Water restrictions in San Luis Obispo County, CA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
SLO County has adopted a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) consistent with California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). It applies to new and rehabilitated landscapes meeting state thresholds. Local Community Services Districts and water purveyors set additional drought-stage watering schedules.
Under California law (Government Code Section 65595), every county must adopt a water-efficient landscape ordinance at least as effective as the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). SLO County's WELO applies to new construction landscapes of 500 sq ft or larger (residential developer projects) and 2,500 sq ft or larger (homeowner-installed), and to landscape rehabilitations of 2,500 sq ft or larger. Compliance is via either a Prescriptive Compliance package (turf cap, mulch, low-water plants) or a Performance Compliance package using a Maximum Applied Water Allowance calculation. Drought-stage watering schedules are set separately by individual purveyors such as Nipomo CSD, Cambria CSD, Templeton CSD, and Los Osos CSD. The Paso Robles Groundwater Basin remains under a court-ordered adjudication that limits new pumping.
WELO violations are handled as building permit deficiencies, preventing final approval. Drought stage watering violations are enforced by individual community services districts with fines that escalate for repeat offenses.
San Luis Obispo County, CA
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San Luis Obispo County, CA
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San Luis Obispo County, CA
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San Luis Obispo County, CA
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San Luis Obispo County, CA
SLO County Code Section 9.08.020 requires all dogs to be securely leashed on public streets, parks, and other public places in unincorporated areas, or under...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
SLO County contains extensive High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, especially in coastal canyons, the Santa Lucia range, and inland chaparral. New ...
See how San Luis Obispo County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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