Water Use Rules in Pomona, CA

If you live in Pomona 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. Pomona has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of water use rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Recycled Water Rules

Pomona's water code splits reclaimed water into two grades, Class II water bought from the LA County Sanitation District 21 Pomona plant or the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, and impaired city well water. Both are billed at council-set rates, and every reclaimed water customer must also follow the state's own usage rules.

Key details: Governing section: City Code Sec. 62-195. Class II water source: LA Co. Sanitation Dist. 21 or Inland Empire Utilities Agency. Impaired water: City well water, below full potable standard. Rate-setting: Fixed by city council resolution. State oversight: Reclaimed water use regulated by the state.

Sec. 62-195 carries no separate penalty of its own, so enforcement runs through the utility services department's general authority over water accounts. Refusing an authorized inspector access to premises supplied with city water, including reclaimed-water connections, lets the department cut off water after 24 hours' written notice of intent under Sec. 62-193. Utilities-chapter misdemeanors are otherwise punishable, per Sec. 62-361(a)'s cross-reference to Sec. 1-7, by up to 30 days in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Leak Reporting Duty

Pomona treats an unrepaired water leak as unlawful waste. Once a customer knows, or should reasonably know, about a break, leak or plumbing malfunction, City Code Sec. 62-354(e) gives them at most seven days after city notice to fix it before the city can discontinue service to willful violators.

Key details: Governing section: City Code Sec. 62-354(e). Standard repair deadline: 7 days after city notice. Level 1 shortage deadline: 72 hours (Sec. 62-355(b)(2)). Level 2 shortage deadline: 48 hours (Sec. 62-356(b)(2)). Level 3 emergency deadline: 24 hours (Sec. 62-357(b)(2)).

Sec. 62-361 sets escalating fines for any violation of the conservation division, including an unrepaired leak: up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a second violation of the same provision within a year, and up to $500 for each further violation within that year. The city may also install a flow-restrictor device (about one gallon per minute) after 48 hours' written notice, or disconnect and terminate service outright; a violation may alternatively be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in county jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Pomona actively enforces its leak reporting duty requirements.

Turf Replacement Rebates

Pomona's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance caps how much of a landscaped area can be covered in living turf grass. Sec. 1300.O bars turf from exceeding 50 percent of the total landscape on any permitted project, while Sec. 1300.F.8.h separately limits turf to 45 percent of required landscaping for commercial and industrial sites and 75 percent for multifamily projects.

Key details: Residential turf cap for full points: 40 percent of landscape area. Absolute turf ceiling, all projects: 50 percent of total landscape. Commercial/industrial turf cap: 45 percent of required landscaping. Multifamily residential turf cap: 75 percent of required landscaping. Minimum plan score required: 100 of 140 points.

A landscape plan that exceeds the turf caps, or that otherwise fails to reach 100 of 140 required points under Sec. 1300.O, is rejected by the Development Services Department and cannot be permitted for installation. Installing turf beyond the caps without an approved plan is enforced as a Sec. 1300 violation routed, per Sec. 11110, to Division 5 enforcement of the Pomona City Code for correction notices and citations.

The Bottom Line

Pomona'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 Pomona is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Pomona's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.