Conservation Ordinance 09-01
Why Is There A Water Conservation Ordinance?
YLWD Mandatory Conservation Amount- 10%
Specific stage restrictions are below. |
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To report a possible violation |
This ordinance was passed by the Board of Directors May 14, 2009 and will go into effect JULY 1, 2009. It was passed, like many others throughout California, in response to the worsening water crisis. |
A copy of the full ordinance can be found here.
A copy of the Water Conservation Ordinance Trifold can be found here.
California has had one of the driest years on record, with eight of the past ten years meeting drought-level conditions. In addition to this, the imported water provider, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), has cut supplies to Orange County by 15% due to a regulatory drought imposed upon water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Those agencies that use more than their allotted amount will pay fines up to five times the cost of water.
As a District customer, nearly 50% of the water you use is imported through MWD at a current cost that amounts to nearly 35% of the District’s overall operational budget. We at the Yorba Linda Water District are committed to assisting our customers to meet these goals and avoid the heavy penalties by focusing on the reduction of water waste and maximizing the efficiency of water that is used.
What Does The Conservation Ordinance Cover?
The water conservation ordinance consists of permanent year-round restrictions, focused on the prevention of water waste, and four “Water Supply Shortage” stages. These stages would have increasing restrictions on water use in order to allow District to meet all health and safety guidelines in the face of water shortages. While the permanent restrictions would be in effect all the time, the District would change from stage to stage based on MWD’s declared “water condition alert”.
The ordinance contains a financial penalty structure similar to a code enforcement violation, for the waste of water. The fines that are collected will be used in furthering the District’s water conservation programs and held in reserve to offset any penalties incurred from MWD if the District exceeds its allowed allocation level. Without this ordinance, these penalties would be borne by all customers- conserving or not. All violations must be personally viewed by District personnel.
Examples of the permanent restrictions include:
- No irrigation between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. ***
- Limiting of irrigation to fifteen (15) minutes per station per day ***
- No irrigation when it is raining
- No runoff
- No washing down of hard or paved surfaces
*** Does not apply to irrigation systems that use drip-irrigation and weather-based controllers or stream rotor sprinklers that meet a 70% efficiency standard.
Water Supply Shortage Stages
These stages are based upon the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) “Water Supply Alert” stages. As the wholesaler of imported water, they not only directly affect 50% of YLWD’s water supply, but as they provide “replenishment water” to the Orange County Ground basin, MWD Alert stages also affect the groundwater half of YLWD’s water supply.
As MWD changes Alert stages, the Yorba Linda Water District will automatically change its Water Supply Shortage Stage. The YLWD Board of Directors may also change the Stage in the event of a local supply restriction that may or may not cause MWD to change its Alert stage. All Stages include the Permanent Water Restrictions.
Stage 1:
- Minimum Water Shortage- Reduce Usage by up to 10%
- Irrigation is limited to 3 times a week year-round. ***
- Odd-numbered billing addresses: M-W-F
- Even-numbered billing addresses: T-Th-Sat
- NO IRRIGATION ON SUNDAY
Stage 2:
- Moderate Water Shortage- Reduce Usage by 10%-20%
- Irrigation is limited to 3 times a week April 1st- October 31st ***
- Odd-numbered billing addresses: M-W-F
- Even-numbered billing addresses: T-Th-Sat
- NO IRRIGATION ON SUNDAY
- Irrigation is limited to 2 times a week
November 1st- March 31st *** - Odd-numbered billing addresses: Mon & Fri
- Even-numbered billing addresses: Tue & Sat
- NO IRRIGATION ON SUNDAY
- Leaks must be corrected within 2 days of receiving notice from the District
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The Board of Directors have elected to waive the limit of watering 2 days per week during the months of November 2009 thru March 2010. This means that you can continue to water 3 days per week during these months if needed. All other restrictions will remain the same. |
Stage 3:
- Severe Water Shortage- Reduce Usage by 20%-35%
- Irrigation is limited to 2 times a week April 1st- October 31st ***
- Odd-numbered billing addresses: Mon & Fri
- Even-numbered billing addresses: Tue & Sat
- Irrigation is limited to 1 times a week November 1st- March 31st ***
- Odd-numbered billing addresses: Monday
- Even-numbered billing addresses: Saturday
- Re-filling of more than 1 foot, and initial filling of residential swimming pools/spas is prohibited
Stage 4:
- Critical Water Shortage- Reduce Usage by more than 35%
- Irrigation is prohibited ***
- Leaks must be corrected within 1 day of receiving notice from the District.
- No new water service will be provided
*** Does not apply to irrigation systems that use drip-irrigation and weather-based controllers or stream rotor sprinklers that meet a 70% efficiency standard.
Conservation Ordinance Waiver
Pursuant to Section 6 of the ordinance, a waiver form (EXHIBIT A) . can be granted or conditionally granted under the following conditions:
- Due to unique circumstances a specific requirement would result in undue hardship
- The hardship is disproportionate in impact to other water users
- The waiver does not constitute a grant of special privileges
- The granting of the waiver is not detrimental to other properties or to the general welfare of the public
- The circumstances for the waiver are not common, recurrent or general in nature
- Conservation is currently being accomplished through previous installation of water saving features
- Applies to the property from the date of approval ONLY, any previous violations and/or subsequent penalties are FINAL.
Applying for a Waiver
- Download Exhibit A here.
- Pay $25 non-refundable processing fee
- Attach supporting documentation
- A written statement, photos, maps, drawings, etc as to why the variance should be granted.
- Appropriate supporting documentation accounts for 50% of the decision in granting or conditionally granting a waiver
- Mail to:
Conservation Ordinance Waiver
Yorba Linda Water District
1717 E. Miraloma Avenue
Placentia, CA 92870
Approval Authority
- General Manager’s Designee will act upon a completed application within 7 calendar days of receipt and may approve, conditionally approve, or deny an application.
- The decision of the Designee can be appealed to the General Manager within 7 calendar days of the denied waiver with a completed re-application of the waiver.
- The General Manager will act upon the 2nd waiver application within 30 calendar days.
Conservation Ordinance Violations
All violations must be personally observed by District employees. The fines for violations will be collected on the following water bill. Failure to pay a fine amount will be treated as nonpayment of the water bill and service may be terminated. In the event that the individual responsible for the payment of the water bill is not the violator of the ordinance, notification of penalties will go to both the violation address and the billing address on file. Payment of the bill will be the final responsibility of the individual named on the account.
Violations
- First Violation: Warning
- Second Violation: $100 fine
- Third Violation: $250 fine
- Fourth & Subsequent Violations: $500 fine
- A water flow restrictor and/or disconnection of service may be imposed at the discretion of the General Manager for willful violations of the ordinance
- Any fees associated with the restrictor and/or disconnection of service is also the full responsibility of the customer
Relief from Enforcement
- Download Exhibit I here.
- Supporting documents are encouraged
- Mail to:
Conservation Ordinance Violation Appeal
Yorba Linda Water District
1717 E. Miraloma Avenue
Placentia, CA 92870
- A protest of the violation must be filed within 14 calendar days of the date of the Notice of Violation. Any Notice not timely appealed will be FINAL.
- NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION, INCLUDING FINES, WILL BE ASSESSED UNTIL 14 CALENDAR DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE NOTICE UNLESS AN APPEAL IS FILED AND THEN NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL THE DECISION OF APPEAL IS MADE.
- The General Manager will act upon the Notice of Review (Exhibit I). within 30 calendar days and only under the following conditions:
- The violation is not covered by the current ordinance
- The violation is incorrect
- The violation did not occur
- Should the District deny the appeal, the violation can be further appealed to the Superior Court within 25 calendar days by filing a Form SC 100 to the Small Claims Division.