What Does the Watering Ban Cover?

Currently, all non-essential outdoor water uses are prohibited until further notice.

To keep your plants happy and comply with the ban you can make use of rain barrels. But what exactly does this ban cover and what are the exceptions?

Outdoor Water Use Restrictions, Permitted Uses and Uses Not Subject to Mandatory Restrictions

Non - essential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include:

• Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems
• Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety
• Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement.

The following outdoor water uses are permitted during period s of mandatory restrictions:

• Irrigation to establish a new lawn and new plantings; • Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
• Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of a handheld hose.

Outdoor water uses NOT subject to mandatory restrictions are those required:

• For health or safety reasons
• By regulation
• For the production of food and fiber
• For the maintenance of livestock
• To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by golf courses as necessary to maintain tees, greens, and limited fairway watering, or irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).