§ 13.08.232. Time-of-day landscape watering restrictions.

A.

Purpose. It is in the public interest to conserve water resources and to promote efficient use of water on public and private amenity landscapes; and to protect and enhance the community's economic, environmental, recreational, and aesthetic resources by reducing water waste and promoting water use efficiency in amenity landscape irrigation.

B.

Restrictions. Sprinkler irrigation of public and private amenity landscapes should be limited to those periods where the maximum benefit can be obtained from the water used.

1.

Where feasible, such irrigation should be limited to the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. and to times of low wind, to avoid excessive loss of water through evapotranspiration.

2.

Water users are strongly encouraged to avoid overwatering and/or wasting of water; and to apply water at the times and using the methods most appropriate for the soils and groundcover involved, with due consideration for the limited nature of water as a resource and the need for such water by others.

C.

Definitions.

1.

Sprinkler irrigation. The application of water to land and/or plants by distributing water under pressure through spray, rotary, or drip heads.

2.

Amenity landscape. A parcel of land upon which landscaping materials are present for purposes other than necessity.

3.

Public landscape. A parcel of land, owned by public entities, upon which grass and/or plants require irrigation.

4.

Private landscape. A parcel of land, owned by a private person or entity, upon which grass and/or plants require irrigation.

5.

Evapotranspiration. The loss of water from a land area due to the transpiration of plants and evaporation from soil.

6.

Transpiration. The loss of water vapor through the pores or stoma of plants.

(Ord. No. 2002-04-14, § I, 4-30-2002; Ord. No. 2003-04-07, §§ I—III, 4-22-2003)