San Luis Obispo County, CA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 8.69, Ordinance No. 3306 (2015)
- Indoor duty
- § 8.69.040: repair leaks as soon as practicable
- Outdoor duty
- § 8.69.030(e): same standard for irrigation/hoses
- Exempt
- Ag-zoned farms and CSD/CSA-served properties
- Default penalty
- § 1.04.010: misdemeanor or infraction
Summary
Section 8.69.040 of the County Code requires every hose, faucet, pipe and other indoor plumbing fixture in San Luis Obispo County to be regularly inspected and maintained, with any leak repaired as soon as reasonably practicable. Section 8.69.030(e) imposes the identical duty for outdoor irrigation systems, faucets and hoses used for landscaping.
All hoses, faucets, pipes and any other indoor plumbing fixtures shall be regularly inspected and maintained and all leaks shall be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Full Breakdown
69, the county's water conservation ordinance adopted by Ordinance No. 010: agricultural operations in the agriculture land use category, and properties served by a Community Service District, Community Service Area or other water provider that already enforces comparable rules. 040 places a flat duty on property owners and occupants: all hoses, faucets, pipes and other indoor plumbing fixtures must be regularly inspected and maintained, and any leak found must be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable; no exact number of days is specified, but the standard requires prompt action rather than indefinite delay.
030(e) mirrors that duty for the outdoor side of the property, covering hoses, faucets and irrigation systems used to water lawns and landscaping, which sits inside the same chapter's broader restrictions on landscape watering hours, frequency and runoff. 010: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine or six months in county jail unless the violation is charged as an infraction, which caps at $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second, and $250 for each additional offense within a year. 040 also lets the county treat any violating condition as a public nuisance subject to summary abatement, with each day the leak goes unrepaired counted as a new offense.
Violations & Fines
Failing to repair a leaking hose, faucet, pipe or irrigation fixture as required by Sections 8.69.030(e) and 8.69.040 falls under the county's general penalty section, 1.04.010: a misdemeanor (up to $500 fine, six months in jail) unless charged as an infraction ($50/$100/$250 for repeat violations within a year). Section 1.04.040 lets the county treat the unrepaired leak as a nuisance, with each day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I required to fix a dripping faucet in San Luis Obispo County?
Does the leak-repair rule apply to farms?
What happens if I don't fix a leak the county has flagged?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Luis Obispo County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Luis Obispo County to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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