LA City and County Water Use Laws.

(Edited 3/17/15: Info to LADWP ordinances added at bottom)

We're in a drought, folks. Here's what you should and not do re: water use.

State-wide restrictions from an official LA County site (I tried to fill out the report form here, but apparently, "County" means "Not City" (http://dpw.lacounty.gov/general/faq/index.cfm?action=NewQuestion&AppSubject=Report%20a%20Problem%3A%20Water%20Wasting&Category=Water&ReqDivision=WWD&crossStreet=1):

Watering outdoor landscapes in a manner that caused runoff such that water flows into adjacent property of street, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways or driveways, parking lots, or structures

Washing a motor vehicle, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle

Watering driveways and sidewalks

Operating a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system

(Source: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/Conservation/Drought-2014.aspx)


***From a summary site (site says it's for all LADPW customers).***

LADWP customers cannot:

• Use water to wash any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways or parking areas, unless flushing is needed to protect health and safety

• Use water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains unless the water is part of a recirculating system

• Serve water to customers in eating establishments unless requested

• Permit leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired

• Allow for the washing of a vehicle without using a hose with a self-closing, shut-off device

• Permit watering during periods of rain

• Irrigate landscaping between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Water outdoors for more than 15 minutes per watering station, 10 minutes for other irrigation systems

• Allow runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering

• Install single-pass cooling systems in new buildings

• Install non-recirculating systems in new car wash and commercial laundry
systems

• Permit large landscape areas to water without rain sensors that shut off
irrigation systems

You should:

• Inform hotels and motel guests of the option to reuse towels;

• Allow for exemptions for using gray water.

(Source: http://www.lawaterrestrictions.net/current-water-restrictions/)

***Here is a link to the the LADWP rules and ordinances***

Main page: https://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/faces/wcnav_externalId/a-w-ordinc-codes?_adf.ctrl-state=yq2n30a08_4&_afrLoop=607549894880565 

PDF with detailed rules: https://www.ladwp.com/cs/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=LADWP004832&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased

Concise, user-friendly summary of LA city-specific rules: https://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/faces/wcnav_externalId/a-w-drought-bust?_adf.ctrl-state=kgv8abo30_4&_afrLoop=608025526741600&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=yq2n30a08_1#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dyq2n30a08_1%26_afrLoop%3D608025526741600%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dyq2n30a08_25