Changes Proposed to Mandatory Water Conservation Ordinance

LOS ANGELES — At their meeting on May 18, 2010, the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners approved proposed changes to the City of Los Angeles’ Water Conservation Ordinance which would modify schedules of outdoor watering restrictions.

Phase III of the current ordinance has been in effect since June 1, 2009, and restricts outdoor watering with sprinklers to Mondays and Thursdays, before 9:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m., across the city. 

The proposed changes would shift outdoor watering schedules based on street address. Customers whose addresses end with an odd number – 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 – would be permitted to use their systems on Mondays and Thursdays. Customers whose addresses end in even numbers - 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 – would be permitted to do so on Tuesdays and Fridays. Addresses ending in fractions are treated as whole numbers and observe the same day restrictions as others on their side of the street, (ie: 197 ½ would be an “odd” numbered address.) Watering with sprinklers would continue to be restricted to hours before 9:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. regardless of the watering day.

The change comes on the heels of a report by a University of Southern California expert panel that suggests pressure fluctuations caused by exclusive Monday and Thursday watering can lead to pipe ruptures and the Department's internal review, which found that pressure fluctuations of any kind may lead to ruptures of especially old or weak pipes.

The proposed changes would add language in the Ordinance to include definitions for the odd-numbered and even-numbered street addresses and modify the days on which watering is allowed for the odd and even-numbered addresses under Phases II, III and IV of the Water Conservation Ordinance.

All other components of the Ordinance, including the prohibited uses of water, would remain the same.

The proposed changes will require City Council approval before taking effect. 

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