California City Municipal Code Art. 4 Continuation of Service

A customer shall continue to receive water service from the City by compliance with the provisions of this Article.

(a) During the last three (3) months of each fiscal year, the council shall determine whether rates charged for water recover the reasonable cost of water service, including capital costs and operation and maintenance. The council shall amend the rates annually, if necessary, to satisfy the foregoing criteria.

(b) During the annual review of rates, the council shall determine whether rate changes made by the Director of Public Works satisfy the criteria set forth herein. The council shall adjust the rate changes made by the Director of Public Works as necessary to satisfy these criteria.

(09-674, 3-17-2009)

The City Council shall establish monthly water rates by resolution.

( Ord. No. 16-744, § 4, 12-13-2016 )

The City Council shall establish temporary service rates by resolution.

The monthly charge for private fire protection service shall be [amount].

( Ord. No. 16-744, § 5, 12-13-2016 )

(a) The rate for surplus water shall be the same rate as the rate for water sold through temporary meters unless the agreement for surplus water delivery approved by the Council establishes a different rate.

(b) The rate for water used on land or property located both inside and outside the City shall be apportioned according to the place of use as determined by the Director of Public Works.

For the purpose of computing water charges, each meter on the property will be computed separately. Readings of two or more meters will not be combined as equivalent to measurement through one meter, except in instances the City, for its operating convenience, substitutes two or more meters of a smaller size in battery for a single larger meter on the same service connection, in which event the total equivalent capacity of the smaller meters shall be substituted for the size of a single meter of a similar capacity.

Meters shall be read periodically and as soon after the meter reading date as practical. The City shall mail or deliver a statement for the preceding period. Bills and charges shall be due and payable at the office of the City upon presentation. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve a customer of liability for payment.

Domestic services will normally be billed monthly. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of the Director of Public Works.

( Ord. No. 16-744, § 6, 12-13-2016 )

A consumer's deposit shall be applied to delinquent bills and penalties. Service may be discontinued unless the deposit is restored and delinquencies and charges are paid.

Customers desiring to discontinue service should notify the City in writing at least two days prior to vacating the premises. Unless discontinuance is so ordered, the customer may be liable for the monthly service charges whether or not any water is used.

( Ord. No. 16-744, § 7, 12-13-2016 )

(a) The rates and charges for services and facilities furnished by the City shall be collected with the water rates and charges. Such charges shall be included within the same bill and collected as one item. In the event of failure to pay the whole or any part of the bill, the City may discontinue any or all service for which the bill is rendered.

(b) When water is furnished to one customer through more than one service connection at the same or different locations or premises, all services may be discontinued when a bill for any one becomes delinquent.

Bills for water service for periods of time less than a month shall be prorated. Installation and Connection charges, however, will not be prorated. Customers will pay no less than the regularly established installation and connection charges for the size and class of service even if less than one (1) month's service is provided.

( Ord. No. 16-744, § 8, 12-13-2016 )

(a) If a meter in working condition cannot be read, an estimate shall be made of the quantity of water used and a bill rendered for the estimated quantity. Should the succeeding reading indicate the estimate is materially in error, an adjustment shall be made in the succeeding bill.

(b) If a meter becomes inoperable, billing shall be based on the quantity used in a similar period, unless circumstances indicate clearly a material change in the rate of consumption, in which case the Director of Public Works shall estimate the quantity used, considering pertinent factors, and render a bill accordingly.

(c) Customer shall pay for the maximum amount of water which could flow through the connection between meter readings if the meter register is inoperable due to vandalism or if the meter is by-passed by device, provided the customer's bill shall be reduced if the customer establishes a smaller amount of water flowed to the customer's property.

(Ord. No. 08-669, 10-21-2008)

A person taking possession of premises and using water from an active connection without having made application to the City for water service, shall be liable for the water delivered from the date of the last recorded reading. If application for water service is not made upon notification by the City, and if accumulated bills for service and the fees are not paid immediately, the service may be discontinued without further notice.

(a) A customer shall not again be furnished service at the same or another location until all delinquent bills plus the fees and charges have been paid; and a deposit sufficient to cover future services has been provided.

(b) Service may be discontinued and not resumed while the premises are in the same ownership until bills, plus the fees and deposit have been paid.

(c) An employee possessing an authorized order for the disconnection of service which is delinquent may accept the full amount of the service charges shown upon such disconnection order, plus fees specified. The entire amount due shall be paid, even if the payment has been mailed. On collection of the amounts, the service shall be left connected or reconnected as the case may be. The employee shall not make rebates or adjust charges.

(a) Applicants or customers who pay bills for service, fees, deposits or penalties by check are responsible for the check being honored by the Bank upon which it is drawn. If a check is refused for payment by the Bank, the writer shall redeem the check in cash at the City's office within 24 hours and pay a redemption fee in the amount of $20.00.

(b) Service shall not be undertaken until the customer or applicant complies with the requirements of this section. If the dishonored check relates to existing service, the procedure for termination of service shall be invoked if the customer fails to redeem the dishonored check within the allotted time.

(a) Except as provided in this section, water shall not be supplied to property other than described in the application for service and no customer shall deliver water outside of the City without the consent of the council.

(b) A customer may be issued a permit to supply water to a holder of a public works contract or private contractor. Such permit shall be denied to a person indebted to the City or who has failed to comply with the rules and regulations of the City.

(c) Service of water shall not be made through a single meter to two or more parcels of property separately owned. A temporary exception may be made to this rule if approved by the Director of Public Works, if there is no main contiguous to the property from which separate service may be had, and if the customer for whom the meter was installed guarantees payment for all water delivered. Such service shall be charged as though separate meters existed for each separate use. Whenever a City main is installed from which separate service can be rendered, the Director of Public Works will notify parties concerned, and the common service will be subject to being discontinued after the time limit in the notices.

(Ord. No. 09-674, 3-17-2009)

(a) During the times of threatened or actual water shortage, the council shall apportion the available water supply among customers in the most equitable manner possible, with due regard to public health and safety.

(b) When requested by the City during a fire emergency, customers shall shut off lawn sprinklers or any steady flow of water.

(Ord. No. 09-674, 3-17-2009)

(a) No person shall use water from a fire hydrant for any purpose other than fire suppression or the uses permitted in this section.

(b) Temporary service may be provided through a fire hydrant.

(c) Water may be used to maintain or test a fire sprinkler system. Authorization to use water through a fire service connection for the purpose of maintaining or testing a fire sprinkler system will be granted when the request contains: maximum pressure; and the estimated quantity of water to be used. The Director of Public Works may restrict or prohibit non-emergency flows detrimental to the City's system.

(d) When a fire service or a fire hydrant has been used for other than for suppression, or a single service has exceeded the allowable capacity of the by-pass meter (as determined by registration on the full flow main meter) the City may charge the sum of [amount] for the first offense, [amount] for the second offense, and [amount] for the third and subsequent offenses.

(e) If the Director of Public Works determines leakage has occurred, totaling less than three-hundredths (.03) units of water per period during three (3) consecutive billing periods to the customer's fire service or fire hydrants, the Director of Public Works shall notify the customer of the usage and encourage customer to fix the leak.

If the Director of Public Works determines leakage has occurred, totaling less than fifteen (15) units but more than three-hundredths (.03) units of water per period during three (3) consecutive billing periods to the customer's fire system or fire hydrant, the customer shall present satisfactory evidence the leak has been repaired, or pay [amount] per billing period in addition to the regular charge described herein.

If the Director of Public Works determines leakage has occurred, totaling more than fifteen (15) units of water per period during three consecutive billing periods to the customer's fire service or fire hydrant, the customer shall present satisfactory evidence the leakage has been fixed, or remove the detector check valve and purchase a water meter of the appropriate size. If the customer chooses to purchase a water meter, the customer shall pay fees and charges normally associated with the purchase of the meter.

(f) If repeated unauthorized use of a fire service or hydrant occurs, the Director of Public Works shall notify the fire department and the occupant of the properties served by the fire service or fire hydrant that within ten (10) days the fire service or fire hydrant shall be disconnected until charges for each violation have been paid and assurances, have been given that no further unauthorized use will occur.

No one except an employee or representative of the City shall operate service cocks or valves, main cocks, gates or valves of the City's system, or interfere with meters or their connections, water mains or other parts of the City's water system.

(a) The City is not liable for damage by water running from opened or faulty fixtures, or from opened or damaged pipes on the customer side of the meter.

(b) The customer shall be liable for damage to the City facilities from any act or omission of the customer or the customer's family, tenants, agents, employees, contractors, licensees, or permittees.

Service may be discontinued to protect the City for fraud.

When pressure regulating valves or other protective devices are connected to a water heater, a suitable pressure relief valve shall be installed and maintained by the customer in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code to protect the customer's plumbing system.

(a) There shall be no connection between a private fire protection service and another water distribution system on the premises.

(b) There shall be no connection between an irrigation service and another water system on the premises.

Water furnished by the City must pass through a meter. No by-pass or connection around a meter between the customer's plumbing and the City's main shall be made or maintained.

(a) A cross-connection is unprotected connection between any part of the City's potable water supply system and a source or system which potentially contains water or a substance not approved for human consumption.

(b) The requirements of Uniform Plumbing Code and Section 7583 through 7622 of Title 17 of the California Administrative Code, are incorporated in this Code by reference.

(c) Water service may be refused or discontinued to premises where a cross-connection exists in violation of these requirements.

(d) Whenever back flow protection is necessary on a water supply line entering a customer's premises, or when more than one Domestic or Irrigation Service Connection supplies water to a single premises, water supply lines from the City's mains entering such premises, buildings or structures shall be protected by an approved back flow device, regardless of the use of the additional water supply lines.

(e) Private fire protection services are excluded from the requirements of this section.

(a) City shut-off valves are installed for the use of the City and will usually be found immediately adjacent to the street side of the meter.

(b) The customer may provide a valve on the customer's side of each meter. This valve is for the customer's use, and may be operated at the customer's convenience.

(Ord. No. 07-657, 12-18-2007)

Service connections and water meters installed or accepted for use by the City are the property of the City. The expense of maintenance, repairs, and replacement of such devices due to normal wear and tear shall be borne by the City.

Water service may be refused or discontinued to premises where apparatus or appliances unreasonably endanger City facilities.

(a) Customers shall conserve water supplied by the City by the prevention and elimination of waste or leakage.

(b) New plumbing fixtures installed within the City service area must conform to the following requirements:

(1) Toilets shall use less than one and six-tenths (1.6) gallons per flush.

(2) Showerheads shall flow at less than two and five-tenths (2.5) gallons per minute.

(3) Non-residential lavatory faucets shall be metering or self-closing.

(4) Urinals shall use not more than one and five-tenths (1.5) gallons per flush.

(c) Fixtures must be approved by the State Department of Housing and Community Development, and toilets, urinals and showerheads must have a certification of volume by a reputable independent testing organization.

(1) Where requirements of this subsection would cause hardship or if suitable fixtures are not available, hot water recirculating systems or point of use hot water heaters may be substituted as water conserving measures for up to two (2) toilet installations per single family dwelling.

(2) In commercial uses, developers may install fixtures using up to three and five tenths (3.5) gallons per flush when rest room facilities must meet County handicapped use requirements or when vandalism of tank style toilets is likely.

(d) Water conserving fixture installations shall be subject to compliance inspection, prior to issuance of final occupancy permits, by one of the agencies responsible for issuing building permits. Inspection reports shall be supplied by the inspector to the City.

(e) For the benefit of the public, and to further the cause of water conservation in landscaping, one home in each model home display must be landscaped with water efficient plant material and irrigated with appropriate water-conserving irrigation systems.

(1) The landscaping for the model shall be designed to be drought tolerant. The use of irrigation intensive plantings shall be discouraged.

(2) Turf areas shall be no more than 30% of the area landscaped.

(3) The model home display shall draw attention to the specific landscape materials and irrigation techniques utilized.

To conserve the City's potable water supply, recycled water shall be used as follows:

(a) Where recycled water is available and appropriate, the use of potable water for irrigation purposes shall be considered a waste of potable water. On written notice from the Director of Public Works, recycled water is available from a recycled water main contiguous to a customer's property and acceptable to the Department of Health Services and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The customer shall have 60 days to commence the use of recycled water. Thereafter, potable water delivered to the property for irrigation shall be charged at a rate of 150% of the potable water rate.

(b) Potable water shall not be used for construction activities such as compaction and dust control when the cost of recycled water, added to the cost of recycled water conveyance facilities, is less than, or equal to, the cost of an equivalent amount of potable water priced at 150 percent of regular potable water rates, plus the cost of necessary potable water conveyance facilities.

(a) The City shall promote water efficient irrigation practices by compliance with the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act for (1) developer installed projects having a landscape area over two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet; (2) homeowner installed landscape area over five thousand (5,000) square feet; or (3) City installed landscape, regardless of area.

(b) Each applicant for a building permit and each applicant for approval of a site plan shall submit a landscape irrigation plan which incorporates as many of the recommendations contained in the California Model Landscape Irrigation Ordinance as feasible.

(c) The City may adopt temporary water conservation measures stricter than the landscaping plan if necessary to meet water shortage emergencies.

(Ord. No. 09-677, 6-16-2009)