JimmieJoe

Visalia’s City Council recently invoked severe water use restrictions for landscaping and car washing.

Here’s the info on the rules, now in effect in Visalia, brazenly appropriated from the City’s own website:

Odd = Addresses ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)
Even = Addresses ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) 

June through September

• Even addresses water on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
• Odd addresses water on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

March, April, November and December

• Even addresses water on Sunday
• Odd addresses water on Saturday

May and October

• Even addresses water on Wednesday and Sunday
• Odd addresses water on Tuesday and Saturday

January and February

• Watering is not permitted on any day

Watering Times and Duration

• Water before 10:00 am or after 8:00 pm on your watering day.
• Watering duration is limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per station per day. Multiple short cycles are recommended. 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 14 gallons per hour are exempt from these duration restrictions, but are still subject to the water day requirements.
• Excessive runoff is prohibited.

Exceptions to Watering Schedule

• Supervised testing, adjusting, or repairing of irrigation systems is allowed any time for no more than five (5) minutes per station with official City of Visalia signage notifying the public of the testing.
• Watering or irrigating shrubs and trees, or vegetation intended for human consumption, is allowed by use of an attended hand-held bucket or similar container, or an attended hand-held hose equipped with a positive shut-off nozzle or device. This exception does not apply to watering of lawns.
• A plant establishment exception for new permanent landscapes is allowed by permit. The plant establishment exception allows for irrigation on non-watering days for a period of 21 days subject to the duration requirements above. The plant establishment exception does not apply to annual plants. No more than one (1) plant establishment permit will be issued for an address per year.
• Sports Fields are defined as a public or private facility improved with apparatus and/or striping supporting a public benefit use or business necessity that provides turf areas as playing surface for regularly scheduled (at least weekly) individual and team sports, and does not include a facility on a residential property. Sports Fields and public and private golf course greens and tees may deviate from the mandatory irrigation day and time restrictions in order to maintain play areas and accommodated event schedules by submitting to the city manager or designee an alternative watering schedule that reduces overall water use by 20 percent from the average used from March to October of the year prior to the Stage 4 declaration.
• Large Landscape Areas are defined as an area of vegetation at least three (3) acres in size supporting a business necessity or public benefit use such as parks, golf courses, schools, and cemeteries. Large Landscape Areas may deviate from the mandatory irrigation day restrictions by submitting to the city manager or designee an alternative watering schedule that reduces overall water use by 30 percent from the average used from March to October of the year prior to the Stage 4 declaration.

Other Restrictions and Provisions

• Overseeding of lawns with annual ryegrass is prohibited. Exception is provided for maintenance of Sports Fields, as defined in Section 6 of this subsection, and golf course greens and tees.
• Filling or re-filling ornamental lakes or ponds is prohibited, except to the extent needed to sustain aquatic life.
• All outdoor mist cooling systems related to human comfort are prohibited.
• The draining of swimming pools more than once every three years, except for structural repairs or to comply with public health standards determined by the County Health Officer or City code enforcement officer, shall be prohibited. Any resident whose swimming pool is drained by order of the City or County for failure to maintain it property will also be issued a notice of violation. The draining of pools for reasons of health and safety hazards as determined by a City officer or department of health is permitted. Pool drain permit applications shall include the results of a pool water test conducted by an independent testing organization which shows a cyanuric acid level above 100 parts per million, total dissolved solids over 2,500 parts per million, or calcium over 450 parts per million, or a statement of repairs from a licensed pool contractor stating the nature and duration of repairs to be made and the date on which the pool will be drained.
• Leaks must be repaired within 48 hours of discovery.
• The washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, patios or other paved areas is prohibited, unless it is necessary for the health and safety of the public.
• Restaurants are required to serve water to customers only upon request.
• The operation of ornamental fountains or other structure making similar use of water is prohibited unless the fountain uses a recycling system.
• The washing of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes is only permitted on designated watering days. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand held bucket, or hand held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses.

Enforcement

Non-compliance of the City of Visalia Water Conservation Ordinance will result in one written warning from the City of Visalia or California Water Service Company before the issuance of a citation. A second violation within a 12 month period will result in issuance of a citation with a fine of $100.00; a second citation will result in a fine of $200.00 and a third or more citations fines of $500.00. Willful and egregious violations such as draining a pool without a permit will result in issuance of a citation without a warning. Each day that a violation continues, shall be regarded as a new and separate offense..

For more information about the City of Visalia Water Conservation Ordinance please call 713-4531 or email the Visalia Natural Resource Conservation Division: nronline@ci.visalia.ca.us.   Thank you for your efforts in helping to preserve our most precious resource . . . water.