Fullerton, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- FMC Chapter 15.50, Landscape Ordinance
- Water feature mandate
- Recycled water required where available
- Special Landscape Area ETAF
- 1.0, vs 0.55 residential standard
- Maintenance deposit
- 50% of cost, minimum $500
- Applies to
- Residential, multi-family, commercial, industrial
Summary
Fullerton's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance requires new decorative water features to run on recycled water whenever it is available. Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.50.045(A)(4) bars filling or topping off a fountain or pond with potable water unless the system recirculates, and mandates recycled water as the source for decorative features wherever it is available and consistent with public health guidelines.
(4) Water features. (a) No water shall be used to clean, fill or maintain levels in decorative water features, or other similar aesthetic structures, unless such water is part of a recycling system. (b) Where available and consistent with public health guidelines, recycled water shall be used as a source for decorative water features.
Full Breakdown
040(G). The ordinance's definitions describe RECYCLED WATER or RECLAIMED WATER as treated or recycled waste water of a quality suitable for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation and water features, explicitly not intended for human consumption. 045(A)(4) applies that definition to any decorative water feature: it may not be filled or topped off with fresh water unless the system recirculates, and where recycled water is available and consistent with public health guidelines, it has to be the water feature's source rather than potable supply. 0, giving those recycled-water zones a larger water budget. 055 until installation matches the approved plans.
Violations & Fines
A landscape project that fills a decorative water feature with potable water where recycled water is available and consistent with public health guidelines, or that omits the required recycled-water irrigation documentation, fails the Certified Landscape Design Plan and Certified Irrigation Design Plan review under sections 15.50.045 and 15.50.050 and cannot obtain final project certification under section 15.50.055. The project's one-year landscape maintenance deposit, set at 50% of the combined landscaping and irrigation cost but not less than $500 under section 15.50.060, is not released until the nonconformance is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fullerton require recycled water in fountains?
Can I fill a backyard pond with tap water in Fullerton?
Does using recycled water give a project a bigger water budget?
What happens if my landscape plan skips the recycled water requirements?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California water use rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Recycled Water Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle recycled water rules.