Yolo County, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Sec. 8-3.108(d), Water Features
- Recycled water use
- Required for decorative features when available
- Recirculating systems
- Required for all water features
- Applies to
- Covered landscape projects under Sec. 8-3.103
- Recycled-water areas
- Count as Special Landscape Area (exempt from turf cap)
Summary
Yolo County's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance requires new or rehabilitated decorative water features on covered landscape projects to run on recycled water whenever it is available on site, and requires all such features to use recirculating systems.
(d) Water features. (1) Recirculating water systems shall be used for all water features. (2) The surface area of a water feature shall be indicated on the landscape plans and included in the high water use hydrozone area of the water budget calculation. (3) Recycled water shall be used for decorative water features when available on site.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 108(d), the Water Features standard in the county's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (Chapter 8-3, adopted by Ord. 1445 in 2014), applies to landscape projects covered by Sec. 103, generally new construction and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 square feet or more. " The surface area of any water feature, whether a pond, fountain, or artificial stream, must also be shown on the landscape plans and counted in the high water use hydrozone for the project's water budget calculation under Sec. 102's definitions. Recycled water itself is defined in Sec.
102 as "treated or recycled waste water of a quality suitable for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation and water features," not intended for human consumption. The ordinance also treats any landscape area irrigated with recycled water, or any water feature using recycled water, as a "Special Landscape Area," which is exempt from the ordinance's otherwise-applicable turf and native-plant percentage requirements. A project's landscape documentation package, submitted under Sec. 104, must show compliance before the county issues a Certificate of Completion under Sec. 106.
Violations & Fines
Installing a decorative water feature on a covered landscape project without recycled water where it is available on site, or without a recirculating system, is a failure to meet the landscaping standards in Sec. 8-3.108(d); the county can withhold the Certificate of Completion required under Sec. 8-3.106 until the project's landscape documentation package demonstrates compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yolo County require new fountains or ponds to use recycled water?
What counts as recycled water under Yolo County's landscaping ordinance?
Which landscape projects have to follow this recycled-water rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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