Water Use Rules in Santa Rosa, CA

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

Turf Replacement Rebates

Santa Rosa's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance bars new turf in three site conditions on any project needing a building or grading permit, plan check, design review or utilities certificate: steep slopes, narrow planting strips and all street medians. The rule is enforced during plan check under City Code Section 14-30.040.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 14-30.040(B)(2)(f). Slope limit: No turf on slopes over 10%. Narrow strips: Barred in areas 8 ft wide or less. Medians/islands: Turf barred, any size. Appeal window: 10 City working days.

A landscape design plan that shows turf on a barred slope, narrow strip or median will not clear Step 1 final design review or Step 2 building permit plan check under Section 14-30.060, and the building permit's final approval is withheld until the Section 14-30.060(A)(3)(a)(v) landscape inspection passes. An applicant or affected person may appeal a plan check or final inspection decision to the Director of Water, and then to the Board of Public Utilities, by filing written notice within 10 City working days under Section 14-30.080; an appeal of a plan check decision must be filed before the landscape is installed or it is waived.

Leak Reporting Duty

Santa Rosa doesn't make you call in every drip, but it does make you fix one. City Code Section 14-21.020(B) counts an undiscovered or uncorrected leak as "water waste," and Section 14-21.050 fines customers who let it run, starting with a warning and climbing to $500 for repeat violations.

Key details: Leak defined as: Water waste under §14-21.020(B). 1st violation: Written warning only. 2nd violation: $100, waivable within 72 hrs. 3rd / 4th+ violation: $200 / $500. Appeal window: 15 calendar days.

A first leak violation draws a written warning only. A second draws a $100 penalty that Santa Rosa Water will lift if the customer shows active repair progress within 72 hours; a third costs $200, and a fourth or later costs $500, with each additional 72-hour stretch of an unrepaired leak counted as a fresh violation. Service disconnection is also on the table under Section 14-21.050(B).

Recycled Water Rules

Santa Rosa can require any customer who connected to the City water system on or after October 19, 2007 to run recycled water instead of potable water for every approved use. City Code Chapter 14-25 conditions that on a site-specific Recycled Water Use Permit, a designated Site Supervisor, and backflow testing, backed by service termination for violations.

Key details: Mandatory use trigger: Connections on/after Oct. 19, 2007. Eligible area: Entire Santa Rosa Urban Growth Boundary. Permit required: Site-specific Recycled Water Use Permit. Backflow testing: Quarterly inspection, annual test. Cure period: 15 days after written warning.

Under Section 14-25.110, the Director of Utilities can terminate a customer's recycled water service immediately for a violation of Chapter 14-25, no warning required. As an alternative, the Director may instead issue a written warning; if the customer has not fixed the violation within 15 days of that warning, or another period the Director sets, the Director can then terminate service without any further notice.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Santa Rosa actively enforces its recycled water rules requirements.

The Bottom Line

Santa Rosa'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 Santa Rosa is broadly strict or permissive.

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