Priorities

• Ontario's public ordinance 2907 declares that water will first be designated for consumers and businesses for cooking, plumbing and domestic use. Irrigation, live crops and agriculture are secondary to domestic use in accordance with the California Water Code unless otherwise ordered by the department of utilities.
  
  

Conservation Orders

• As a means of conserving water in a drought, the city of Ontario permits the issuance of an order of conservation. Depending on the intensity of the water shortage, the city may issue an order to reduce water usage by 10 percent to 20 percent. In extreme water shortages, the city may interrupt service entirely to businesses and households until water levels can be brought to within a normal range.
  
  

Penalties

• Individuals who violate a water conservation order may be subject to penalties ranging from a written warning to a $500 fine and the installation of water-restriction devices on their homes or businesses. In qualifying cases, relief from the conservation order may be issued to consumers by the department of utilities only through written application and only if adequate proof exists showing just cause to do so.
  
  

Prohibited Uses

• During a designated period of water shortage, the city of Ontario prohibits certain acts. Upon order of the department of utilities, no water can be used for washing walkways, driveways, street areas or other paved surfaces until the order of conservation is lifted. In addition, the use of lawn sprinklers and water hoses for the purpose of washing vehicles may be prohibited.