The following water-wasting actions are now permanently prohibited in Santa Clara County:
- Using sprinklers between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Causing runoff while watering any outdoor landscape.
- Watering outdoors within 48 hours of measurable rainfall.
- Using leaking plumbing fixtures, sprinklers, or irrigation systems without repairing them after written notification from a retailer or Valley Water.
- Watering non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, including common areas of homeowner's associations and multi-family residential properties.
- Washing cars, except by handwashing, with a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
- Washing building exteriors or mobile homes with a hose without an automatic shut-off nozzle.
- Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, patios, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced, non-porous ground areas except in cases where health and safety are at risk. Power washing of sidewalks or other outdoor surfaces for health and safety reasons is not considered a violation of this provision.
Valley Water’s water waste inspectors respond to reports of water waste and violations of local water use restrictions. Reports of water waste in Santa Clara County can be reported through our webpage at access.valleywater.org, emailing [email protected], or by calling (408) 630-2000.