Santa Rosa, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 14-21 of the Santa Rosa City Code, Water Waste Regulations, defines "water waste" in Section 14-21.020 to include potable or recycled water used outdoors in a way that results in runoff, alongside water lost to a leak or equipment malfunction that goes undiscovered or uncorrected for a substantial period. Section 14-21.030 then makes the rule simple: "A customer shall not allow potable or recycled water waste." That single sentence reaches an over-run sprinkler head sending water down the gutter, a broken drip line soaking a sidewalk, or an irrigation timer left on through a rainstorm.

Enforcement escalates under Section 14-21.050. A first violation in a 12-month period draws only a written warning describing the problem and the penalties to come. A second violation, at least seven calendar days after that warning, brings a $100 penalty, though Santa Rosa Water can waive it if the customer starts actively fixing the problem within 72 hours and shows staff evidence of that progress. A third violation in the same 12 months costs $200, and a fourth or any later violation costs $500. A violation that drags on past 72 hours counts as a brand-new, separate violation, so an unrepaired sprinkler system can rack up penalties fast. Beyond fines, Section 14-21.050(B) lets Santa Rosa Water disconnect service for either an outdoor-runoff violation or a violation of the separate recirculating-equipment rule in Section 14-21.040, which requires new evaporative coolers, decorative fountains, conveyor car washes, and industrial clothes washers to recycle their water rather than waste it.