Water Conservation Rules — New Construction

Requirements for new construction to include the installation of zero water use urinals, high-efficiency toilets; high-efficiency clothes washers, water-efficient landscaping, and ET-based irrigation controls.

Download or View the Water Conservation Ordinance — Ordinance #40 (PDF)

To learn more about the requirements for New Construction including hot water recirculation systems, high-efficiency appliances and fixtures, and landscape and irrigation design, download or view:

• Engineering Procedures Guidelines and Design Requirements

For more specific information on landscaping and irrigation systems to be installed in our District, download or view:

• Design Criteria for Landscaping and Irrigation Systems
• Design Criteria for Recycled Water Facilities (Irrigation Systems)

For your convenience, the landscape forms required for New Construction are available below for downloading:

• Certificate of Substantial Completion
• Water Budget and Irrigation Schedule
• Plan Review Checklist

• All toilets must be retrofitted with toilets with a maximum flush capacity of 1.6 gallons per flush or less. No flush devices or conversion devices of any other kind will be accepted.
• All showerheads must be retrofitted with low-flow showerheads with a maximum flow capacity of 2.5 gallons per minute or less. These low-flow showerheads must also have a shut-off button. Installing flow restrictors in existing showerheads does not satisfy the requirement.

• Conventional urinals must be replaced with zero-water-use urinals.
• Conventional clothes washers must be replaced with high-efficiency clothes washers.
• All toilets must be retrofitted with toilets with a maximum flush capacity of 1.6 gallons per flush or less. No flush devices or conversion devices of any other kind will be accepted.
• All showerheads must be retrofitted with low-flow showerheads with a maximum flow capacity of 2.5 gallons per minute or less. These low-flow showerheads must also have a shut-off button. Installing flow restrictors in existing showerheads does not satisfy the requirement.

• Watering lawns or other landscaping between the hours of 10:00 am and 5:00 pm except with a hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle.
• Allowing substantial amounts of water to run off the area being watered.
• Hosing hard surfaces such as driveways and sidewalks with water, except as specifically permitted by the District for public health and safety reasons.
• Permitting the escape of water through breaks or leaks in plumbing facilities (once a leak is detected, it must be repaired within 72 hours).