Davis rewrites its year-round water rules for Nov. 19; decorative-turf ban phases in from 2027

Davis has rewritten its permanent water-waste rules, the restrictions that apply year-round rather than only during a declared shortage. The City Council introduced the ordinance Oct. 6 and adopted it Oct. 20 as part of its consent calendar, and it takes effect 30 days after adoption, on Nov. 19. Staff said the update brings the municipal code in line with the Water Shortage Contingency Plan the council adopted in May and adds a state ban on watering nonfunctional, or decorative, turf with drinking water, which water suppliers must put into their rules by Jan. 1, 2027 under Assembly Bill 1572. Stricter limits for more severe shortages are set out in the contingency plan and can be imposed by council resolution.

For landscapes, sprinkler watering is limited to three days a week, with no assigned schedule. Drip, micro-irrigation and soaker hoses are exempt, as are sprinkler systems run by weather- or soil-moisture-based controllers. Landscape watering isn’t allowed between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., except by hand with a container or a hose with a shut-off nozzle, briefly while adjusting sprinklers, or with low-volume systems such as drip. Potable water can’t be applied to outdoor landscapes in a way that causes more than incidental runoff onto neighboring property, walkways, streets or parking lots, and turf and ornamental landscapes can’t be watered during or within 48 hours after a quarter inch or more of rain.

The decorative-turf ban covers commercial, industrial and institutional properties other than cemeteries, plus the common areas of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments and community service organizations; the ordinance doesn’t extend it to individual homes. It phases in on Jan. 1, 2027 for properties owned by the state Department of General Services and for properties owned by local governments, local or regional public agencies and public water systems; Jan. 1, 2028 for other institutional, commercial and industrial properties; and Jan. 1, 2029 for HOA and similar common areas. Public properties in disadvantaged communities follow on Jan. 1, 2031, or when state funding is available, whichever is later. Watering to keep trees and perennial non-turf plants alive, water needed for fire suppression or erosion control, cemeteries, parks, sports fields and other spaces for community assembly, and agricultural irrigation are exempt. Staff said owners of larger properties, with more than 5,000 square feet of irrigated area, will have to certify their compliance with the State Water Resources Control Board starting in 2030 or 2031, depending on property type.

Eating or drinking establishments — restaurants, hotels, cafes, cafeterias, bars and other public places where food or drink are served or purchased — may serve drinking water only on request. Restaurants, specifically, must use pre-rinse spray valves when washing dishes. Hotels and motels must let guests decline daily linen and towel changes and post a notice saying so. A hose that dispenses drinking water to wash a vehicle needs a shut-off nozzle, drinking water can’t be applied directly to driveways or sidewalks except for health and safety, and drinking water can’t be used in an ornamental fountain or decorative water feature unless it is part of a recirculating system. Property owners must fix leaks and broken fixtures connected to city water when they find them or within 72 hours of a city notice; if repairs take longer, they need a repair plan and must cut water use until the work is done.

The ordinance says the city emphasizes education and will try to work with residents and property owners at each step before escalating, under procedures set by the public works director. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to 30 days in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Under the state Water Code, violators can also face civil liability of up to $10,000, though a residential user’s first violation is capped at $1,000 unless the user had actual notice, acted intentionally and wasted a substantial amount of water. Staff said the update itself fits within the Public Works budget, but enforcing stricter shortage stages could require more code enforcement staffing.