Water Shortage Contingency Plan: Rule 14.1

The following are the conservation measures outlined in Del Oro's Rule 14.1. The complete rule may be downloaded here. These measures may be activated at any time by means of a notice mailed to customers.

Voluntary Conservation has been in effect for ALL districts since March 2014.

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Prohibited Uses of Water

Repairs & Other Requirements

Irrigiation (Outside Watering) Restrictions

Prohibited Uses of Water:

Except where necessary to address an immediate health or safety need or to comply with a term or condition in a permit issued by a state or federal agency, customers are prohibited, at all times, from using potable water for the following actions, as each is declared a non-essential, wasteful use of water:

1. Use of potable water through a broken or defective plumbing fixture or irrigation system when DOWC has notified the customer in writing to repair the broken or defective plumbing fixture or irrigation system, and the customer has failed to effect such repairs within seven (7) business days of receipt of such notice;
    
2. The application of potable water to landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures;
    
3. The use of a hose that dispenses potable water to wash vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, boats, aircraft, and trailers, whether motorized or not, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use.

Customers are prohibited from using potable water for the following actions:

Stage 1:

1. The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks
    
2. The use of potable water in a water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system
    
3. The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes during and within forty-eight (48) hours after measurable rainfall

Stage 2:

1. ALL items prohibited in Stage 1
    
2. The serving of drinking water other than upon request in eating or drinking establishments, including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, cafes, cafeterias, bars, or other public places where food or drink are served and/or purchased
    
3. Irrigation of ornamental landscape on public street medians
    
4. Irrigation outside of newly constructed homes and buildings with potable water unless the potable water is delivered by a drip irrigation systems and/or micro spray irrigation systems
    
5. Re-filling and initial filling of single-family residential swimming pools or outdoor spas with potable water, except to maintain required operating levels of existing pools and spas or as a result of completing structural repairs to the swimming pool or outdoor spa.
    
6. Filling or re-filling ornamental lakes or ponds with potable water, except to the extent needed to sustain aquatic life, provided that such animals are of significant value and have been actively managed within the water feature prior to the implementation of any staged mandatory restrictions of water use as described in this Rule.

Stage 3:

1. ALL items prohibited in Stages 1 and 2
    
2. Use of potable water for street cleaning with trucks, except for initial wash-down for construction purposes (if street sweeping is not feasible)
    
3. Use of potable water for construction purposes, such as consolidation of backfill, dust control, or other uses unless no other source of water or other method can be used
    
4. Stage 2 Item 5 is CHANGED to: Limits on Filling Residential Swimming Pools and Spas: Re-filling and initial filling of single-family residential swimming pools or outdoor spas with potable water is prohibited (previous Stages allowed certain exceptions).

Stage 4:

1. ALL items prohibited in Stages 1, 2, and 3
    
2. Stage 3 Item 2 is CHANGED to: Use of potable water for street cleaning with trucks (the previous Stage allowed certain exceptions)
    
3. Stage 3 Item 3 is CHANGED to: Use of potable water for construction purposes, such as consolidation of backfill, dust control, or other uses (the previous Stage allowed certain exceptions)

All Stages:

Other duly adopted restrictions on the use potable water as prescribed from time to time by the Commission or other authorized government agencies are incorporated herein by reference.

Repairs & Other Requirements:

For Stages 2, 3, and 4:

Operators of hotels and motels shall provide guests with the option of choosing not to have towels and linens laundered daily. The hotel or motel shall prominently display notice of this option in each guest room using clear and easily understood language.

For ALL Stages:

All leaks, breaks, or other malfunctions in the customer’s plumbing fixture(s) or irrigation system(s) must be repaired within the time frame specified below of written notification by DOWC, unless other arrangements are made with DOWC.

• Stage 1: Five (5) Business days
• Stage 2: Three (3) Business days
• Stage 3: Two (2) Business days
• Stage 4: One (1) Business days

Irrigation (Outside Watering) Restrictions:

Irrigating ornamental landscape with potable water is prohibited during the hours between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Irrigating ornamental landscapes with potable water is limited to the following schedules:

Stages 1, 2, and 3:

No more than three (3) days per week in Stages 1 & 2 and no more than two (2) days per week in Stage 3, as follows:

Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, irrigation of special landscape areas or commercial nurseries may occur as needed, provided that the customer who wishes to irrigate a special landscape area or commercial nursery presents DOWC with a plan to achieve water use reductions commensurate with those that would be achieved by complying with foregoing restrictions.

Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, when a city, county, or other local public agency in one of DOWC’s service areas duly adopts restrictions on the number of days or hours of the day that customers may irrigate which are different than those adopted by DOWC, DOWC may enforce the city, county, or other local public agency’s restrictions.

The foregoing restrictions do not apply to:

• Landscape irrigation zones that exclusively use drip irrigation systems and/or micro spray irrigation system;
   
• Irrigating ornamental landscapes with the use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, with a continuously monitored hose which is fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use or monitored, or for the express purpose of adjusting or repairing an irrigation system.

Stage 4:

Irrigating ornamental landscape with potable water is prohibited, except when a hand-held bucket or a similar container, or a continuously monitored hose which is fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use or monitored is used to maintain vegetation, including trees and shrubs.

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