Chapter 9.38
WATER CONSERVATION
Sections:
9.38.010 Water Regulation Authority.
9.38.015 Water Conservation Action Plan.
9.38.020 Water Conservation Notification.
9.38.025 Water Rationing/Conservation Stages.
9.38.030 Emergency Water Shortage Response.
9.38.035 Water Conservation Covenants.
9.38.045 Hardship and Appeals Process Guidelines.
9.38.050 Termination of Ordinance.
9.38.010 Water Regulation Authority.
A. The State of California Water Code requires urban water suppliers to establish a means to review current and anticipated water demands in order to guarantee water availability. The Upper Santa Clara Water Committee (U.S.C.W.C.), being the representative body for this area’s water purveyors, reviews and reports on water supply and demand in this Santa Clarita Valley. This body meets (annually) on a regular basis and more frequently when water availability reaches critical levels. In accordance with the State Water Code, the U.S.C.W.C. and the Castaic Lake Water Agency (C.L.W.A.) have adopted a Water Shortage Contingency Plan, a part of which is a four-stage rationing plan. This plan establishes water conservation measure responses to current and anticipated levels of deficiencies in State and/or local water supplies. (Urg. Ord. 91-12, 2/26/91; amend. Ord. 91-16, 3/13/91; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-5, 2/25/92; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92).
B. In response to this plan, it is the City’s intent to establish water-use guidelines and restrictions which will reinforce the water-use reduction goals established in the Water Shortage Contingency Plan. (Urg. Ord. 91-12, 2/26/91; amend. Ord. 91-16, 3/13/91; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-5, 2/25/92; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.015 Water Conservation Action Plan.
A. The City of Santa Clarita, through the City Manager’s Office, shall establish contact with the State of California, C.L.W.A. and individual water purveyors for the purpose of receiving their recommendations and reports. Based on the information received from these sources, the City Manager’s Office shall provide to Council, for their consent, recommendations as to the proper drought stage response. The drought state response shall be determined by the level of water deficiency. In order to remain consistent with regional or State-wide water conservation measures, the City Manager’s office will also report to City Council, State and Regional water use restriction measures being imposed for the particular drought stage. The City Manager’s Office may also recommend to City Council relief from any restrictions prescribed by the drought stage if deemed appropriate and beneficial to the City. (Urg. Ord. 91-12, 2/26/91; amend. Ord. 91-16, 3/13/91; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-5, 2/25/92; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.020 Water Conservation Notification.
A. Upon the establishment of a drought stage by the City Council, a public notice period of seven days shall commence. Public notice shall be by public posting at all City facilities, all City-wide County facilities, and all City-wide water purveyor’s facilities. The public notice shall be advertised in the Local Newspaper(s), radio, and other available media, for the same period of time. (Urg. Ord. 91-12, 2/26/91; amend. Ord. 91-16, 3/13/91; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-5, 2/25/92; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92).
B. All mandatory measures will be enforceable after the seventh day of public notice. (Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.025 Water Rationing/Conservation Stages.
A. Water Deficiency - Defined. A water deficiency occurs when the current or projected water demand exceeds the current or projected water supply, based on a yearly assessment.
Percent or deficiency = (1 - water supply/water demand) x 100.
B. Water Rationing/Conservation Stages.
Stage 1. A Stage 1 drought condition will occur when water deficiencies range between 1 and 15 percent. At this stage of drought severity, the public is encouraged to practice prudent water use.
Stage 2. A Stage 2 drought condition will occur when water deficiencies range from more than 15 and up to 25 percent. At this stage of drought severity, prudent water use, along with restrictions of new water demand, are mandated.
Stage 3. A Stage 3 drought condition will occur when water deficiencies range from more than 25 and up to 35 percent.
Stage 4. A Stage 4 drought condition will occur when water deficiencies are more than 35 percent. (Urg. Ord. 91-12, 2/26/91; amend. Ord. 91-16, 3/13/91; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-5, 2/25/92; amend. Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.030 Emergency Water Shortage Response.
In the event that an immediate shortage or water occurs due to disaster, the City Manager, upon receiving information from the individual water purveyors and the C.L.W.A., shall declare the stage or water shortage emergency and implement the appropriate drought stage regulations. The City Manager shall report such water shortage condition and level or response to City Council at a time which is reasonable and practicable. (Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.035 Water Conservation Covenants.
A. Continual Water-Use Practices - More severe effects of a water shortage are often brought about due to wasteful use of water in times of sufficient supply. The use of water shall be done so in an efficient manner, in order to eliminate unnecessary water use where possible. For this reason, certain water-use practices shall be prescribed.
1. Landscaping
a. The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department shall establish and maintain a program which would encourage future landscape installations to be drought tolerant, utilizing drought tolerant plant materials and water-efficient irrigation systems. It is determined that at this time, general water-efficient landscape guidelines as set forth by the City will be followed to comply with AB-325 until such time in the future that the City is prepared to adopt comprehensive landscape and irrigation standards.
2. Indoor Plumbing
a. The use of low-flow shower head an faucet fixtures is encouraged.
3. Voluntary Restrictions
a. Where practical, the voluntary restrictions for a Stage 1 drought should be used as a guideline for prudent water use.
B. Water conservation shall be achieved through mandatory and voluntary restrictions and/or prohibitions of various types of water use. Water supply deficiencies are set at four stages of urgency, for which conservation measures are mandated in order to create water-usage reduction. These measures are cumulative through each stage.
Stage 1—The following are voluntary water-use restrictions or prohibitions:
1. Hose Water Prohibition.
a. No person shall hose-water of wash down any sidewalk, walkways, driveways, parking areas or other paved surface, except for health and safety purposes.
2. Watering Lawns and Landscaping.
a. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or landscaping between the hours of eight a.m. and six p.m., except as provided in subsection (B)(2)(e) of this section.
b. Lawns and landscaping shall be watered no more than ten (10) minutes per watering station or cycle per day.
c. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or landscaping to such an extent that runoff into adjoining streets, parking lots or alleys occurs due to incorrectly directed or maintained sprinklers or to excessive watering.
d. It shall be the duty of all persons to inspect all hoses, faucets and sprinkling systems for leaks and to cause all leaks to be repaired as soon as is reasonable practicable.
e. Commercial gardeners and landscapers, municipal water uses, commercial nurseries, golf courses, publicly-owned and maintained land and facilities, and other water-dependent industries shall not water or cause to be watered any lawn or landscaping between the hours of ten a.m. and three p.m., and no more than ten (10) minutes per watering station or cycle per day unless reclaimed water is used as permitted by the Los Angeles County Department of Health. This subsection does not apply to residential lawns which are subject to the time limitations indicated in other subsections of this chapter.
f. The maintenance and testing of irrigation systems may be performed without the restrictions specified in subsections (2)(a) and (2)(e) in Stage 1.
g. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (2)(a) and (2)(e) in Stage 1, the time for watering shall not be enforced during the period between November 15th and March 15th, inclusive, to allow watering during the warmer portions of the day during these winter months.
3. Indoor Plumbing.
a. It shall be the duty of all persons to inspect all accessible indoor plumbing for leaks and cause them to be repaired as soon as reasonably practicable.
4. Washing Vehicles.
a. Vehicles should be washed by hand-held bucket or with a hose equipped with automatic shutoff nozzle. Hoses may not be left running.
b. These restrictions shall not be applied to commercial vehicle washing facilities and operations.
5. Public Eating Places.
a. Water may be served only upon request by the customer.
Stage 2—The following are mandatory water-use restriction and/or prohibitions:
1. All restrictions, prohibitions and time exemptions listed under Stage 1 become mandatory requirements.
2. Grading, Pool and Spa Permits.
a. Permits for grading and pool/spa projects will still be processed through the building department. Permits will not be issued until such a time (such water-use restrictions) when Stage 2 restriction are deemed no longer to be in effect. Affected projects will be exempt from permit process expirations due to lapse in time and/or new code adoption.
b. Restrictions on permits, stated in subsections (2)(a). and (2)(b) of Stage 2, will become effective at the time when these measures are approved by Council or, in the event or immediate emergency, when the City Manager’s Office has deemed the measures to be in effect.
c. No one shall cause the emptying or refilling of existing pools or spas for cleaning purposes. Water levels may be maintained.
3. Landscaping.
a. All new landscaping shall be limited to drought-tolerant plantings (vegetation using one-third the normal water requirements).
b. No new lawns, whether by seed or sod, shall be installed.
c. No person or entity shall be required to implement any landscaping requirements of any association, developer or governing agency until the termination of this stage.
Stage 3—The following are mandatory water-use restrictions and/or prohibitions:
1. All restrictions and/or prohibitions listed in Stage 2.
2. Pool and Spa Permits.
a. No new pool or spa permits shall be issued.
3. Building and Grading Permits.
a. Permits for new residential construction which would result in additional dwelling unit(s) shall not be issued. Residential additions which are over fifty percent (50%) of the existing residence’s habitable floor area will be considered an additional dwelling unit.
b. Building permits for new nonresidential construction and nonresidential additions which are over fifty percent (50%) of the existing habitable floor area shall not be issued.
c. Permits for building projects, restricted in subsections (2)(a) and (2)(b) of Stage 3 will be processed through the Building Department. Permits will not be issued until such time when Stage 3 restrictions are deemed no longer to be in effect. Affected projects will be exempt from permit process expirations due to lapse in time and/or new code adoption.
d. All grading under permits issued prior to the effective date, per subsection (2)(c) in Stage 2, shall be limited to the use of reclaimed water, as approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Health.
4. Landscaping.
a. All new landscaping and irrigation improvements shall be approved by the City of Santa Clarita Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services prior to construction.
Stage 4—The following are mandatory water-use restrictions:
1. All restrictions and/or prohibitions listed in Stage 3.
2. Landscaping.
a. No new landscaping shall be permitted.
b. Existing landscaping shall be maintained with reclaimed water only, as approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Health. Existing trees and larger shrubs will be exempt. (Ord. 91-48 §§ 1—3, 10/8/91; Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92; Ord. 05-1 § 2, 1/25/05)
9.38.040 Penalties.
Willful violations of the terms of this chapter shall be subject to written warnings and/or citations. A written warning shall be issued upon the first violation of any part of this chapter. The second violation shall result in a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00). The third violation shall result in a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00), and subsequent violations shall result in a fine of three hundred dollars ($300.00) for each violation. (Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.045 Hardship and Appeals Process Guidelines.
The City Manager’s office shall establish guidelines by which water users may file claims of hardship due to imposed water restriction regulations. An appeal process shall be established for water users who have been cited for lack of compliance to these imposed water-use restrictions. (Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)
9.38.050 Termination of Ordinance.
This Ordinance shall terminate only upon consent by the City Council. (Urg. Ord. 92-12, 11/10/92)