No person shall knowingly use, or make, cause, or permit the use of, water for residential, commercial, industrial, governmental, or any other purpose in a manner contrary to any provision of this chapter, or in an amount in excess of that use permitted by the conservation stage in effect pursuant to action taken by the Board of Supervisors.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)
By resolution the Board of Supervisors will, from time to time, put into effect the following stages for any or all Water Service Areas:
1. 
Stage 1 – Voluntary Compliance: The County will increase its public education and outreach efforts to emphasize increased public awareness of the need to implement water conservation practices. All persons using County water are encouraged to participate in voluntary water conservation by avoiding the following activities:
a) 
Overwatering of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs or other plants;
b) 
Providing or selling water to any other location, residence or parcel;
c) 
Over seeding of lawns with annual ryegrass;
d) 
Washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, patios or other paved areas with potable water;
e) 
Washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats except at commercial car wash using recycled water;
f) 
Using water from fire hydrants for uses other than firefighting activities and/or other activities immediately necessary to maintain the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public;
g) 
Operating ornamental fountains, waterfalls, or similar structures not using recycled water;
h) 
Draining and refilling swimming pools;
i) 
Using swamp/evaporative coolers that do not use recirculation pumps;
j) 
Using potable water for irrigation or construction;
k) 
Allowing substantial amounts of water to run off to a gutter, ditch or drain;
l) 
Waiting more than seventy-two (72) hours before repairing breaks, leaks or malfunctions;
m) 
Watering outdoor plants more than 3 days per week maximum; and
n) 
Watering outdoor plants between the hours of 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
2. 
Stage 2 – Mandatory Compliance: All persons using County water shall comply with Stage 1 water conservation practices during a Stage 2 Drought Alert, and shall also comply with the following additional mandatory conservation measures:
a) 
Irrigation utilizing individual sprinklers or sprinkler systems of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs or other plants is permitted only on designated days between 8 P.M. and 6 A.M. local time. No watering during the day between 6 A.M. and 8 P.M. local time. Excessive watering beyond beneficial use is prohibited. Irrigation of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs or other plants is permitted at any time if:
I. 
A hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle is used; or
II. 
A hand-held faucet-filled bucket of five gallons or less is used; or
III. 
A drip or mist irrigation system is used.
b) 
Days designated for irrigation are as follows:
I. 
Odd numbered addresses may water only on Tuesday and Saturday;
II. 
Even numbered addresses may water only on Wednesday and Sunday.
c) 
Customers must repair all breaks, leaks, or malfunctions in the customer's plumbing or distribution facilities within seventy-two (72) hours after a break, leak, or malfunction is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.
d) 
The following activities are prohibited except as otherwise authorized. The restrictions shall apply year round unless a more stringent water conservation stage is implemented.
I. 
Providing or selling water to any other location, residence or parcel;
II. 
Over seeding of lawns with annual ryegrass;
III. 
Washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, patios or other paved areas with potable water;
IV. 
Washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, or boats except as described in section 8-09-1140;
V. 
Using water from fire hydrants for uses other than firefighting activities and/or other activities immediately necessary to maintain the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public;
VI. 
Operating ornamental fountains, waterfalls, or similar structures not using recycled water;
VII. 
Draining and refilling swimming pools;
VIII. 
Using swamp/evaporative coolers that do not use recirculation pumps;
IX. 
Using potable water for irrigation or construction;
X. 
Allowing substantial amounts of water to run off to a gutter, ditch or drain.
3. 
Stage 3 – Mandatory Compliance: Upon declaration by the Board of Supervisors, all elements of Stage 2 shall remain in effect in Stage 3, except that:
a) 
Customers must repair all breaks, leaks, or malfunctions in the customer's plumbing or distribution facilities within forty-eight (48) hours after a break, leak, or malfunction is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.
b) 
Days designated for irrigation are further restricted depending on the month of the year as follows:
I. 
No outdoor watering during December, January, and February;
II. 
Outdoor watering limited to one day per week during March, April, and November:
i. 
Odd numbered addresses may water only on Saturday;
ii. 
Even numbered addresses may water only on Sunday.
III. 
Outdoor watering limited to two days per week from May to October:
i. 
Odd numbered addresses may water only on Tuesday and Saturday;
ii. 
Even numbered addresses may water only on Wednesday and Sunday.
4. 
Stage 4 – Mandatory Compliance: Upon declaration by the Board of Supervisors, all elements of Stage 3 shall remain in effect in Stage 4, except that:
a) 
All outdoor irrigation using water from the County system is restricted except as follows:
I. 
Maintenance of trees and shrubs that are watered on the same schedule set forth above by using a bucket, hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle, or low-volume nonspray irrigation; and
II. 
Maintenance of landscaping within active public parks and playing fields, day care centers, school grounds, cemeteries, and golf course greens, provided that such irrigation does not exceed the schedule established under Stage 3.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)
The following activities are exempt from section 8-09-1130:
1. 
Maintenance of existing landscaping necessary for fire protection as specified by the Fire Marshal of the local fire protection agency having jurisdiction over the property to be irrigated;
2. 
Maintenance of existing landscaping for erosion control;
3. 
Maintenance of plant materials identified to be endangered or essential to the well-being of endangered animals;
4. 
Watering of livestock;
5. 
Public works projects and actively irrigated environmental mitigation projects; and
6. 
Activities in the immediate interest of the public health, safety, or welfare.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)
Washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, or boats may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash using recycled water. Car washes by community groups or organizations shall be prohibited at all times. Further, such washing may be exempted from these regulations under section 8-09-1135 if the health, safety and/or welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleanings, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)
Commercial nurseries using water supplied by the public water system or otherwise supplied by the County shall water only on designated days and shall use only hand-held hoses, drip or mist irrigation systems, or hand-held buckets between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (local time). Designated days are: (1) Even numbered addresses on Wednesday and Sunday; (2) Odd numbered addresses on Tuesday and Saturday; (3) No watering on Monday, Thursday or Friday.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)
The Board will have sole authority to determine which Water Conservation Stage is appropriate for all Water Service Areas, an individual Water Service Area, or any portion thereof, at any given period. The Board will set Water Conservation Stage(s) by resolution. The corresponding restrictions shall apply to all persons, year-round, unless otherwise stated or until the Board sets a different stage or declares by resolution that a water conservation stage is no longer necessary.
(Amended by Ord. No. 3494, effective 6-16-16)