Definitions.
Charlotte City Code § 23-252
in effectSec. 23-252. - Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
City manager means the city manager, the deputy city manager, any assistant city manager or any acting or interim city manager.
CMU water system means CMU potable water supply, storage, treatment and distribution system, or any portion thereof.
Customer means any person or entity in whose name the city maintains an account for water use. The term "customer" also means and includes any person or entity who receives or is capable of receiving water from CMU water system through the customer's private water system or by any other means, without regard to whether CMU is aware of the existence of such customer.
Community and business water use means any use of water from CMU water system that meets either of the following criteria with special emphasis on those uses which substantially minimize water use through recycling or other means: critical to an institution's or business's function and such use or function has a significant impact upon the economy of the county or any municipality located therein; or critical to recreational or other facilities operated or maintained for community use. Examples of community and business water uses may be set forth in the water shortage management plan and include but are not limited to:
(1) Watering stock or inventory at plant nurseries, garden centers or tree farms;
(2) Watering fairways, tees and greens on golf courses;
(3) Washing vehicles at commercial car washes;
(4) Commercial pressure washing;
(5) Commercial, agricultural applications;
(6) Commercial manufacturing;
(7) Fire hydrant and water line flushing;
(8) Complying with applicable law for earth-disturbing activity using no more water than is reasonably necessary; and
(9) Other similar uses as determined by CMU.
Discretionary water use means any use of water from CMU water system that is elective and is not a community and business or essential water use. Examples of discretionary water uses may be set forth in the water shortage management plan and include but are not limited to lawn/turf irrigation, residential car washing, noncommercial pressure washing, ornamental pools or fountains and other similar uses as determined by CMU.
Emergency conditions means any condition posing a substantial and immediate threat to the ability of CMU to meet actual or anticipated demand for community and business and/or essential water uses and requiring the immediate implementation of mandatory water conservation measures in order to protect the public health and safety, including, without limitation, a major disruption or failure in any portion of the system or contamination of the water in any portion of the system or of the raw water supply.
Essential water use means any use of water from CMU water system that is necessary to maintain public health and safety. Examples of essential water uses may be set forth in the water shortage management plan and include but are not limited to: sustaining human life, fighting fires, testing for public safety standards, patient care and rehabilitation, maintaining pressure in CMU water system, maintaining operation of CMU water system and other similar uses as determined by CMU.
Irrigation service connection means a service connection by which a customer receives water from CMU water system for the sole purpose of watering vegetation and is not connected directly or indirectly to any plumbing system that discharges into the publicly operated treatment works.
Service connection means the terminal end of a complete service connection or, in the absence of a complete service connection, the point at which water leaves CMU water system and enters a customer's water system.
(Ord. No. 2274, § 4(23-131), 3-24-2003)
Source: City of Charlotte, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/charlotte/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH23WASEINWADIRE_ARTVIIWACO_S23-252DEFetched: 10/27/2026