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

Folsom's water conservation ordinance, Chapter 13.26, runs on a five-stage system the city manager declares based on the severity of a shortage, from stage one (basic) up to stage five (water emergency), each targeting a specific cut against a customer's base water allocation: 12 percent at stage two, 20 percent at stage three, 35 percent at stage four and up to 50 percent at stage five under Section 13.26.070. Section 13.26.080(D)(7) governs vehicle and equipment washing once stage four is declared: washing must be done on the lawn or at a commercial establishment that uses recycled or reclaimed water.

Section 13.26.080(E)(6) tightens that rule for stage five, removing the on-lawn option so washing may only occur at a commercial establishment using recycled or reclaimed water. Both stages also carry forward every restriction from the lower stages that came before them, including the stage one ban on free-flowing hoses and the odd/even irrigation-day schedule introduced at stage two. The utilities department is the enforcing agency, and these washing restrictions apply on top of the base allocation limits set under Section 13.26.040. The restriction is stage-specific rather than a standing year-round duty: it only takes effect once the city manager has formally declared the city to be in stage four or stage five under Section 13.26.070.