Water Use Rules in Pembroke Pines, FL

If you live in Pembroke Pines or are thinking about moving there, water use rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Pembroke Pines has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of water use rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Recycled Water Rules

Pembroke Pines Code of Ordinances § 155.666(G) lets property owners irrigate with reclaimed water for lawns, golf courses, cemeteries, parks and more, and § 50.35(C)(1) frees reclaimed-water users from the city's restricted watering-day schedule that binds everyone else.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 155.666(G). Reclaimed water defined at: § 50.35(B). Watering-day exemption: § 50.35(C)(1). Default penalty: Up to $500 fine or 90 days, § 10.99. Connection trigger: Backflow inspection required on hookup.

No specific penalty is written into § 155.666, so a violation falls back to the city's general penalty, § 10.99: a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. Code Enforcement Officers and the Public Services Department administer compliance.

The rules around recycled water rules in Pembroke Pines lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Leak Reporting Duty

Pembroke Pines gives utility customers a path to a partial sewer credit when metered water leaks into the ground before reaching the sewer system. The Utilities Division requires proof of the leak and the repair, not just a phone call, before it will adjust a bill.

Key details: Governing section: Code of Ordinances § 50.54(B). Documentation deadline: 60 days from discovery of leak. Required proof: Copy of plumber's repair bill. Credit basis: Prior six-month average consumption. Billing dispute window: 20 days under § 50.08(F).

There is no fine for a leak itself. Missing the 60-day plumber's-bill deadline in § 50.54(B) simply forfeits the partial sewer credit, and the customer remains liable for the full metered charge. Separately, failing to pay a delinquent utility balance, leak-related or not, within 60 days of the past-due date triggers service disconnection and additional charges under § 50.08(G).

The Bottom Line

Pembroke Pines'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 Pembroke Pines is broadly strict or permissive.

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