(A) Dedicated landscape water meter and backflow device.
(1) Separate water meters shall be required for all new landscaping or renovated landscaped areas that have a construction area of new landscaping larger than 5,000 square feet.
(2) All irrigation systems must have a backflow device as required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
(B) Landscape water budget. The landscape water budget for new landscape shall be no more than 70% of reference evapotranspiration per square foot of landscaped area, including turf grass. The landscape water budget shall be calculated using the equation below:
(1) Landscape water budget = (0.7)(ETo)(0.00083)(LA);
(a) Water budget =annual upper limit of irrigation water allowed. (CCF/year);
(b) 0.7=ET adjustment factor;
(c) ETo=Reference evapotranspiration;
(d) Conversion factor to CCF;
(e) LA=Landscape area (square feet).
(2) New landscapes that are irrigated with non-potable water are allowed a total of 100% of evapotranspiration rate per square foot. Acceptable alternatives for non-potable water can be found in § 150.688.
(3) The annual water use shall not exceed the annual water budget.