Pasadena's Water Use Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles water use rules a little differently. In Pasadena, California, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Leak Reporting Duty

Pasadena treats an unfixed leak as illegal water waste. Under Municipal Code Section 13.10.032.G, once you knew or should have known about a break, leak, or malfunction in your plumbing or distribution system, you have to fix it, and in no case more than 7 days after the Water and Power Department gives you notice.

Key details: Fix deadline: No more than 7 days after Department notice. Applies: At all times, not just during shortages (§13.10.032). Enforcement tool: Flow restrictor, ~1 gpm, after 48-hr notice. Escalation: Water service disconnection for continuing violations. Legal status: Deemed a public nuisance, summarily abatable.

A leak left unfixed is, by the ordinance's own terms, 'waste and an unreasonable use of water,' which triggers the chapter's enforcement chain: a flow restrictor or service disconnection under Section 13.10.095, and, under Section 13.10.105, treatment of the ongoing leak as a public nuisance the city can summarily abate, with each day of the leak counted as a new, separate offense.

Turf Replacement Rebates

New multifamily landscaping in Pasadena can't be mostly lawn. Municipal Code Section 17.44.070.C.3, the 'City of Gardens' standard for RM-district projects, caps turf at 20 percent of the total landscaped area and bans it entirely from narrow strips, slopes, and other hard-to-irrigate spots.

Key details: Turf cap: 20% of total landscaped area maximum. Applies to: RM District 'City of Gardens' multifamily projects. Excluded areas: Parkways under 5 ft, sidewalk strips, slopes. Maintenance duty: Permanently maintained; dead plants replaced promptly. Occupancy surety: 120% of plant/irrigation/installation value.

Because the turf cap is enforced through the landscape plan the Zoning Administrator must approve before a building permit issues, installing more than 20 percent turf, or removing required landscaping without an equivalent replacement, puts the project out of compliance with its approved plan and its certificate of occupancy; the city can call on the posted 120-percent surety and pursue standard zoning-code enforcement to force a correction.

Recycled Water Rules

Pasadena runs a separate purple-pipe system for recycled and other non-potable water, and Chapter 13.11 makes using it mandatory for landscape and agricultural irrigation on qualifying properties. New construction near the non-potable system gets evaluated automatically, and using non-potable water for anything but its approved purpose is a punishable offense.

Key details: Mandatory uses: Landscape/agricultural irrigation, aesthetic impoundments. Conversion trigger: Within 500 ft of a non-potable main. Retrofit threshold: 200,000 cu ft (2,000 billing units)/year. Conversion cost: Borne entirely by the customer. Infraction fine: Up to $500/day.

Section 13.11.065 splits penalties in two: any violation of Chapter 13.11 is an infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500, with each day of an ongoing violation a separate offense, while an intentional or negligent violation exposes the violator to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day, on top of any other remedy available under local, state, or federal law.

The Bottom Line

Pasadena's water use rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Pasadena is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Pasadena's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.