§ 25.100. Purpose and intent.

The purpose of this article is to establish a water conservation and supply shortage program that will reduce water consumption within the City of Vernon through conservation, enable effective water supply planning, assure reasonable and beneficial use of water, prevent waste of water, and maximize the efficient use of water within the City to avoid and minimize the effect and hardship of water shortage to the greatest extent possible.

This article also establishes permanent water conservation standards intended to alter behavior related to water use efficiency at all times and further establishes three phases of water supply shortage response actions to be implemented during times of declared water shortage or declared water shortage emergency, with increasing restrictions on water use in response to worsening drought or emergency conditions and decreasing supplies.

The provisions of this article apply to any person in the use of any potable water provided by the City.

The provisions of this article do not apply to uses of water necessary to protect public health and safety or for essential government services, such as police, fire and other similar emergency services.

The provisions of this article do not apply to the use of recycled water, with the exception of section 25.101(a).

The provisions of this article do not apply to the use of water by commercial nurseries and commercial growers to sustain plants, trees, shrubs, crops or other vegetation intended for commercial sale.

This article is intended solely to further the conservation of water. It is not intended to implement any provision of federal, state, or local statutes, ordinances, or regulations relating to protection of water quality or control of drainage or runoff.

The following words and phrases whenever used in this article have the meaning defined in this section:

(a) Billing unit means the unit of water used to apply water rates for purposes of calculating water charges for a person's water usage and equals one hundred cubic feet (Ccf).

(b) Landscape irrigation system means an irrigation system with pipes, hoses, spray heads, or sprinkling devices that are operated by hand or through an automated system.

(c) Person means any natural person or persons, corporation, public or private entity, governmental agency or institution, including all agencies and departments of City, or any other user of water provided by the City.

(d) Potable water means water which is suitable for drinking.

(e) Recycled water means the reclamation and reuse of non-potable water for beneficial use as defined in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(f) Section Headings means, when contained in this article, that section headings shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify, or in any manner effect the scope, meaning or intent of the provisions of any section.

(g) Single pass cooling systems means equipment where water is circulated only once to cool equipment before being disposed.

(h) Tense or gender means words used in the present tense include the future as well as the present. Words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter. The singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular.

(Ord. No. 995, App. A; Ord. No. 1161, Exh. A.)