Escondido, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

Escondido Municipal Code § 33-1332, part of Article 62 (Water Efficient Landscape Regulations), requires a person who obtains a landscaping permit for a project subject to that article to use recycled water for irrigation whenever tertiary treated recycled water, meaning water that has gone through three levels of treatment including filtration and disinfection, is available from the water purveyor serving the property. Anyone using recycled water must install a dual distribution system separate from the potable water service, and the pipes carrying recycled water must be colored purple so crews can visually distinguish the two systems.

0 under § 33-1332(c), which is a favorable water-budget credit compared to potable irrigation. ) locally, including promoting the use of tertiary treated recycled water for irrigation whenever it is available. Using recycled water does not excuse a permit holder from separately complying with all other state and local laws and regulations governing recycled water use, per § 33-1332(d). Outside the landscape-permit context, the city's general water conservation article expressly carves recycled water out of its potable-water restrictions: § 31-228(b) states the water shortage restrictions in Article 5 do not apply to use of water from private wells or to recycled water, and § 31-230(b)(3) separately directs that recycled water must be used once the utilities department shows a customer that it is a cost-effective alternative to potable water and the customer has had reasonable time to convert.