Folsom, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Declared stage four (crisis) or stage five (emergency)
- Stage four rule
- Lawn or recycled-water facility allowed
- Stage five rule
- Recycled-water facility only, no lawn option
- Enforcing agency
- Folsom utilities department
- Penalty trigger
- 3rd violation within 6 months, service shutoff
- Reconnect fee
- City's water turn on/off service fee
Summary
During a declared stage four water crisis, Folsom bars washing cars or equipment with a hose except on the lawn or at a commercial establishment using recycled or reclaimed water. Once the city manager escalates to stage five water emergency, Section 13.26.080(E)(6) drops the lawn option and recycled or reclaimed water becomes the only lawful method.
D. During the stage four (water crisis) conservation stage, the following restrictions shall be enforced: ... 7. Washing of automobiles or equipment shall be done on the lawn or at a commercial establishment that uses recycled or reclaimed water. ... E. During the stage five (water emergency) conservation stage, the following restrictions shall be enforced: ... 6. Washing of automobiles or equipment shall be done at a commercial establishment that uses recycled or reclaimed water.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1369, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
070. 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. 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. 040. 070.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Chapter 13.26 escalate on a three-step schedule under Section 13.26.170: a first offense draws a personal or written warning, a second offense within three months brings a written notice to correct, and a third offense within six months triggers an administrative penalty, mandatory water-meter installation, and discontinued water service at the utilities director's discretion. Reconnection after a service shutoff requires paying the city's water turn-on fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Folsom's recycled-water car-washing rule apply?
Can I still wash my car on my own lawn during a water crisis?
Who enforces this rule and what is the penalty?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Folsom
California rules heatmap·Compare Folsom to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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