Arcata Municipal Code Art. 1 General Provisions

For the purpose of this Chapter, all words used herein in the present tense shall include the future; all words in the plural number shall include the singular number; and all words in the singular number shall include the plural number.

The City will furnish a system, plant, works and undertaking used for and useful in obtaining, conserving and distributing water for public and private uses, including all parts of said system, all appurtenances to it, and lands, easements, rights in land, water rights, contract rights, franchises, and other water supply, storage and distribution facilities and equipment.

All applicants for service connections or water service shall be required to accept such conditions of pressure and service as are provided by the distribution system at the location of the proposed service connection, and to hold the City harmless for any damages arising out of low pressure or high pressure conditions of interruptions in service.

No one except an employee or representative of the City shall at any time in any manner operate the curb cocks or valves, main cocks, gates or valves of the City’s system; or interfere with meters or their connections, street mains or other parts of the water system.

For the failure of the customer to comply with all or any part of this Chapter, and any ordinance, resolution or order fixing rates and charges of the Water System, a penalty for which has not hereafter been specifically fixed, the customer’s service shall be discontinued and the water shall not be supplied such customer until he shall have complied with the rule or regulation, rate or charge which he has violated or, in the event that he cannot comply with said rule or regulation, until he shall have satisfied the City that in the future he will comply with all the rules and regulations established by ordinance of the City and with all rates and charges of the Water System. In addition thereto, he shall pay the Water System a fee as set forth in the Schedule of Fees adopted by resolution of the City Council for renewal of his service.

All rulings of the City Council shall be final. All rulings of the City Manager shall be final unless appealed in writing to the Council within five (5) days. When appealed, the Council’s ruling shall be final.

When an abnormally large quantity of water is desired for filling a swimming pool or for other purposes, arrangements must be made with the Environmental Services Department prior to taking such water.

Permission to take water in unusual quantities will be given only if it can be safely delivered through the City’s facilities and if other consumers are not inconvenienced thereby. (Ord. 1516, eff. 8/16/2019)

The customer shall, at his own risk and expense, furnish, install and keep in good and safe condition all equipment that may be required for receiving, controlling, applying and utilizing water, and neither the City nor the Environmental Services Department shall be responsible for any loss or damage caused by the improper installation of such equipment, or the negligence or wrongful act of the customer or of any of his tenants, agents, employees, contractors, licensees or permitters in installing, maintaining, operating or interfering with such equipment. Neither the City nor the Environmental Services Department shall be responsible for damage to property caused by faucets, valves and other equipment that are open when water is turned on at the meter, either originally or when turned on after a temporary shutdown. (Ord. 1516, eff. 8/16/2019)