Water Use Rules in Sunnyvale, CA (2026)
2 verified water use rules for Sunnyvale, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Turf Replacement Rebates
Sunnyvale requires new or rehabilitated landscape areas of 500 square feet or more to hit water-efficient design standards under Municipal Code Section 19.37.050. Owners choose Option 1, eliminating turf and high water-use plants outright, or Option 2, a calculated water budget capped by a Maximum Applied Water Allowance formula tied to project size.
Sunnyvale Turf Replacement Landscaping Rules
Some RestrictionsSunnyvale Municipal Code § 19.37.050(a)-(b)
Water Efficiency in Design. Landscaped areas shall be designed to achieve water efficiency and shall be based on one of two options: (a) Option 1—No Turf and Eighty Percent Water Conserving Plants. There shall be no turf or high water use plants in the landscaped areas, and at least eighty percent of the plants installed shall be native, low water use or no water use plants. (b) Option 2—Water ...
Leak Reporting Duty
Sunnyvale outlaws letting broken or defective plumbing, sprinklers or irrigation systems leak potable water under Municipal Code Section 12.34.020(a)(1). The Director of Environmental Services enforces the ban citywide, and repeat offenders face a mandatory flow-restricting device installed on their water service line rather than just a warning.
Sunnyvale Rules on Leaking Pipes and Sprinklers
Some RestrictionsSunnyvale, CA, Municipal Code § 12.34.020(a)(1), Chapter 12.34 Water Conservation Restrictions
(a) To prevent the waste and unreasonable use of water and to promote water conservation, the following actions are hereby prohibited, except where necessary to address an immediate health or safety need or to comply with a term or condition in a permit issued by a state or federal agency: (1) The use of broken or defective plumbing, sprinklers, watering or irrigation systems that permit the es...
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sunnyvale city rules.
Water Use Rules in Santa Clara County →