§ 54-368. Year-round landscape irrigation restrictions.

(1)

Collier County hereby adopts the rules of the South Florida Water Management District, Chapter 40E-24.201 F.A.C., and any subsequent additions, deletions or corrections thereto; and which are set out as follows:

(a)

It shall be the duty of each user to keep informed as to the landscape irrigation conservation measures presented within this section, which affect each particular water use.

(b)

In addition to the specific conservation measures enumerated below, all wasteful and unnecessary water use as defined in Section 54-367(p), is prohibited.

(c)

The following requirements or exceptions shall apply to all users unless specified otherwise herein:

(1)

Landscape irrigation shall be prohibited daily between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., except as otherwise provided herein.

(2)

Irrigation of new landscaping shall comply with the following provisions:

i.

On the day the new landscaping is installed, the new landscaping may be irrigated once without regard to the normally allowable watering days and times. Irrigation of the soil immediately prior to the installation of the new landscaping is also allowable without regard to the normal allowable watering days and times.

ii.

The ninety (90) day period begins the day the new landscaping is installed. The new landscaping shall be installed within a reasonable time from the date of purchase, which may be demonstrated with a dated receipt or invoice.

iii.

Irrigation of new landscaping which has been in place for thirty (30) days or less may be accomplished on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and/or Sunday.

iv.

Irrigation of new landscaping which has been in place for thirty-one (31) to ninety (90) days may be accomplished on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Saturday.

v.

Irrigation of the new landscaping is limited to areas containing the new landscaping only. An entire zone of an irrigation system shall only be utilized for landscape irrigation under this paragraph if the zone in question is for an area that contains at least 50% new landscaping. If a zone contains less than 50% new landscaping, or if the new landscaping is in an area that will not typically be irrigated by an irrigation system, only the individual new plantings are eligible for additional irrigation under this paragraph. Targeted watering may be accomplished by low volume hand watering, or any appropriate method which isolates and waters only the new landscaping.

(2)

Landscape irrigation systems may be operated during restricted days and/or times for cleaning, maintenance, and repair purposes with an attendant on-site in the area being tested. Landscape irrigation systems may routinely be operated for such purposes no more than once per week, and the run time for any one test should not exceed 10 minutes per zone.

(3)

Landscape irrigation for the purpose of watering-in fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, where such watering-in is recommended by the manufacturer, or by federal, state or local law, or best management practices, shall be allowed under the following conditions:

(a)

Such watering-in shall be limited to one application unless the need for more than one application is stated in the directions for application specified by the manufacturer; and

(b)

Such watering-in shall be accomplished during normally allowable watering days and times set forth in Paragraphs (1)(c)(1), (1)(c)(2) of this Section, unless a professional licensed applicator has posted a temporary sign containing the date of application and the date(s) of needed watering-in activity.

(4)

Any plant material may be watered using low volume irrigation, micro-irrigation, low-volume hand watering methods, and rain barrels, cisterns, or other similar rain-harvesting devices without regard to the watering days or times allowed pursuant to this section.

(5)

Irrigation of existing landscaping shall comply with the following provisions:

(a)

Even addresses, installations with irrigation systems that irrigate both even and odd addresses within the same zones, such as multi-family units and homeowners' associations, and rights-of-way or other locations with no address as defined in Section 54-367(e), shall have the opportunity to accomplish necessary landscape irrigation only on Tuesday and/or Thursday and/or Sunday.

(b)

Odd addresses as defined in Section 54-367(m), shall have the opportunity to accomplish necessary landscape irrigation only on Monday and/or Wednesday and/or Saturday.

(6)

In the absence of a declaration of a water shortage condition or water shortage emergency within all or any part of Collier County by the Governing Board or Executive Director of the District, the landscape irrigation restrictions or other measures adopted by the District applicable to Collier County or any portion thereof shall be subject to enforcement action pursuant to Section 54-371 below. Any violation of the provisions of Chapter 40E-24.201, F.A.C. or this Ordinance shall be a violation of this section.

(Ord. No. 2015-27, § 3)