Fairfield Municipal Code Art. 22.55 Water Usage

A. Water resources available to the city shall be put to the maximum beneficial use possible. The purpose of this article is to prevent the misuse, or unreasonable use, or unreasonable method of use of water.

B. The provisions of this article shall apply to all persons, customers, and property served water by the city. The provisions of this article are not applicable to uses of water that are necessary to protect public health and safety or for essential services, such as police, fire, and other similar emergency services.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))

Water delivered to customers shall be used only for reasonable and beneficial use at all times. No customer or user shall knowingly waste or permit the waste of water. The following prohibitions and regulations shall be in effect at all times.

A. Failure by any person to promptly repair a controllable water leak shall be prohibited. A "controllable" water leak is defined as any leak occurring from the customer’s water system including plumbing and irrigation fixtures for which the customer owns and/or is responsible. This definition includes the entire water system within the boundaries of the customer’s property. For example, broken sprinkler heads, leaking hose bibs, or broken water lines (under the customer’s home) are considered controllable water leaks. A person is not responsible for any portion of the system owned by the City or other public agency (e.g., water meter).

B. Landscape irrigation utilizing individual sprinklers or sprinkler systems of lawns, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs, or other plants shall occur only before 12:00 noon or after 6:00 pm. This restriction is applicable only during daylight savings time unless changed hereafter by resolution of the City Council.

C. Landscape irrigation in a manner that causes runoff, or within 48 hours after measurable precipitation, is prohibited.

D. Hosing off sidewalks, driveways and other hardscapes is prohibited, unless necessary to protect public health and safety.

E. Use of non-recirculating systems in new conveyor car wash and commercial laundry systems is prohibited.

F. Use of non-recirculating systems in a fountain or other decorative water features is prohibited.

G. Irrigating nonfunctional turf as defined in AB 1572 is prohibited.

H. All new installation of cooling systems using potable water as a coolant shall be recycling systems only. No single pass cooling systems shall be allowed.

I. Use of potable water for non-potable uses, including irrigation of landscape areas or industrial use, is prohibited when suitable non-potable water (including raw water) is available to an area.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))