Here are the water conservation rules for homeowners in the city of Los Angeles.

Each phase corresponds to the severity of the drought. Find out here what phase we are currently in.¹From LAMC CH 12, SEC. 121.08. WATER CONSERVATION PHASES.

PHASE I

The following is prohibited:

1. Using a water hose to wash any paved surfaces including, but not limited to, sidewalks, walkways, driveways, and parking areas, except to alleviate immediate safety or sanitation hazards.

Note: This Section shall not apply to Department-approved water-conserving spray cleaning devices. Use of water-pressure devices for graffiti removal is exempt. A simple spray nozzle does not qualify as a water-conserving spray cleaning device.

2. Using water to clean, fill, or maintain levels in decorative fountains, ponds, lakes, or similar structures used for aesthetic purposes unless such water is part of a recirculating system.

3. Allowing water to leak from any pipe or fixture on the Customer’s premises

Note: failure or refusal to affect a timely repair of any leak of which the Customer knows or has reason to know shall subject said Customer to all penalties provided herein for a prohibited use of water.

4. Washing a vehicle with a hose if the hose does not have a self-closing water shut-off or device attached to it, or otherwise allow a hose to run continuously while washing a vehicle.

5. Irrigating or watering lawns or vegetation during periods of rain.

6. Watering or irrigating lawn, landscape, or other vegetated areas between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

7. Watering or irrigating any lawn, landscape, or other vegetated area in a manner that causes or allows excess or continuous water flow or runoff onto an adjoining sidewalk, driveway, street, gutter or ditch.

8. Installation of single pass cooling systems in buildings requesting new water service.

Also note the time limits for watering:

All irrigating of landscape with potable water using spray head sprinklers and bubblers shall be limited to no more than ten (10) minutes per watering day per station. All irrigating of landscape with potable water using standard rotors and multi-stream rotary heads shall be limited to no more than fifteen (15) minutes per cycle and up to two (2) cycles per watering day per station. Exempt from these landscape irrigation restrictions are irrigation systems using very low-flow drip-type irrigation when no emitter produces more than four (4) gallons of water per hour and micro-sprinklers using less than fourteen (14) gallons per hour. This provision does not apply to Schedule F water Customers or water service that has been granted the General Provision M rate adjustment under the City’s Water Rates Ordinance, subject to the Customer having complied with best management practices for irrigation approved by the Department. The 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. irrigation restriction shall apply unless specifically exempt as stated in subsection 7 above.

PHASE II

1.
Prohibited Uses Applicable To All Customers. Should Phase II be implemented, uses applicable to Phase I of this Section shall continue to be applicable, except as specifically provided below.

2.
Non-Watering Days. No landscape irrigation shall be permitted on any day other than Monday, Wednesday, or Friday for odd-numbered street addresses and Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday for even-numbered street addresses. Street addresses ending in ½ or any fraction shall conform to the permitted uses for the last whole number in the address. Watering times shall be limited to:
(a) Non-conserving nozzles (spray head sprinklers and bubblers) – no more than eight (8) minutes per watering day per station for a total of 24 minutes per week. (b) Conserving nozzles (standard rotors and multi-stream rotary heads) – no more than fifteen (15) minutes per cycle and up to two (2) cycles per watering day per station for a total of 90 minutes per week.
(With the above watering times, water consumption used for both types of nozzles is essentially equal.)

3.
These provisions do not apply to drip irrigation supplying water to a food source or to hand-held hose watering of vegetation, if the hose is equipped with a self-closing water shut-off device, which is allowed everyday during Phase II except between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm.

PHASE III
1.
Prohibited Uses Applicable to All Customers. Should Phase III be implemented, uses applicable to Phase I of this Section shall continue to be applicable, except as specifically provided below.

2.
Non-Watering Days. No landscape irrigation shall be permitted on any day other than Monday for odd-numbered street addresses and Tuesday for even-numbered street addresses. Street addresses ending in ½ or any fraction shall conform to the permitted uses for the last whole number in the address.

3.
No washing of vehicles allowed except at commercial car wash facilities.

4.
No filling of residential swimming pools and spas with potable water.

5.

These provisions do not apply to drip irrigation supplying water to a food source or to hand-held hose watering of vegetation, if the hose is equipped with a self-closing water shut-off device, which is allowed everyday during Phase IV except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

PHASE IV

1. Prohibited Uses Applicable To All Customers. Should Phase IV be implemented, uses applicable to Phases I, II, and III of this Section shall continue to be applicable, except as specifically provided below.

2. Non-Watering Days. No landscape irrigation allowed.

PHASE V

1.
Prohibited Uses Applicable To All Customers. Phases I, II, III, and IV of Section 121.08 shall continue to remain in effect.

2.
Additional Prohibited Uses – The Board is hereby authorized to implement additional prohibited uses of water based on the water supply situation. Any additional prohibition shall be published at least once in a daily newspaper of general circulation and shall become effective immediately upon such publication and shall remain in effect until cancelled.

F. EXCEPTION. The prohibited uses of water provided for by Subsections A, B, C, D, and E of this Section are not applicable to the uses of water necessary for public health and safety or for essential government services such as police, fire, and other similar emergency services.

G. VARIANCE. If, due to unique circumstances, a specific requirement of this Section would result in undue hardship to a Customer using water or to property upon which water is used, that is disproportionate to the impacts to water users generally or to similar property or classes of water uses, then the Customer may apply for a variance from the requirements. Unique circumstances include, but are not limited to, physical disabilities which prevent compliance with the Water Conservation Plan. The Department shall adopt procedures for variance applications, review, and decision.

FAILURE TO COMPLY.

A. Penalties – Water Meters Smaller Than Two Inches (2”). It shall be unlawful for any Customer of the Department to fail to comply with any of the provisions of this Article. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, the penalties set forth herein shall be exclusive and not cumulative with any other provisions of this Code. The penalties for failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Article shall be as follows:
1.
For the first violation by any Customer of any of the provisions of Subsection A, B, C and D of Section 121.08, the Department shall issue a written notice of the fact of such violation to the Customer.
2.
For a second violation by any Customer of any of the provisions of Subsection A, B, C and D of Section 121.08 within the preceding twelve (12) calendar months, a surcharge in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be added to the Customer’s water bill.
3.
For a third violation by any Customer of any of the provisions of Subsection A, B, C and D of Section 121.08 within the preceding twelve (12) calendar months, a surcharge in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200.00) shall be added to the Customer’s water bill.
4.
For a fourth and any subsequent violation by a Customer of any of the provisions of Subsection A, B, C and D of Section 121.08 within the preceding twelve (12) calendar months, a surcharge in the amount of three hundred dollars ($300.00) shall be added to the Customer’s water bill.

5.
After a fifth or subsequent violation, the Department may install a flow-restricting device of one-gallon-per-minute (1 GPM) capacity for services up to one and one-half inch (1-1/2”) size and comparatively sized restrictors for larger services or terminate a Customer’s service, in addition to the financial surcharges provided for herein. Such action shall be taken only after a hearing held by the Department where the Customer has an opportunity to respond to the Department’s information or evidence that the Customer has repeatedly violated this Article or Department rules regarding the conservation of water and that such action is reasonably necessary to assure compliance with this Article and Department rules regarding the conservation of water.

Any such restricted or terminated service may be restored upon application of the Customer made not less than forty-eight (48) hours after the implementation of the action restricting or terminating service and only upon a showing by the Customer that the Customer is ready, willing and able to comply with the provisions of this Article and Department rules regarding the conservation of water. Prior to any restoration of service, the Customer shall pay all Department charges for any restriction or termination of service and its restoration as provided for in the Department’s rules governing water service, including but not limited to payment of all past due bills and fines.