Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
Assembly Bill 325, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 1990, required that the Department of Water Resources develop a Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. This Model Ordinance was adopted and went into effect January 1, 1993.
Cities and counties could adopt the Model Ordinance, adopt their own ordinance, or issue findings that no ordinance was necessary. If no action was taken, the Model Ordinance automatically went into effect. As of 1993, 257 agencies adopted a different type of ordinance, 59 agencies issued findings that an ordinance was not necessary, and the rest either have the Model Ordinance or a similar ordinance in place.
Following is the text of the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.
Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance Text of Proposed Regulations
In Division 2, Title 23, California Code of Regulations, add Chapter 2.7, Sections 490 through 495, inclusive to read as follows:
Chapter 2.7. Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.
Section 492. Provisions for New or Rehabilitated Landscapes
Section 493. Provisions for Existing Landscapes
Section 494. Effective Precipitation
Section 495. Reference Evapotranspiration Rates