DEPARTMENT
Water Enterprise
AGENDA NO.
13 MEETING DATE September 27, 2022
APPROVAL:
COMMISSION
SECRETARY
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Amend Section F (Water Efficient Irrigation) of the SFPUC Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers: Regular Calendar
Project Manager: Steve Ritchie
Approve Amendment to Water Efficient Irrigation Rules and Regulations
Summary of
Proposed
Commission Action:
Amend Section F (Water Efficient Irrigation ) of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers ( Water Service Rules) to require the use of organic mulch to meet organic waste reduction requirements in the regulations implementing Senate Bill 1383 (SB1383).
Background: On May 25, 2010, by Resolution No. 10-0214, the Commission adopted Section F of the Water Service Rules, which added regulations for installing and maint aining landscapes and irrigation systems and established limits on water use in irrigated landscapes in San Francisco.
The Commission adopted Section F to comply with the state Water Conservation in Landscaping Act (Assembly Bill 1881) and the state’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO).
On December 3, 2010, by Ordinance No. 301-10, the Board of Supervisors approved the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance, a locally adapted version of the MWELO. The Ordinance provides a framework for enforcing efficient landscape irrigation requirements in San Francisco, while the Water Service Rules reflect the Commission’s authority to regulate the administrative and substantive conditions of providing water service to its customers. Together, the Ordinance and Water Service Rules meet the requirements of state Water Conservation in Landscaping Act and the MWELO.
On Octob er 27, 2015, by Resolution No. 15-0221, the Commission approved updates to the Water Service Rules to align with updates to the MWELO to increase water efficiency standards for new and existing landscapes. On February 23, 2016, by Ordinance No. 24 -16, the Board of Supervisors approved similar updates to the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance.
Approve: Approve Amendment to Water Efficient Irrigation Rules and Regulations Commission Meeting Date: September 27, 2022
In 2016, the state passed SB1383, to reduce the amount of organic waste in landfills. One section of the regulations implementing SB1383 requires municipalities to adopt specific subsections of the MWELO (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 18989.2). The Water Service Rules already largely comply. Only minor language updates are needed for the Water Service Rules to fully comply.
Public Hearing Notice : On August 29, 2022, pursuant to Charter section 4.104(a)(1), a Notice of Public Hearing was posted on the SFPUC website.
Description of
Action:
The proposed amendment would add the language below to Section F of the Water Service Rules to comply with the SB1383 regulations.
The revised Water Service Rules will replace the current version on the SFPUC’s website at Water Efficient Irrigation Rules and Regulations.
• Organic mulch materials made from recycled or post-
consumer shall take precedence over inorganic materials or virgin forest products unless the recycled post-consumer organic products are not locally available. Organic mulches are not required where prohibited by local Fuel Modification Plan Guidelines or other applicable local ordinances.
Result of Inaction: If the Commission does not update the Water Service Rules, the City will not fully comply with the organic waste reduction requirements in the SB1383 regulations.
Schedule: If adopted, the modified Water Service Rules will go into effect immediately.
Environmental
Review:
On May 12, 2010, the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance was determined to be categorically exempt from environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15308, Class 8 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment). The exemption can be found here:
https://sfpuc.sharefile.com/d-s30fa6514226c44d8ae57d20474dcfb6e .
Recommendation: SFPUC staff recommend that the Commission adopt the attached resolution updating the Water Service Rules.
Attachment(s): 1. Revised Water Efficient Irrigation Rules and Regulations
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, Irrigated landscapes contribute significantly to the quality of life of the people of San Francisco by providing areas for active and passive recreation and enhance the environment by cleaning air and water, preventing erosion, and adding to the natural beauty of our commercial, industrial, and residential neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, San Francisco has been a leader in water conservation policy in California and currently has one of the lowest per capita uses of water in the state; and
WHEREAS, Our potable water supply is a vital public resource that faces ever increasing demands, and landscape design, installation, maintenance, and management can and should be water efficient; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, the California Legislature passed and the Governor signed Assembly Bill 1881, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act, which updated Article 10.8 of the California Government Code , requiring local agencies to adopt a water efficient landscape program that meets water conservation criteria and standard s adopted by the California Department of Water Resources; and
WHEREAS, To improve the effectiveness of the City’s landscape water efficiency program and ensure compliance with the State ’s Water Conservation in Landscaping Act and Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (MWELO), on December 3, 2010, by Ordinance No. 301-10, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance, and on February 23, 2016, by Ordinance No. 24-16, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors subsequently updated it; and
WHEREAS, On May 25, 2010, by Resolution No. 10-214, the Commission adopted Section F of the SFPUC Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers, to establish Water Efficient Irrigation Rules and Regulations, and on October 27, 2015, by Resolution No. 15-0221, the Commission subsequently updated them; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the California Legislature passed and the Governor signed S enate Bill 1383, to reduce the amount of organic waste in landfills; and
WHEREAS, The regulations implementing S enate Bill 1383 require municipalities to adopt specific subsections of the MWELO (14 Cal. Code Regs § 18989.2); and
WHEREAS, Amending Section F (Water Efficient Irrigation) of the SFPUC Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers to comply with Senate Bill 1383 regulations will continue to promote the values and benefits of landscapes, while recognizing the need to invest water and other resources as efficiently as possible; and
WHEREAS, On May 12, 2010, the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance was determined to be categorically exempt from environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15308, Class 8 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Commission, pursuant to its Charter authority to adopt rules and regulations, hereby amends Section F of the Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers, as provided in the copy of the amendments to Section F on file with the Secretary of the Commission.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of September 27, 2022.
Secretary, Public Utilities Commission
SECTION F - WATER EFFICIENT IRRIGATION
Fr om the SFPUC Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service to Customers as Amended October 27, 2015 September 27, 2022.
CONTENTS
RULE
Purpose
Applicability 1
Definitions 2
Tier 1 - Landscape Rehabilitation Projects
with 1,000 – 2,500 Square Feet of Landscape Area 3
Tier 2 - New Construction Projects with 500 Square Feet or More of Landscape Area and Landscape Rehabilitation Projects with More Than 2,500 Square Feet of Landscape Area 4
Compliance Plans for Large Irrigated Landscapes 5
Water Efficient Landscape Design and Operation Elements 6
Maximum Applied Water Allowance 7
Landscape Documentation Package 8
Soil Management Report 9
Landscape Design Plan 10
Irrigation Design Plan 11
Grading Design Plan 12
Certificate of Landscape Completion 13
Irrigation Audits for Landscape Areas 14
Non-Potable Water 15
Water Waste Prevention 16
Appendix Sample Calculations of Maximum A pplied Water Allowance (MAWA) and Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU)
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 2 Purpose
Section F - Water Efficient Irrigation Rules will:
a) Promote the values and benefits of lands capes while recognizing the need to invest water and other resources as efficiently as possible;
b) Establish a structure for planning, designing, installing, maintaining, and managing water efficient landscapes in new construction and rehabilitated projects;
c) Establish provisions for water management practices and water waste prevention for existing landscapes;
d) Promote using water efficiently without waste by setting a Maximum Applied Water Allowance, using state mandated formulas and accounting for local climatic conditions, that will serve as an upper limit for water use by irrigated landscapes;
e) Comply with the requirements of Article 10.8 of the California Government Code, enacted by the State as the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act;
f) Comply with the requirements of the California Green Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 11) and the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Chapter 2.7); and
g) Delineate the conditions under which the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission provides water for landscape irrigation uses.
Rule 1. Applicability
a) Section F shall apply to all of the following projects and activities.
i. Tier 1: All public agency, residential, and commercial rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate modified landscape area equal to or greater than 1,000 square feet and less than 2,500 square feet
.
ii. Tier 2: All public agency, residential, and commercial new construction projects with an aggregate landscape area equal to and greater than 500 square feet and rehabilitated landscape projects with an aggregate modified landscape area equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet.
iii. The irrigation and maintenance of any landscape irrigation system.
b) Section F do es not apply to:
i. Registered local, state or federal historical sites
where the landscape is maintained as
part of the historical integrity of the site;
ii. Ecological restoration projects that do not require a permanent irrigation system; and
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 3 iii. Plant collections or animal habitat areas, as part of botanical gardens, zoological gardens, and arboretums open to the public.
c) The General Manager may waive some or all of the requirements of Section F for landscape rehabilitation projects proposed by San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s retail water customers located outside the boundaries of the City and County of San Francisco, if after consultation with the local agency having jurisdiction pursuant to California Government Code sections 65591, et. seq., the General Manager determines that the retail water customer must comply with the local agency's ordinance requirements. If the General Manager determines that the retail water customer is not required to comply with the local agency's ordinance requirements, the retail water customer must comply with Section F of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Rules for Water Service Customers.
d)
The General Manager may waive some or all of the requirements of Section F if, after a site inspection, the General Manager determines that compliance is not feasible due to one or more of the following conditions.
i. Wet soil conditions stemming from proximity to naturally occurring water features such as a high water table, springs, ponds, lakes, creeks, and wetlands.
ii. Substantial health or safety related risk of injury or harm to property owner, users or workers.
iii. Disproportionately high costs for achieving minor or minimal water savings.
e) A process for document submissions and approvals pursuant to Section F will be developed by the General Manager in conjunction with the Department of Building Inspection, with the purpose of administrative efficiency and effective customer service.
Rule 2. Definitions
The terms used in this section have the following meanings.
a) Applied water: the portion of water supplied by the irrigation system to the landscape.
b) Automatic irrigation controller: a timing device used to remotely control valves that operate an irrigation system. Automatic irrigation controllers are able to self-adjust and schedule irrigation events using either evapotranspiration (weather-based) or soil moisture data.
c) Backflow prevention device: a safety device used to prevent pollution or contamination of the water supply due to the reverse flow of water from the irrigation system.
d) Certificate of Landscape Completion: the document required under Rule 13.
e) Certified irrigation designer: a person certified to design irrigation systems by an accredited academic institution, a professional trade organization, or other program such as the US Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Partners irrigation designer certification program and the Irrigation Association’s Certified Irrigation Designer program.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 4 f) Certified landscape irrigation auditor: a person certified to perform landscape irrigation audits by an accredited academic institution, a professional trade organization, or other program such as the US Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense irrigation auditor certification program and the Irrigation Association’s Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor program.
g) Check valve or anti-drain valve: a valve located under a bubbler and sprinkler head, or other location in the irrigation system, to hold water in the system to prevent low head drainage from sprinkler heads when the sprinkler is off.
h) Common interest developments: community apartment projects, condominium projects, planned developments, and stock cooperatives per California Civil Code Section 1351.
i) Compost: the safe and stable product of controlled biologic decomposition of organic materials that is beneficial to plant growth.
j) Conversion factor of 0.62: the number that converts acre-inches per year to gallons per square foot per year.
k) Distribution uniformity: the measure of the uniformity of irrigation water over a defined area.
l) Drip irrigation: any non-spray low volume irrigation system utilizing emission devices with a flow rate measured in gallons per hour.
m) Ecological restoration project: a project where the site is intentionally altered to establish a defined, indigenous, historic ecosystem.
n) Emitter: a drip irrigation emission device that delivers water slowly from the system to the soil.
o) Established landscape: the point at which plants in the landscape have developed significant root growth into the soil. Typically, most plants are established after 1 or 2 years of growth while native habitat mitigation areas and tree may need 3 to 5 years.
p) Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU): the total water used for the landscape.
q) ET adjustment factor (ETAF): a factor of 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for non- residential areas, that, when applied to reference evapotranspiration, adjusts for plant factors and irrigation efficiency, two major influences upon the amount of water that needs to be applied to the landscape. ETAF for a Special Landscape Area shall not exceed 1.0. ETAF for existing non-rehabilitated landscapes is 0.8.
r) ETo or reference evapotranspiration: a standard measurement of environmental parameters which affect the water use of plants. ETo is expressed in inches per day, month, or year and is an estimate of the evapotranspiration of a large field of four- to seven-inch tall, cool-season grass that is well watered. Reference evapotranspiration is used as the basis of determining the Maximum Applied Water Allowance so that regional differences in climate can be accommodated.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 5 s) Evapotranspiration rate: the quantity of water evaporated from adjacent soil and other surfaces and transpired by plants during a specified time.
t) Existing landscape area: a landscape area of any size that has not been rehabilitated or constructed within the previous 12 months.
u) First construction document: the first building permit issued for a project or, in the case of a site permit, the first building permit addendum issued or other document that authorizes construction of the project. "First construction document" shall not include permits or addenda for demolition, grading, shoring, pile driving, or site preparation work.
v) Flow rate: the rate at which water flows through pipes, valves, and emission devices, measured in gallons per minute, gallons per hour, or cubic feet per second.
w) Flow sensor: an inline device installed at the supply point of the irrigation system that produces a repeatable signal proportional to the flow rate. Flow sensors must be connected to an automatic irrigation controller, or flow monitor capable of receiving flow signals and operating master valves.
x) Friable: a soil condition that is easily crumbled or loosely compacted down to a minimum depth per planting material requirements, whereby the root structure of newly planted material will be allowed to spread.
y) General Manager: the General Manager of the Public Utilities Commission, or his or her designee.
z) Hardscape: any durable material (pervious and non-pervious).
aa) Hydrozone: a portion of the landscaped area having plants with similar water needs. A hydrozone may be irrigated or non-irrigated.
bb) Infiltration rate: the rate of water entry into the soil expressed as a depth of water per unit of time (e.g., inches per hour).
cc) Invasive plant species: species of plants not historically found in California that spread outside cultivated areas and can damage environmental or economic resources. Invasive species may be regulated by county agricultural agencies as noxious species. “Noxious weeds” means any weed designated by the Weed Control Regulations in the Weed Control Act and identified on a Regional District noxious weed control list. Lists of invasive plants are maintained at the California Invasive Plant Inventory and USDA invasive and noxious weeds database.
dd) Irrigation audit: an in-depth evaluation of the performance of an irrigation system conducted by a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor. An irrigation audit includes, but is not limited to: inspection, system test with distribution uniformity or emission uniformity, precipitation rates, reporting deficiencies in the system, reporting overspray or runoff that causes overland flow, and preparation of an irrigation schedule. An irrigation audit may include suggested upgrades, current estimated water usage, and suggested system upgrades.
ee) Irrigation efficiency (IE): the measurement of the amount of water beneficially used divided by the amount of water applied. Irrigation efficiency is derived from measurements and SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 6 estimates of irrigation system characteristics and management practices. The irrigation efficiency for purposes of this ordinance is 0.75 for overhead spray devices and 0.81 for drip systems.
ff) Landscape Application: the documents required under Rule 3 for Tier 1 compliance.
gg) Landscape architect: a person who holds a license to practice landscape architecture in the state of California pursuant to California Business and Professions Code.
hh) Landscape area: all the planting areas, turf areas, and water features in a landscape design plan subject to the Maximum Applied Water Allowance calculation, including any adjacent planted areas in the public right-of-way for which the property owner is responsible pursuant to the Section 400.1 or Section 805 of the Public Works Code. The landscape area does not include footprints of buildings or structures unless the footprints include planted areas such as living roofs. The landscape area also does not include sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, decks, patios, gravel or stone walks, other pervious or non-pervious hardscapes, and other non-irrigated areas designated for non-development such as open spaces and existing native vegetation.
ii) Landscape contractor: a person licensed by the State of California to construct, maintain, repair, install, or subcontract the development of landscape systems.
jj) Landscape Documentation Deadline: the date by which Tier 1 or Tier 2 documentation must be submitted for approval by the General Manager. This date shall be not more than 100 days after the issuance of the first construction document, or as determined by the General Manager in consultation with the Director of Department of Building Inspection.
kk) Landscape Documentation Package: the documents required under Rule 8 for Tier 2 compliance.
ll) Landscape water meter: an inline device installed as a separate utility water meter that measures the flow of water into the irrigation system.
mm) Landscape rehabilitation project or rehabilitated landscape: includes any modifications to landscape areas over a 12-month period at a site that cumulatively exceeds 1,000 square feet. A landscape rehabilitation project or rehabilitated landscape does not include turf replacements on sports fields where the turf replaced provides a playing surface, routine weeding, brush removal where no new plant materials are installed, seasonal plantings, and areas dedicated solely to edible plants. A rehabilitated landscape does not include landscape areas where only the irrigation system is retrofitted for the use of recycled water and only plantings that restore areas disturbed by the recycled water retrofits are installed. Recycled water irrigation retrofit projects shall employ best management practices to prevent runoff, ponding and overspray as directed in their recycled water use permit and comply with all applicable local and state regulation.
nn) Lateral line: the water delivery pipeline that supplies water to the emitters or sprinklers from the valve.
oo) Low volume irrigation: the application of irrigation water at low pressure through a system of tubing or lateral lines and low-volume emitters such as drip, drip lines, and bubblers. Low SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 7 volume irrigation systems are specifically designed to apply small volumes of water slowly at or near the root zone of plants.
pp) Low water use plants or climate appropriate plants: plants, shrubs, groundcovers or tree species that meet at least one of the following conditions.
i. The species has a water use ranking of “low” or “very low” in Region 1 (North- Central Coast) as established in the California Department of Water Resources 2014 publication “Water Use Classification of Landscape Species” or subsequent editions as it may be updated.
ii. The species has a water use ranking of “no water”, “little water,” or “little to moderate water” in the climate zone for the planting location as established in the Sunset Western Garden Book, Ninth Edition, published by Oxmoor House on February 7, 2012 or subsequent editions as it may be updated.
iii. The plantings are part of an engineered stormwater management feature approved by the General Manager pursuant to the San Francisco Stormwater Design Guidelines established by the Public Utilities Commission.
iv. The Department of Public Works, the Recreation and Park Department, or the General Manager has determined that the species, when watered for sufficient plant health and appearance, is low water use based on the agency’s experience with the species, and the
agency has added the species to the Low Water Use and Climate Appropriate Plant List maintained by the General Manager.
v. The species appears on the San Francisco Street Tree Species List established by the Department of Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry.
vi. The planting is part of a species test approved by the Department of Public Works or the Recreation and Park Department.
vii. The species has been permitted at the site by the Department Public Works or the General Manager based on wet soil conditions stemming from proximity to naturally occurring water features such as a high water table, springs, ponds, lakes, creeks, and wetlands.
qq) Master shut-off valve: is an automatic valve installed at the irrigation supply point which controls water flow into the irrigation system. When this valve is closed, water will not be supplied to the irrigation system, greatly reducing any water loss due to a leaky station valve.
rr) Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA): the amount of annual applied water established by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for a landscaped area, using state mandated formulas and accounting for local climatic conditions, that serves as an upper limit for lawful water use for irrigating landscaped areas. The MAWA is based upon the area’s reference evapotranspiration, the ET Adjustment Factor, and the size of the landscape area. The Estimated Total Water Use shall not exceed the Maximum Applied Water Allowance. Special Landscape Areas, including recreation areas, areas permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants such as fruit and nut trees and vegetable gardens, and areas irrigated with non-potable water, are subject to the MAWA with an ETAF not to exceed 1.0.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 8 ss) Mulch or mulching product: any organic material such as leaves, bark, straw, compost, or inorganic mineral materials such as rocks, gravel, and decomposed granite left loose and applied to the soil surface for the beneficial purposes of reducing evaporation, suppressing weeds, moderating soil temperature, and preventing soil erosion.
tt) New construction: a new building or structure with a landscape, or other new landscape, such as a park, playground, median strip, or greenbelt without an associated building or structure.
uu) New construction landscape project: the total area of landscape in the project as defined in “landscape area,” and the modified landscape area for a landscape rehabilitation project.
vv) Non-potable water: includes recycled water, blackwater, graywater, foundation drainage, or harvested rain water. Non-potable water is suitable for uses such as landscape irrigation or water features. This water is not intended for human consumption.
ww) Non-residential landscape: landscapes in commercial, institutional, industrial, mixed use residential and public settings that may have areas designated for recreation or public assembly.
xx) Operating pressure: the pressure at which the parts of an irrigation system are designed by the manufacturer to operate.
yy) Overhead sprinkler irrigation systems: systems that deliver water through the air (e.g., spray heads and rotors).
zz) Overspray: the irrigation water which is delivered beyond the landscape area.
aaa) Permit: an authorizing document issued by the General Manager or Department of Building Inspection.
bbb) Pervious: any surface or material that allows the passage of water through the material and into the underlying soil.
ccc) Plant factor or plant water use factor: a factor that, when multiplied by ETo, estimates the amount of water needed by plants. The plant factor range for very low water use plants is 0 to
0.1, low water use plants is 0.1 to 0.3, the plant factor range for moderate water use plants is
0.4 to 0.6, and the plant factor range for high water use plants is 0.7 to 1.0. Plant factors for any plant shall be as established in the publication “Water Use Classification of Landscape Species” or subsequent additions. Plants used in the landscape project that are not found in WUCOLS shall use the plant factor of a similar species included on WUCOLS.
ddd) Project applicant: the person or entity applying for approval of a landscape project for a new construction project or a landscape rehabilitation project. A project applicant may be the property owner or his or her designee.
eee) Property owner: the legal owner of a property.
fff) Rain sensor: a rain sensing shutoff device that automatically suspends an irrigation event when it rains.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 9 ggg) Recreational area: areas dedicated to active play or public assembly such as parks, sports fields, and golf courses where turf provides a playing surface.
hhh) Residential landscape: landscape surrounding a single or multi-family home.
iii) Runoff: water which is not absorbed by the soil or landscape to which it is applied and flows from the landscape area. For example, runoff may result from water that is applied at too great a rate (application rate exceeds infiltration rate) or when there is a slope.
jjj) Soil moisture sensor: a device that measures the amount of water in the soil. The device may also suspend or initiate an irrigation event.
kkk) Soil texture: the classification of soil based on its percentage of sand, silt, and clay.
lll) Special Landscape Area (SLA): an area of the landscape dedicated solely to edible plants, recreational areas, and water features and irrigated areas using all or part of non-potable water.
mmm) Sprinkler head: a device which delivers water through a nozzle.
nnn) Static water pressure: the pipeline or municipal water supply pressure when water is not flowing.
ooo) Station: an area served by one valve or by a set of valves that operate simultaneously.
ppp) Submeter: a metering device to measure water applied to the landscape that is installed after the primary utility water meter.
qqq) Swing joint: an irrigation component that provides a flexible, leak-free connection between the emission device and lateral pipeline to allow movement in any direction and to prevent equipment damage.
rrr) Turf: a ground cover surface of mowed grass, including but not limited to Annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass, Red fescue, Tall fescue, Bermudagrass, Kikuyugrass, Seashore Paspalum, St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass, and Buffalo grass.
sss) Valve: a device used to control the flow of water in the irrigation system.
ttt) Water feature: a design element where open water performs an aesthetic or recreational function. Water features include artificial ponds, lakes, waterfalls, and streams, and fountains, spas, and swimming pools. The surface area of water features is included in the high water use hydrozone of the landscape area. Constructed wetlands used for on-site wastewater treatment or stormwater best management practices that are not irrigated and used solely for water treatment or stormwater retention are not water features and, therefore, are not subject to the water budget calculation.
uuu) WUCOLS: the Water Use Classification of Landscape Species published by the University of California Cooperative Extension, the Department of Water Resources 2014, or subsequent editions as it may be updated.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 10 Rule 3. Tier 1 - Landscape Rehabilitation Projects with 1,000 – 2,500 square feet of landscape area
Beginning January 1, 2016, project applicants for all public agency, commercial, and residential landscape rehabilitation projects, with a modified landscape area equal to or greater than 1,000 square feet and less than 2,500 square feet, shall comply with the following.
a) Landscape irrigation shall not exceed the applicable Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA) established in Rule 7.
b) Any turf area, planned or installed, shall not exceed 25 percent of the landscape area.
Landscape projects exceeding the 25 percent turf limit shall be considered a Tier 2 landscape project and must follow the requirements for Tier 2 as described in Rule 4.
c) At least 75 percent of the landscape area shall consist of low water use plants or climate appropriate plants as defined in Rule 2. Landscape projects with less than 75 percent of the landscape area consisting of low water use plants or climate appropriate plants shall be considered a Tier 2 landscape project and must follow the requirements for Tier 2 as described in Rule 4.
d) Prior to commencing installation or modification of landscape that is not an edible plant, and prior to the issuance of the first construction document, if applicable, the project applicant shall:
i. Submit and have approved by the General Manager a Tier 1 Landscape Application including:
A. Tier 1 landscape project checklist, which serves as a preliminary summation of selected landscape components to determine whether a proposed landscape is consistent with the applicable MAWA established in Rule 7; and
B. List of plants, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation that are to remain or be installed in the landscape area.
ii. For landscape projects installed as part of the construction or renovation of a building, the Tier 1 Landscape Application shall be submitted prior to the Landscape Documentation Deadline; and
iii. In the case of project applicants or property owners that are not required to obtain permits and approvals from the City's Department of Building Inspection, a Tier 1 Landscape Application shall be submitted to and approved by the General Manager prior to commencing installation or modification of landscape.
e) Following the installation of the landscape and any irrigation system, the project applicant shall submit a Certificate of Landscape Completion which certifies that the installed landscape and/or irrigation area does not consume water at a rate that exceeds the applicable MAWA established in Rule 7.
f) Landscape areas that are part of a compliance plan pursuant to Rule 5 shall be required to provide Tier 1 compliance documents as set forth in the provisions of the compliance plan.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 11 g) If complete documentation for Tier 1 compliance has not been submitted to the General Manager on or before the Landscape Documentation Deadline, the General Manager shall request to the Director of Department of Building Inspection that an address restriction shall be placed on the property such that no further construction permits or addenda shall be issued and no further inspections by the Department of Building Inspection shall occur, unless and until all landscape documentation, developed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the Public Utilities Commission's rules and regulations has been submitted to the General Manager for approval.
Rule 4. Tier 2 - New construction projects with 500 square feet or more of landscape area and rehabilitation landscape projects with more than 2,500 square feet of landscape area
Beginning January 1, 2016, project applicants for all public agency, commercial, and residential new construction landscape projects with a landscape area equal to or greater than 500 square feet; and landscape rehabilitation projects with a modified landscape area equal to or greater than 2,500 square feet; or a project under Tier 1 with a turf limitation exceeding 25 percent of the landscape area or with less than 75 percent of the landscape area consisting of low water use plants or climate appropriate plants, shall comply with the following.
a) Prior to commencing installation or modification of landscape, the project applicant shall submit and have approved by the General Manager, a Landscape Documentation Package consistent with the Water Efficient Design and Operation Elements in Rule 6.
b) For landscape projects installed as part of the construction or renovation of a building, the Tier 2 Landscape Documentation Package shall be submitted prior to the Landscape Documentation Deadline.
c) In the case of project applicants or property owners that are not required to obtain permits and approvals from the City's Department of Building Inspection, a Tier 2 Landscape Documentation Package shall be submitted to and approved by the General Manager prior to commencing installation or modification of landscape.
d) Submit and have approved by the General Manager, prior to the submittal date of a first certificate of occupancy or prior to sign off on a landscape project authorization, the Landscape Documentation Package and a Certificate of Landscape Completion. The General Manager may authorize issuance of a first certificate of occupancy prior to approval of a Certificate of Landscape Completion, subject to conditions determined by the General Manager.
e) Landscape areas that are part of a compliance plan pursuant to Rule 5 shall be required to provide Tier 2 compliance documents as set forth in the provisions of the compliance plan.
f) If complete documentation for Tier 2 compliance has not been submitted to the General Manager on or before the Landscape Documentation Deadline, the General Manager shall request to the Director of Department of Building Inspection that an address restriction shall be placed on the property such that no further construction permits or addenda shall be issued and no further inspections by the Department of Building Inspection shall occur, unless and until all landscape documentation, developed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the Public Utilities Commission's rules and regulations has been submitted to the General Manager for approval.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 12 Rule 5. Compliance Plans for Large Irrigated Landscapes
Property owners maintaining a total irrigated landscape of 10 acres or greater may submit compliance plans for approval by the General Manager that support a programmatic approach to compliance with Section F, rather than through the review and approval of individual landscape rehabilitation projects.
a) The General Manager shall establish a deadline for each property owner to develop and submit a compliance plan, which shall not exceed 3 years following the date of the property owner's initial request for review and approval of a compliance plan.
b) The property owner shall comply with all the terms of the approved compliance plan. The property owner's failure to comply with provisions of the compliance plan is a violation of Section F and subject to enforcement under the provisions of these rules or any other remedy available to the General Manager.
c) The compliance plan shall prioritize the phased implementation of landscape projects, beginning with the projects with the greatest water savings, to the extent feasible when balanced with other project objectives.
d) The compliance plan, if authorized by the General Manager, supersedes the process and procedures set forth in Rules 3 and 4.
e) The compliance plan shall ensure compliance with the requirements of Rule 6 and shall include a date or dates by which the components of the compliance plan shall be completed.
Rule 6. Water Efficient Design and Operation Elements
The elements of a landscape shall be designed to achieve water efficiency. Tier 1 projects shall demonstrate water efficiency and compliance with this rule by providing appropriate responses to specific checklist items and certification pursuant to Rule 3.
Tier 2 projects require a complete Landscape Documentation Package and shall comply with all applicable criteria of this rule.
a) Plant Material
i. Plants shall be chosen and arranged appropriately based upon the site’s climate, soil characteristics, sun exposure, wildfire susceptibility and other factors. Plants with similar water needs shall be grouped within hydrozones.
ii. Turf is not allowed on slopes greater than 25 percent.
iii. Turf areas shall not be less than 10 feet wide.
iv. The turf grass limitation excludes parklands or public recreation areas, sports fields, golf courses, cemeteries, or public areas, and areas irrigated with non- potable water.
v. The use of invasive plant species or noxious weeds is prohibited.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 13 vi. The use of local California native plant species is encouraged in order to reduce water use and promote wildlife habitat.
vii. The architectural guidelines of a common interest development, which include community apartment projects, condominiums, planned developments, and stock cooperatives, shall not prohibit or include conditions that have the effect of prohibiting the use of low-water use plants as a group.
b) Irrigation System
i. Landscape water meters are required for landscape areas greater than 1,000 square feet to facilitate water management.
A. Non-residential projects with 1,000 to 5,000 square feet of landscape area shall install a privately owned submeter or a utility landscape water meter.
B. Any project with a landscape area greater than 5,000 square feet shall install a utility landscape water meter.
ii. Automatic irrigation controllers utilizing either evapotranspiration or soil moisture sensor data utilizing non-volatile memory shall be required.
iii. Rain sensors either integral or auxiliary, which suspend or alter irrigation operation during unfavorable weather conditions, shall be required on all irrigation systems.
iv. Master shut-off valves are required on all projects except landscapes that make use of technologies that allow for the individual control of sprinklers that are individually pressurized in a system equipped with low pressure shut down features.
v. Flow sensors are required for all non-residential landscapes and residential landscapes 5,000 square feet or larger.
vi. The irrigation hardware for each hydrozone shall include a separate valve.
vii. The irrigation systems shall be designed to prevent runoff, low head drainage, overspray and other similar conditions.
viii. Low volume irrigation shall be required in mulched areas, in areas with slope greater than 25 percent, within 24 inches of a non-permeable surface or in any irregularly shaped areas that are less than eight (8) feet in width. These restrictions do not apply if:
A. The landscape area is adjacent to permeable surfacing and no runoff occurs; or
B. The adjacent non-permeable surfaces are designed and constructed to drain entirely to landscaping.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 14 viii. Irrigation systems shall be designed, maintained, and managed to meet or exceed an average landscape irrigation efficiency of 81 percent for drip irrigation and 75 percent for overhead spray.
ix. Irrigation emission devices must meet the requirements set in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, American Society of Agricultural Biological Engineers’/International Code Council’s (ASABE/ICC) 802-2014 “Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard,” All sprinklers in the landscape must document a distribution uniformity low quarter of 0.65 or higher using the protocol defined in ASABE/ICC 802-2014.
c) Hydrozones
i. Each valve shall irrigate only hydrozones with similar plant factors or site conditions such as: slope, sun exposure, and soil conditions.
ii. Sprinkler heads and other emission devices shall be selected based on what is appropriate for the plant type within that hydrozone.
iii. Where feasible, trees shall be placed on separate valves from shrubs, groundcovers, and turf.
iv. Individual hydrozones that mix plants of moderate and low water use shall use the higher water using plant factor. High water use plants shall not be mixed with low or moderate water use plants.
v. On the landscape design plan and irrigation design plan, hydrozone areas shall be designated by number, letter, or other designation. On the irrigation design plan, designate the areas irrigated by each valve, and assign a number to each valve.
d) Soil Preparation, Mulch and Amendments
i. Prior to the planting of any materials, compacted soils shall be transformed to a friable condition. On engineered slopes, only amended planting holes need to meet this requirement.
ii. A minimum three-inch (3″) layer of mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil surfaces of planting areas except in direct seeding applications (i.e. hydro-seed).
iii. Compost at a rate of a minimum of four cubic yards per 1,000 square feet of permeable area shall be incorporated to a depth of six inches (6”) into the soil for planting areas. Soils with greater than 6 percent organic matter in the top six inches (6”) of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.
iv. Stabilizing mulching products shall be used on slopes.
v. Soil amendments shall be incorporated according to recommendations of the soil report and what is appropriate for the plants selected.
vi. Organic mulch materials made from recycled or post-consumer shall take precedence over inorganic materials or virgin forest products unless the SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 15 recycled post-consumer organic products are not locally available.
Organic mulches are not required where prohibited by local Fuel Modification Plan Guidelines or other applicable local ordinances.
e) Water Features
i. Recirculating water systems shall be used for water features.
ii. Where available, non-potable water shall be used as a source for decorative water features.
iii. Surface area of a water feature shall be included in the high water use hydrozone area of the water budget calculation.
f) Irrigation Scheduling
Irrigation schedules shall be developed, managed, and evaluated to utilize the minimum amount of water required to maintain plant health. Irrigation schedules shall meet the following criteria.
i. Irrigation scheduling shall be regulated by automatic irrigation controllers.
ii. Overhead irrigation shall be scheduled between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. unless weather conditions prevent it.
iii. Irrigation schedules for each station shall consider:
A. Irrigation interval (days between irrigation);
B. Irrigation run times (time period per irrigation event to avoid runoff); C. Number of cycle starts required for each irrigation event to avoid runoff; D. Application rate setting;
E. Plant type setting;
F. Soil type; and
G. Slope factor setting.
g) Landscape and Irrigation Maintenance Schedule
Landscapes shall be maintained to ensure water use efficiency. A regular maintenance schedule shall be submitted with the Certificate of Landscape Completion and shall include the following.
i. Routine inspection; adjustment and repair of the irrigation system and its components; aerating and de-thatching turf areas; replenishing mulch; fertilizing; pruning; weeding in all landscape areas; replacement of failed plants with same or equivalent plants; and removing obstruction to emission devices.
ii. Repair of all irrigation equipment shall be done with the originally installed components or their equivalents.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 16 h) Irrigation Audits
Landscape and irrigation assessments for new or rehabilitated landscapes shall be conducted after the landscaping and irrigation system have been installed. The findings of the assessment shall be consolidated into the Certificate of Completion submittal and may include, but are not limited to inspection, system tune-up, system test with distribution uniformity, reporting overspray or runoff that causes overland flow, and preparation of an irrigation schedule.
i. For Tier 1 projects, the audit shall be conducted by the project applicant, a designated PUC water service inspector, or by a certified landscape irrigation auditor.
ii. For Tier 2 projects, the irrigation audit shall be conducted by a PUC water service inspector or by a certified landscape irrigation auditor.
iii. The General Manager shall administer programs that may include, but not be limited to, irrigation water use analysis, irrigation audits, and irrigation surveys for compliance with the Maximum Applied Water Allowance.
Rule 7. Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA)
The operation of irrigation systems in new construction landscapes and landscape rehabilitation projects subject to Rules 3, 4, and 5 shall adhere to a Maximum Applied Water Allowance which shall be the upper limit of water that may be lawfully applied through the irrigation system. The MAWA for an irrigation system installed for a new construction landscape or landscape rehabilitation project shall be calculated using the following equation and the corresponding ET Adjustment Factor (ETAF) of 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for non-residential areas.
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(ETAF x LA) + ((1-ETAF) x SLA)]
Where:
MAWA = Maximum Applied Water Allowance (gallons per year)
35.1 = ETo or Reference Evapotranspiration for San Francisco (inches per year)
0.62 = Conversion Factor (to gallons)
ETAF = ET Adjustment Factor for residential (0.55), non-residential (0.45) landscapes LA = Landscape Area including SLA (square feet)
1-ETAF = Additional Water Allowance for SLA for new or modified landscapes SLA = Special Landscape Area (square feet)
Rule 8. Landscape Documentation Package
Tier 2 projects applications shall include at a minimum:
a) Project information sheet;
b) Water Efficient Landscape Worksheets which establish the project’s MAWA and ETWU;
c) Soil management report;
d) Landscape design plan;
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 17 e) Irrigation design plan; and
f) Grading design plan.
Rule 9. Soil Management Report
a) In order to reduce runoff and encourage healthy plant growth, a soil management report shall be completed by all Tier 2 project applicants where significant mass grading is planned. The soil management report or other documentation approved by the General Manager, shall document the various soil characteristics such as:
i. Soil texture;
ii. Infiltration rate determined by laboratory test or soil texture infiltration rate table; iii. pH;
iv. Total soluble salts;
v. Sodium;
vi. Percent organic matter; and
vii. Recommendations.
b) The project applicant shall c
omply with one of the following:
i. If project includes podium plantings using all imported soil, the project applicant shall submit a copy of the soil specification as part of the Landscape Documentation Package; or
ii. If significant mass grading is not planned, the soil analysis shall be submitted as part of the Landscape Documentation Package; or
iii. If significant mass grading is planned, the soil analysis report shall be submitted as part of the Certificate of Landscape Completion.
The soil analysis report shall be made available, in a timely manner, to the designers preparing the landscape design plans and irrigation design plans to make any necessary adjustments to the design plans.
The project applicant shall submit documentation verifying implementation of soil analysis report recommendations to the General Manager with the Certificate of Landscape Completion.
Rule 10. Landscape Design Plan
Tier 2 landscapes shall be carefully designed for the intended function of the project. A landscape design plan shall meet the following design criteria and shall be submitted as part of the Landscape Documentation Package. The landscape design plan, at a minimum, shall:
a) Include all applicable elements of Rule 6: Water Efficient Landscape Design and Operation Elements;
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 18 b) Identify all plants to be installed as part of the landscape project including: common name, botanical name, quantity, type (e.g. grass, succulent, vine, shrub, and tree), and plant factor as defined in Rule 2;
c) Delineate and label each hydrozone by number, letter, or other method;
d) Identify each hydrozone as low, moderate, high water, or mixed (low/moderate) water use, as defined by WUCOLS;
e) Include temporarily irrigated areas of the landscape in a low water use hydrozone for the purpose of water budget calculation;
f) Identify recreational areas;
g) Identify areas permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants or edible fruit or nut trees;
h) Identify areas irrigated with gray water or harvested rain water;
i) Identify type of mulch and application depth;
j) Identify soil amendments, type, and quantity;
k) Identify type and surface area of water features;
l) Identify hardscapes (pervious and non-pervious);
m) Identify location and installation details of any applicable stormwater best management practices that demonstrate compliance with the San Francisco Stormwater Design Guidelines for on-site retention and infiltration of stormwater. Examples include, but are not limited to:
rain gardens, bioretention areas, infiltration basins, constructed wetlands, pervious pavements, and rain water harvesting systems;
n) Contain the following statement: “I have complied with the requirements of the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance and Section F of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service Customers, and I have applied the requirements for the efficient use of water in this landscape design plan;” and
o) Bear the signature of a licensed landscape architect, licensed landscape contractor, or other person authorized by the General Manager.
Rule 11. Irrigation Design Plan
Irrigation systems shall meet all the requirements listed in this section and the manufacturers’ recommendations. The irrigation system and its related components shall be planned and designed to allow for proper installation, management, and maintenance. An irrigation design plan meeting the following design criteria shall be submitted as part of the Landscape Documentation Package. The irrigation design plan, at a minimum, shall contain:
a) Include all applicable elements of Rule 6: Water Efficient Landscape Design and Operation Elements;
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 19 b) Location and size of separate water meters for landscape (if applicable);
c) Location, type and size of all components of the irrigation system, including controllers, main and lateral lines, valves, sprinkler heads, moisture or rain sensing devices, quick couplers, pressure regulators, and backflow prevention devices;
d) Static water pressure at the point of connection to the public water supply. If a booster pump is used, include the operating pressure downstream from the pump;
e) Flow rate (gallons per minute), application rate (inches per hour), and design operating pressure (pressure per square inch) for each station;
f) Indication of where any non-potable water irrigation systems are used;
g) The following statement: “I have complied with the requirements of the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance and Section F of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service Customers, and I have applied the requirements for the efficient use of water in this landscape design plan;” and
h) The signature of a licensed landscape architect, certified irrigation designer, licensed landscape contractor, or other person authorized by the General Manager to design an irrigation system.
Rule 12. Grading Design Plan
If the Tier 2 landscape project area will be graded, the grading shall be designed to minimize soil erosion, runoff, and water waste; and a grading plan shall be submitted as part of the Landscape Documentation Package.
The project applicant shall submit a landscape grading plan that indicates finished configurations and elevations of the landscape area including:
a) Height of graded slopes;
b) Drainage patterns;
c) Pad elevations;
d) Finish grade; and
e) Stormwater retention improvements, if applicable.
The grading design plan shall contain the following statement: “I have complied with the requirements of the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance and Section F of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service Customers, and I have applied the requirements for the efficient use of water in this landscape design plan;” and shall bear the signature of a licensed civil engineer or landscape architect as authorized by law.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 20 Rule 13. Certificate of Landscape Completion
For all Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects, the project applicant shall submit to the General Manager the Certificate of Landscape Completion. The Certificate of Landscape Completion shall include the following elements.
a) For Tier 1, certification by the project applicant that the landscape project has been installed per the approved Tier 1 Landscape Application. For Tier 2, certification by the signer of the landscape design plan, the signer of the irrigation design plan, or the licensed landscape contractor that landscape project has been installed per the Landscape Documentation Package.
b) Irrigation scheduling parameters used to set the controller.
c) Landscape and irrigation maintenance schedule.
d) For Tier 2, irrigation audit report.
Rule 14: Irrigation Audits for Landscape Areas
The General Manager may require irrigation audits to evaluate water use on landscape areas. Such audits may be initiated as a coordinated effort between the General Manager and the water service customer as part of the General Manager’s Landscape Conservation Program, or if violation is reported to or discovered by the General Manager. When such audit is required, it must be completed by a certified landscape irrigation auditor.
a) Following the findings and recommendations of the certified landscape irrigation auditor, the General Manager may require adjustments to the irrigation usage, irrigation hardware, and/or landscape materials to reduce irrigation water use.
b) The landscape shall comply with the Maximum Applied Water Allowance for landscapes. The ET Adjustment Factor for existing landscapes is 0.8 and the ET Adjustment Factor for new construction landscapes and rehabilitated landscapes is 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for non-residential areas.
c) The MAWA for an irrigation system for an existing landscape area of any size shall be calculated using the following equation.
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.8 x LA) + (0.2 x SLA)]
Where: MAWA = Maximum Applied Water Allowance (gallons per year)
35.1 = ETo or Reference Evapotranspiration (inches per year)
0.62 = Conversion Factor (to gallons)
0.8 = ET Adjustment Factor (ETAF) for existing landscapes LA = Landscape Area including SLA (square feet)
0.2 = Additional Water Allowanc e for SLA for existing landscapes SLA = Special Landscape Area (square feet)
e) The MAWA for an irrigation system for a new construction landscape or rehabilitated landscape shall be as defined in Rule 7.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 21 Rule 15. Non-Potable Water
a) For purposes of Section F, a rehabilitated landscape does not include landscape areas where only the irrigation system is retrofitted for the use of recycled water and only plantings that restore areas disturbed by the recycled water retrofits are installed. Recycled water irrigation retrofit projects shall employ best management practices to prevent runoff, ponding and overspray as directed in their recycled water use permit and comply with all applicable local and state regulation. The installation of recycled water irrigation systems shall be required if the General Manager finds that recycled water meeting all applicable requirements is available for irrigation uses.
b) The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission encourages the installation of non-potable water irrigation systems for current and future use. New, rehabilitated and existing landscapes using non-potable water shall be considered Special Landscape Areas. An ET Adjustment Factor for the total landscape shall not exceed 1.0. Existing Special Landscape Areas shall be allowed more water by using an ET Adjustment Factor of 0.8 and additional water allowance of 0.2 or 20 percent. New or rehabilitated Special Landscape Areas shall be allowed more water by using an ET Adjustment Factor of 0.55 for residential areas and 0.45 for non- residential areas and additional water allowances of 0.45 or 45 percent and 0.55 or 55 percent respectively.
c) Landscapes using non-potable water are exempt from the turf limitations subject to Rule 6, but shall comply with the Maximum Applied Water Allowance of the landscape.
d) Irrigation systems and decorative water features shall use non-potable water as permitted by local regulations, codes and standards.
e) All non-potable water systems shall be designed and operated in accordance with all applicable local and State laws.
Rule 16. Water Waste Prevention
a) For landscaped areas of any size in the City and County of San Francisco, water runoff leaving the landscape area due to low head drainage, overspray, broken irrigation hardware, or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property, walks, roadways, parking lots, structures, or non-irrigated areas, is prohibited.
b) In the event this rule or any other rule is violated, the General Manager may issue a written warning, entered on the user's water service record and delivered to customer via mail, personal service, or other reasonable means. The letter will include information regarding the violation, education information on the restrictions, resources available from the General Manager to assist in complying with regulations, and a deadline for correcting the violation.
c) If the violations are not corrected to the satisfaction of the General Manager, the property owner, and project applicant where appropriate, shall be subject to enforcement in accordance with San Francisco Public Utilities Commission rules for limitation or termination of service, Chapter 100 of the San Francisco Administrative Code with respect to administrative penalties, and any other available legal remedies, at the sole discretion of the General Manager.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 22 APPENDIX - SAMPLE CALCULATIONS OF MAWA AND ETWU
MAXIMUM APPLIED WATER ALLOWANCE (MAWA): The example calculations below are hypothetical to demonstrate proper use of the MAWA equation pursuant to Rule 7 and required water budget calculations.
Example 1: A hypothetical residential landscape rehabilitation project in San Francisco with a modified landscape area of 2,500 square feet without any Special Landscape Area (SLA= 0, no edible plants, recreational areas, or use of non-potable water). To calculate MAWA, the annual reference evapotranspiration for San Francisco is 35.1 inches. The ETAF for a residential landscape project is 0.55.
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.55 x LA) + (0.45 x SLA)]
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.55 x 2,500 square feet) + (0.45 x 0)] = 29,920 gallons per year
To convert from gallons per year to gallons per day: 29,920/365 = 82 gallons per day
Water meters measure flow in hundred-cubic-feet (CCF). 1 CCF = 748 gallons, so in this example the MAWA is 40 CCF per year
Example 2: A new construction project to build a recreation center in San Francisco has a total landscape area of 100,000 square feet. Within the 100,000 square foot project, there is a 75,000 square foot area to be planted with turf for a soccer field. This 75,000 square foot area is considered to be a Special Landscape Area. The ETAF for a non-residential landscape project is 0.45.
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.45 x LA) + (0.55 x SLA)]
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.45 x 100,000 square feet) + (0.55 x 75,000 square feet)] = 21.76 x [45,000 + 41,250]
= 21.76 x 86,250
= 1,876,800 gallons per year, or 5,142 gallons per day, or 2,509 CCF per year
ESTIMATED TOTAL WATER USE (ETWU): The example calculations below are hypothetical to demonstrate proper use of the Estimated Total Water Use. The sum of the ETWU calculated for all hydrozones shall not exceed the MAWA.
ETWU = (35.1)
(0.62) PF x HA + SLA
IE
Where:
ETWU = Estimated Total Water Use per year (gallons)
35.1 = ETo or Reference Evapotranspiration (inches per year)
0.62 = Conversion Factor
PF = Plant Factor from WUCOLS
HA = Hydrozone Area [high, medium, and low water use areas] (square feet) IE = Irrigation Efficiency (0.75 for overhead spray and 0.81 for drip systems) PF/IE = ET Adjustment Factor (ETAF)
SLA = Special Landscape Area (square feet)
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 23 Example 1: A new construction residential landscape project has 50,000 square feet of landscape area; the plant water use type, irrigation type, plant factor, and hydrozone area are shown in the table below. In San Francisco, the ETo value is 35.1 inches per year. There are no Special Landscape Areas (recreational area, area permanently and solely dedicated to edible plants, or area irrigated with non-potable water) in this example.
Regular Landscape Areas
Hydro-
zone
Water
Use
Type(s)
Plant
Factor
(PF)
Irrigation
Method
Irrigation
Efficiency
(IE)
ETAF
(PF/IE)
Hydrozone
Area
(HA)
ETAF
x
HA
Est. Total
Water Use
(ETWU)
1 High 0.8 Spray 0.75 1.07 6,000 6,400 139,277
2 High 0.7 Spray 0.75 0.93 7,000 6,533 142,178
3 Medium 0.5 Drip 0.81 0.62 13,000 8,025 174,633
4 Low 0.3 Drip 0.81 0.37 10,000 3,704 80,600
5 Low 0.2 Drip 0.81 0.25 14,000 3,457 75,227
Sum 50,000 28,119
Special Landscape Areas
-- 1 -- -- --
-- 1 -- -- --
Sum
ETWU Total 611,915
MAWA Total 598,455
Compare ETWU with MAWA. For this example:
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.55 x 50,000) + (0.45 x 0)] = 598,455 gallons per year.
ETWU (611,915 gallons per year) is more than MAWA (598,455 gallons per year).
For this example, the project’s estimated water use does not comply with the MAWA.
SFPUC Rules and Regulations- Section F- as amended October 2015 September 27, 2022. 24 Example 2: A new construction non-residential landscape project has 32,000 square feet of landscape area, with 2,000 square feet planted with edible plants. The edible plant area is considered a Special Landscape Area (SLA). In San Francisco, ETo is 35.1 inches per year. The plant type, plant factor, irrigation type, and hydrozone areas are shown in the table below.
Regular Landscape Areas
Hydro-
zone
Water
Use
Type(s)
Plant
Factor
(PF)
Irrigation
Method
Irrigation
Efficiency
(IE)
ETAF
(PF/IE)
Hydrozone
Area
(HA)
ETAF
x
HA
Est. Total
Water Use
(ETWU)
1 High 0.8 Spray 0.75 1.07 1,500 1,600 34,819
2 High 0.7 Spray 0.75 0.93 1,000 933 20,311
3 Medium 0.5 Spray 0.75 0.67 2,500 1,667 36,270
4 Low 0.3 Drip 0.81 0.37 12,000 4,444 96,720
5 Low 0.2 Drip 0.81 0.25 15,000 3,704 80,600
Sum 32,000 12,348
Special Landscape Areas
6 1 2,000 2,000 43,524
Sum 2,000 2,000
ETWU Total 312,244
MAWA Total 337,311
Compare ETWU with MAWA. For this example:
MAWA = (35.1) (0.62) [(0.45 x 32,000) + (0.55 x 2,000)] = 337,311 gallons per year.
The ETWU (312,244 gallons per year) is less than MAWA (337,311 gallons per year).
For this example, the project’s estimated water use complies with the MAWA.