Monterey Park, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 14.25.090(e), (i)
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 2214, 2021
- Vehicle washing
- Reclaimed water is a compliant option
- Fountains
- Must run through a recycling system
- First violation
- Written warning required
Summary
In the City of Monterey Park, Municipal Code Section 14.25.090 bans washing vehicles at home unless done with reclaimed water, a bucket and shutoff nozzle, or at a commercial carwash, and requires decorative fountains and ponds to run through a recycling system rather than fresh potable water, part of the city's water conservation chapter adopted by Ordinance No. 2214 in 2021.
Washing Vehicles. It is unlawful for any person to wash any motor vehicle, boat, trailer, or other type of mobile equipment unless such vehicle is washed: (1) At a commercial carwash; (2) Using only reclaimed water; or (3) By using a hand-held bucket or a water hose equipped with an automatic shutoff nozzle. ... Decorative Fountains. It is unlawful for any person to use water to clean, fill, or maintain levels in any decorative fountain, pond, lake, or other similar aesthetic structure unless such water flows through a recycling system.
Full Breakdown
Section 14.25.090, Regulations Generally, sits in Chapter 14.25, the city's water conservation ordinance adopted in 2021 under Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution and Water Code Section 375. Subsection (e) makes it unlawful to wash a motor vehicle, boat, trailer, or other mobile equipment at home unless the water used is reclaimed water, or the washing is done with a hand-held bucket or a hose fitted with an automatic shutoff nozzle, or the vehicle is taken to a commercial carwash. Subsection (i) separately bars using water to clean, fill, or maintain any decorative fountain, pond, lake, or similar aesthetic feature unless the water flows through a recycling system.
The chapter's general prohibition in Section 14.25.030 makes any violation of these rules an infraction, and Section 14.25.040 sets a graduated fine schedule that rises with repeat offenses within a year. The public works director, called the director throughout the chapter, administers the rules, and a written warning is required before enforcement on a first violation of Section 14.25.090 under subsection (l). During a declared drought emergency, Sections 14.25.100 through 14.25.160 layer additional mandatory restrictions on top of these standing recycled-water and recycling-system requirements, including limits on outdoor irrigation days and a ban on potable water on ornamental street median turf.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the recycled-water washing or fountain-recycling rules draws a written warning, then fines of up to one hundred dollars for a first infraction, two hundred dollars for a second within a year, and five hundred dollars for each additional violation within that year under Section 14.25.040. A fourth violation of the same provision within a year may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor at the city attorney's discretion, and violations are also enforceable as administrative citations under Chapter 4.20 or abated as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car at home in Monterey Park?
Does my backyard fountain need to use recycled water?
What happens if I violate the recycled-water rules more than once?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey Park
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey Park to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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