Los Angeles County, CA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must inspect
- Every person who owns or rents the premises
- Outdoor leaks
- Hoses, faucets and sprinkling systems, Section 11.38.630(D)
- Indoor leaks
- Accessible indoor plumbing and faucets, Section 11.38.640(A)
- Repair standard
- As soon as is reasonably practicable; no fixed day count
- First willful violation
- Written warning
- Later violations
- Infraction, $500.00 for each day a violation occurs
- Related watering limits
- No watering 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; once a day maximum
Summary
Los Angeles County Code makes every owner or renter of premises in the unincorporated areas responsible for inspecting hoses, faucets, sprinkling systems and accessible indoor plumbing for leaks, and for having every leak repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable. A willful violation draws a written warning first, then a $500.00 infraction fine for each later day.
A. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or landscaping between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. B. No person shall water or cause to be watered any lawn or landscaping more than once a day. ... D. It shall be the duty of all persons who own or rent premises that have hoses, faucets and sprinkling systems to inspect for leaks, and to cause all leaks to be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable. E. Willful violation hereof shall be subject to a written warning for the first violation, and shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of $500.00 for each day thereafter on which a violation occurs. ... A. It shall be the duty of all persons who own or rent premises that have accessible indoor plumbing and faucets to inspect for leaks, and to cause all leaks to be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable. B. Willful violation hereof shall be subject to a written warning for the first violation, and shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of $500.00 for each day thereafter on which a violation occurs.
Full Breakdown
The duty to find and fix leaks sits in two sections of Chapter 11.38 of the Los Angeles County Health Code. Section 11.38.630(D) covers outdoor water: every person who owns or rents premises that have hoses, faucets and sprinkling systems must inspect them for leaks and cause all leaks to be repaired as soon as is reasonably practicable. Section 11.38.640(A) covers indoor water: every person who owns or rents premises that have accessible indoor plumbing and faucets carries the same inspect-and-repair duty. The duty falls on the owner and on the renter alike, so a tenant cannot treat the landlord as the only responsible party and an owner cannot treat the tenant that way.
The County Code sets no fixed repair deadline and no reporting form. The standard is "as soon as is reasonably practicable," and the obligation is active: the text requires you to inspect, not only to fix leaks you happen to notice. Indoors, the inspection duty attaches to plumbing and faucets that are accessible.
The outdoor leak duty sits beside the landscape rules in the same section. No one may water a lawn or landscaping between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or more than once a day, and no one may water so heavily that runoff reaches adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, structures, adjoining streets, parking lots or alleys because of incorrectly directed or maintained sprinklers or excessive watering. A sprinkler head that leaks or points at the pavement therefore creates exposure under subsection C as well as subsection D. Hosing down sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas and other paved surfaces is banned separately by Section 11.38.620, except as required for public health and safety, with the same $500.00 per day penalty.
The current text of both leak sections carries Ordinance 2015-0004 (2015) in its history, following Ordinance 2008-0052U (2008) and Ordinance 91-0046U (1991). Section 11.38.680 directs the Director of Public Works, with input and concurrence from the Director of Public Health, to review these provisions and recommend necessary updates to the Board of Supervisors at least every two years after a first review that was due by December 31, 2010. The Code governs the unincorporated areas only; incorporated cities in the county apply their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Both leak sections use the same enforcement ladder. A willful violation draws a written warning for the first violation. After that warning, a willful violation is an infraction punishable by a fine of $500.00 for each day on which a violation occurs. The fine runs per day, so ten days of violation after the warning add up to $5,000.00. The penalty attaches to willful violation, which makes the warning the County's first step and the daily fine a consequence of leaving a known leak unrepaired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to inspect for leaks, the owner or the tenant?
How fast must a leak be repaired?
What happens the first time the County finds a violation?
Does the rule cover indoor leaks or only sprinklers and hoses?
Does this apply inside incorporated cities in Los Angeles County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
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