Step:
Water
Permit
Every business needs water. Oftentimes your business needs water for commercial or industrial uses beyond a basic restroom for clients and employees.
The Water Department's Engineering Section reviews your building permit to ensure you have the appropriate water connections for your business to safely and successfully operate. Depending on your business type, this could require adjusting the type of connection you have for your location, installing a backflow prevention device, or ensuring you have an adequately sized water supply line for fire sprinklers.
Part of the Water Engineering review process includes determining your "domestic water demand", essentially how much water your business will actually need to operate. Domestic water demand is determined by counting the number of water supply fixtures—such as toilets, sinks, showers and hose bibbs—and then using a point system based on California Plumbing Code to determine the required meter size. If a larger meter is required, Water System Development Charges and Sewer Connection Fees may apply.
For questions about water needs for your business contact the Water Engineering Section at 831-420-5210.
When you're ready to start your water service, Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities provides a simple sign up form for water service for your commercial business. To view the water rates and charges click here.
Water Conservation
The city requires commercial, industrial, multi-family residential and public projects to meet certain standards in water efficiency for new and renovated landscapes, known as the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. For some projects, the Planning Department will request a conceptual landscape design which will be routed to the Water Conservation section in the Water Department to insure the landscape meets these requirements. Likewise, complete landscape and irrigation plans are also required as part of the building permit application and are routed to Water Conservation through the Building Department.
For detailed information on landscape water conservation standards and what needs to be included in the landscape and irrigation plans, visit Water Conservation or call (831) 420-5230.