Chapter 15.36 — WATER CONSERVATION

All interior plumbing for new construction shall meet, and continue to meet, these minimum requirements:

A.

Toilet shall use not more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush;

B.

Shower heads shall use not more than 1.6 gallons of water per minute;

C.

Kitchen and lavatory faucets shall use not more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute;

D.

Hot water pipes shall be thermally insulated;

E.

Multiple shower and lavatory installations within nonresidential facilities shall be equipped with self-closing valves, except where necessary to protect the public health and safety.

F.

The manufacturer's name and model of each type of water saving fixture to be utilized shall be supplied to the building department before installation.

(Ord. 91-245 (part), 1991).

All nonresidential water users within the city, including existing commercial, and industrial uses, that undergo expansion or remodeling shall retrofit all shower and washbasin faucet plumbing fixtures which are installed, but which do not meet low water-use plumbing fixture standards, with shower head with a maximum flow capacity of 1.6 gallons per minute (gpm), and washbasin faucets with aerators which limit

the flow rate to a maximum of 2.5 gpm. Further, all toilets which exceed 2.6 gallons per flush shall be retrofitted with toilet water use reduction devices capable of reducing flow by at least 1.0 gallon per flush. The city shall defer the retrofit requirement of this section for any plumbing fixture for which present technology is not available to cause the required flow reduction, such as in flushometer-style toilet fixtures, or where retrofitting is not otherwise feasible. When feasible, retrofit shall be required at time technology becomes available.

(Ord. 91-245 (part), 1991).

For services other than single-family residences, applicants shall submit landscape and irrigation plans for review by the city. Said new landscape shall meet, and continue to meet, these following minimum requirements:

A.

Turf areas shall be limited to the lesser of twenty-five percent of the total developed landscape or fifteen percent of the total project area in services irrigated with potable water. In landscapes irrigated with reclaimed water, turf areas shall be limited to not more than forty percent of the total landscaped area. The city, in conjunction with the district, may waive this requirement if sufficient evidence is presented documenting the functional need for additional turf (e.g. parks).

B.

Other high-water use plant materials (e.g., annual beds, containers) and water features (e.g., ornamental pools, fountains) shall be limited to not more than ten percent of the total developed landscape area.

C.

Turf and other high-water use plant materials are prohibited in median strips, parking islands, and areas that cannot be irrigated efficiently (e.g., narrow strips, beds with sharply curved perimeters).

D.

All other plantings shall be composed of low-water use plant materials (as found in the city's, or district's, low-water use plant list, or other qualified sources), used in appropriate applications with respect to exposure, slope, soil and other site specific criteria. The city, at its sole discretion, may waive this requirement if sufficient evidence is presented that the site is not suitable for such plants.

E.

All landscaped areas shall be irrigated by an automatic irrigation system designed or approved by a registered landscape architect or other irrigation professional. Plans shall include calculated precipitation rates for each valve circuit, which shall be compatible with soil texture.

Irrigation system requirements include:

Electric controller with repeat start time and multiple program potential, set for night and/or early morning irrigation;

2.

Automatic rain shut-off valve for each controller;

3.

Low precipitation rate sprinkler heads in areas of slopes exceeding ten percent (10%);

4.

Efficient sprinkler head layout and system design for minimum runoff and overspray onto nonlandscaped areas;

5.

Sprinkler operation time shall be from twelve (12:00) midnight to four (4:00) a.m. Duration of operation shall be no more than fifteen (15) minutes per station;

6.

Check valves for low-head drainage, where elevation differential between heads may cause runoff;

7.

Matched precipitation rates within each valve circuit;

8.

Separate valves for the following:

a.

Turf areas;

b.

Plant materials with similar water needs;

c.

Exposure variations; and

d.

Slope variations, where appropriate;

9.

Drip irrigation, where appropriate.

F.

Site preparation shall be suitable to encourage healthy growing conditions for low-water use plant materials, including:

1.

Scarifying of existing soil to minimum depth of six (6) inches;

2.

Amendment of existing soil with organic materials at a minimum rate of five (5) cubic yards per one thousand (1000) square feet or as otherwise recommended by soil analysis; and

3.

Mulching of nonturf areas with a minimum two (2) inches of organic materials.

The city will consider and may allow the substitution of well-designed conservation alternatives or innovations which may equally reduce water consumption for any of these requirements.

(Ord. 91-245 (part), 1991).

No water user shall waste any water supplied through the distribution facilities of the Arvin community services district. The following uses of water constitute "waste" as used in this chapter:

A.

The watering of grass, lawns, ground-cover, shrubbery, open ground, crops and trees, including agricultural irrigation, in a manner or to an extent which allows substantial amounts of excess water to run off the area being watered. Every water user is deemed to have under his control at all times his water distribution lines and facilities and to know the manner and extent of his water use and excess run-off;

B.

The washing of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots and all other hard-surfaced areas by direct hosing, except such as may be necessary to dispose of flammable or otherwise dangerous liquids or substances or otherwise necessary to prevent or eliminate matters dangerous to the public health and safety;

C.

The washing of motor vehicles with a hose that is not fitted with an automatic shut-off device;

D.

The escape of water through breaks or leaks within the water user's plumbing or distribution system or any substantial period of time within which such break or leak should reasonably have been discovered and

corrected. It shall be presumed that a period of eight (8) hours after the water user discovers such leak or break, whichever occurs first, is a reasonable time within which to correct such leak or break;

E.

The use of water by governmental entities or agencies for:

1.

Routine water system flushing for normal maintenance,

2.

Routine sewer system flushing for normal maintenance, and

3.

Fire personnel training, except as approved in writing by the city;

F.

The watering of grass, lawns ground-cover, shrubbery and open ground within any portions of the city between the hours of ten (10:00) a.m. and four (4:00) p.m. daily.

G.

Nothing in this chapter precludes existing residents from also complying with this chapter.

(Ord. 91-245 (part), 1991).