implemented:
1. No person may fill a newly constructed residential pool. Pool permits will remain in active status for three months after stage 3 is downgraded to stage 2;
2. No person may operate a car wash unless it is equipped with a water recirculation system; and
3. A person may top off a pool only to maintain water level; no person may refill a pool.
D. Stage 4, Water Crisis. During a water crisis, the following additional conservation measures will be implemented:
1. Landscape irrigation is restricted to only trees and shrubs; a person may irrigate turf or ground cover with harvested rainwater only;
2. No person may fill a newly constructed pool. Pool permits will remain in active status for three months after stage 4 is downgraded to stage 2;
3. No person may use water to wash a car except for water captured by a rainwater harvesting system;
4. No person may use water to clean a parking lot or street; and
5. No person may use potable water in construction projects, either for dust control or toward the erection of new improvements or structures.
(Ord. 2014-38, § 1 (part), 2014: Ord. 2007-47 § 1 (part), 2007; Ord. 2006-43 § 1 (part), 2006)