Reviewed by Brendan McKee, Managing Broker, DRE #01882732, on October 20, 2026.

California required noncompliant plumbing fixtures in buildings built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994 to be replaced with water-conserving ones: in single-family homes by January 1, 2017 and in multifamily buildings by January 1, 2019 (Civil Code §§ 1101.4, 1101.5). On top of that, City of San Diego water customers follow permanent water-use rules rewritten effective July 15, 2026, which include fixing leaks "upon discovery or within 72 hours of notification" by the City (SDMC § 67.3803(c)).

The short version

  • Noncompliant fixtures: toilets over 1.6 gallons per flush, showerheads over 2.5 gallons per minute, interior faucets over 2.2 gallons per minute, urinals over 1 gallon per flush (Civil Code § 1101.3).
  • In multifamily rentals, water-conserving fixtures must be working at their rated flow when the tenant moves in (§ 1101.5(c)).
  • City of San Diego customers may not water yards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or during and for 48 hours after measurable rain.
  • The rules depend on who sends the water bill; other districts set their own.
  • The state ban on watering nonfunctional turf (AB 1572) does not name apartment buildings; ask your water district how it applies.
  • Owners who bill tenants through water submeters must follow Civil Code §§ 1954.201 to 1954.219, including a 21-day leak repair rule.

Water-conserving fixtures (Civil Code §§ 1101.1 to 1101.9)

The article applies to residential and commercial property built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994 (§ 1101.2). Both replacement deadlines have passed.

RuleSingle-family rentalMultifamily rental (more than one unit)
Replacement deadlineJanuary 1, 2017 (§ 1101.4(b))January 1, 2019 (§ 1101.5(a))
At move-inNot addressed in § 1101.4Fixtures operating at the manufacturer's rated water consumption when the tenant takes possession (§ 1101.5(c))
Tenant roleNot addressedTenant notifies the owner if a fixture is not operating at its rated consumption; owner corrects it on notice or when the owner detects it
Permitted workAll noncompliant fixtures replaced as a condition of final permit approval (§ 1101.4(a))Since January 1, 2014: additions over 10 percent of floor area, alterations over $150,000, or any permitted alteration to a room with noncompliant fixtures trigger replacement (§ 1101.5(d))

Exemptions in § 1101.7 cover registered historical sites, property where a licensed plumber certifies replacement is not technically feasible, and buildings with water permanently disconnected. A city or county that adopted a retrofit ordinance before July 1, 2009 is exempt from the article while that ordinance stays in effect (§ 1101.9), so ask your city whether one applies. In multifamily buildings, entry to install, test and maintain fixtures follows Civil Code § 1954 (§ 1101.5(b)); see landlord entry.

City of San Diego water-use rules

These rules apply only to customers of the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department. If another agency sends your water bill, check with that agency.

SDMC §§ 67.3801 to 67.3807 were amended by Ordinance O-22105, effective July 15, 2026, replacing the old "Drought Response Levels" with six "Water Shortage Levels." As of October 2026 the City's pages list only its permanent rules; check the City's Water Use Restrictions page (opens in a new tab) for any declared shortage level.

Permanent rules most relevant to rentals (§ 67.3803):

  • No irrigation runoff or uncorrected leaks that let water flow onto neighboring property, walkways, streets, parking lots or structures.
  • Repair or stop leaks upon discovery or within 72 hours of notification by the City.
  • No irrigation of yards, potted plants or fruit trees from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., year-round, with exceptions such as erosion control and repairing an irrigation system with an operator present.
  • No outdoor watering during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall (1/8 inch or more at the nearest reporting station).
  • No washing paved areas except to address immediate safety or sanitation hazards, and then only with a power washer or a hose with a shutoff nozzle; wash water must stay out of the storm drain.
  • No overfilling pools and spas, and no non-recirculating ornamental fountains.
  • A hose used to wash a vehicle needs a shutoff nozzle.

Violations can bring criminal, civil and administrative penalties, and the City may limit or cut off water service for willful violations (§ 67.3807).

Other water districts

Two examples:

  • Otay Water District lists prohibited practices including outdoor watering within 48 hours after at least 1/4 inch of rain, a different threshold from the City's 1/8 inch.
  • Helix Water District has listed permanent measures including no runoff onto hardscape and no watering for at least 48 hours after rain.

For Sweetwater Authority, California American Water and other agencies, check their current rules.

Nonfunctional turf (AB 1572)

Water Code § 10608.14 bans potable water for irrigating nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial and institutional properties from January 1, 2028, and on HOA and common interest development common areas from January 1, 2029, while allowing water for the health of trees and other perennial plants. The City of San Diego wrote it into SDMC § 67.3803(a) for commercial, industrial and institutional properties.

The statute does not name apartment buildings or single-family rentals, and it does not say whether a rental property counts as "commercial." If you own a condo, your HOA's common-area turf is covered from 2029. If you own an apartment building, ask your water district how it applies the rule.

Submetered water (Civil Code §§ 1954.201 to 1954.219)

These rules apply where submeters are used to charge tenants separately for water in a property with two or more units on a single master meter. The chapter's definition of "landlord" excludes a common interest development (§ 1954.202).

  • Before the lease is signed: a written disclosure in at least 10-point type covering billing, an estimated monthly bill, allowed charges, and the landlord's duty to investigate and, if necessary, repair reported leaks within 21 days (§ 1954.204).
  • Leaks: if a leak or high-use problem is fixed more than 21 days after notice, usage for the affected months is adjusted under § 1954.210, unless the tenant refused access after proper notice.
  • Entry: to install or repair a submeter or investigate abnormally high use, with § 1954 notice; reading a submeter requires written notice (§ 1954.211).
  • No waiver: these rights cannot be waived in a lease (§ 1954.215).

Leak detection steps

  1. Check usage. City customers can view usage history in the MyWaterSD portal or app; an unexplained jump is a reason to look.
  2. Look at the meter box. The City lists consistently saturated soil, standing water and water flowing from the meter as signs of a possible meter leak.
  3. Decide whose side it is. On the property owner's side of the meter, repair is the owner's responsibility; on the City's side, a City crew repairs it. City Water Emergency Hotline: 619-515-3525.
  4. Check toilets, faucets and irrigation, watching for runoff onto paving while sprinklers run.
  5. Ask for a free survey. For properties in the City's service area with up to eight units, the City's free survey checks toilets, faucets, showerheads, pressure and irrigation, with the tenant present; for larger buildings, City staff train on-site maintenance staff. The City says it is not a specialized leak detection service (619-980-9754).
  6. Keep the paperwork. A City bill adjustment is available only for a non-irrigation concealed pipe leak, and the request must arrive within 120 days of the first high bill. Keep the discovery date, repair date and invoice.

For emergency leaks, see emergency repairs.

Rebates

  • SoCal Water$mart (Metropolitan Water District) lists rebates for turf replacement, clothes washers, toilets, rain barrels and cisterns, sprinkler nozzles, soil moisture sensors, irrigation controllers and flow monitor devices. As of October 2026, Metropolitan's page lists $2.00 per square foot for up to 5,000 square feet of converted yard per year, and you must reserve funds before starting. Amounts can change, so confirm first.
  • The pre-1994 multifamily toilet program reports its funding is exhausted.
  • The City of San Diego Rainwater Harvesting Rebate Program is temporarily paused.
  • Unincorporated-area residents can look at the County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program.

For owners

Decide in the lease who pays for water and who handles yard watering; see the utilities clause. The City code applies its rules to the water "customer," while the City's meter-leak page puts private-side leak repair on the property owner. Give tenants the watering hours in writing if they control irrigation. Plumbing replacements may need a permit; see major systems in older rentals. For seasonal timing, see the maintenance calendar.

Local rules

Water rules in San Diego County are set by the agency that supplies the water, such as the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department, Otay, Helix, Sweetwater Authority or California American Water. Check with the agency that sends your water bill.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to replace old toilets and showerheads in my rental?

If the building was built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994, yes, unless an exemption applies. Civil Code § 1101.4 required single-family owners to replace noncompliant fixtures by January 1, 2017, and § 1101.5 set January 1, 2019 for multifamily property.

What are the City of San Diego watering hours?

City of San Diego customers may not irrigate yards and plants from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., year-round (SDMC § 67.3803(l), as amended effective July 15, 2026), or during and for 48 hours after rainfall of 1/8 inch or more.

How fast must a leak be fixed in San Diego?

For City of San Diego customers, SDMC § 67.3803(c) prohibits failing to repair or stop a leak upon discovery or within 72 hours of notification by the City. Other water districts set their own rules.

Does the AB 1572 turf ban apply to my apartment building?

The statute does not say. Water Code § 10608.14 covers commercial, industrial and institutional properties from 2028 and HOA common areas from 2029, and it does not name apartment buildings. Ask your water district how it applies the rule to your property.

McKee Properties manages rentals and runs an in-house maintenance division, Certified Property Maintenance; see maintenance services.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm your situation with a California attorney, your local building or fire department, or a licensed professional.

Sources

Verified October 19, 2026.

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