Water Use Rules in Santa Rosa, CA (2026)
3 verified water use rules for Santa Rosa, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
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.
Santa Rosa Bars New Turf on Slopes, Medians
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code § 14-30.040(B)(2)(f)
Turf shall not be planted in the following conditions: (i) Slopes exceeding 10 percent; (ii) Planting areas eight feet wide or less; (iii) Street medians, traffic islands, planter strips or bulbouts of any size.
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.
Santa Rosa Mandatory Recycled Water Use Rules
Significant RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code §§ 14-25.020, 14-25.040
The State of California has declared that the use of potable water for non-potable uses is a waste or unreasonable use of water if recycled water is available. The City owns and operates the recycled water distribution system providing recycled water for approved purposes. The City also owns and operates the potable water distribution system. ... The City reserves the right to require all custo...
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.
Santa Rosa Treats an Unfixed Leak as Water Waste
Some RestrictionsSanta Rosa City Code §§ 14-21.020(B), 14-21.030, 14-21.050(A)(2)
Water waste means: ... (B) The escape of water through breaks or leaks or due to an equipment malfunction within a customer's plumbing or private distribution system for any substantial period of time within which such break, leak, or equipment malfunction should have been discovered and corrected. ... A customer shall not allow potable or recycled water waste. ... Second violation during a 12-...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santa Rosa city rules.
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