Daly City Municipal Code Ch. 13.04 Water Service

The word "production" when used in this title shall mean the development and pumping of water from wells and the purchase of water from sources of supply available to the city.

(Prior code § 29-1)

A. The director of water and wastewater resources shall keep and maintain all water production, storage and distribution equipment and property in efficient operating order. The director shall recommend to the city council and to the city manager such work in the nature of public projects which the director deems necessary for the efficient operation of the water department. The director shall supervise such projects as have been approved. The director shall have general authority over the day-to-day operation of all employees whose duties relate to the operation and maintenance of the water department. The director shall propose, and recommend to the city council, rules and regulations for the operation of the water department, if necessary.

B. The director of water and wastewater resources shall keep an accurate record of all houses vacated and promptly report such vacancy to the director of finance. He/she shall shut off water on premises which have been vacated and make prompt report of all matters coming to his knowledge in connection with the water system which will enable the director of finance to promptly enforce the collection of water bills due to the city.

C. The director of water and wastewater shall be responsible for all matters relating to construction, operation and maintenance of the water production, storage and distribution system throughout the city, and he/she shall also be responsible for all property of the city used in conjunction with the production, storage and distribution of water, whether located inside or outside of the city. Supervisory positions under the general authority of the director of water and wastewater resources previously established within the classified service of the city by the city council are continued in effect, but the city council may increase or eliminate the same in the manner provided by law.

(Prior code § 29-2)

(Ord. No. 1387, § 4, 3-23-2015)

The director of finance shall keep proper books and records relating to the operation of the water department and particularly showing the consumption of water by customers of the water department, and shall collect all water accounts promptly and efficiently. Bills shall be submitted to customers bimonthly; provided, that the city council or director of finance may increase the frequency of billing if in the judgment of either such is dictated. The director of finance, in order to simplify the procedure of billing, shall prepare billing schedules predicated upon the rates set forth in Chapter 13.08. Such schedule shall be submitted to the city council for adoption by resolution prior to its use.

(Prior code § 29-3)

Applications for water service shall be made to the director of finance on forms provided by him.

(Prior code § 29-4)

The city manager or director of finance may require, before the city renders water service to any applicant or consumer, a deposit with the city of a bond with two good and sufficient sureties, or cash. Such bond or cash deposit shall be conditioned and shall obligate such bondsmen to pay all water bills due the city by any such applicant or consumer. Such bond or cash deposit shall be in the following amounts:

1. For single family residential units, an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars;

2. For multiple family residential units, an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars per living unit;

3. For commercial use, an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars.

(Ord. 778 § 1, 1974: prior code § 29-5)

The city shall have the right to refuse water service to any transient builder, contractor or person temporarily residing in the city, or to any person who has been delinquent in the payment of his water bills, or who has failed to deposit the bond or cash required by Section 13.04.050.

(Ord. 778 § 2, 1974: prior code § 29-6)

Any owner of property fronting upon a street wherein mains have been laid and connected with the municipal water system or accessible thereto, may obtain water service therefrom for his own use or for the use of his tenant in such property where the city council has refused to grant such water service to such tenant for any reason, upon complying with the following terms:

A. Such owner, his attorneys, agents or tenant shall make written application to the director of finance requesting that service connection be made with his premises to be described in such application;

B. Such application shall be conclusive evidence that the owner of such premises wherein water service is desired is familiar with all of the terms and conditions of this chapter;

C. Such owner shall in writing acknowledge himself responsible for all water bills that may accrue during the time such service is rendered to himself or to such tenant.

(Prior code § 29-7)

The city council shall have the right to limit the amount of water furnished to any consumer should the circumstances seem to warrant such action, although no limit may be stated in the application for such use.

(Prior code § 29-8)

In case the owner or occupant of premises in the city on which water is used desires to temporarily discontinue the use of such water, he shall make written application for that purpose to the director of finance and after the date of such application the rents accruing for such service shall cease for the period during which such service is shut off; provided, that the period of such discontinuance is not less than one month.

(Prior code § 29-9)

Each consumer about to vacate any premises supplied with service shall give written notice to the director of finance of his intended removal at least two days prior thereto, specifying the date desired for service for all water furnished to said premises until the director of finance shall have notice of such removal.

(Ord. 778 § 3, 1974: prior code § 29-10)

No water sold by the city to any user within or without the city shall be sold for any purpose other than use or consumption on the premises to which the water is delivered.

(Prior code § 29-12)

No hydrant, gooseneck, hose butt or other hose attachment shall be placed in any yard or area of any premises so situated as to be accessible to persons occupying neighboring premises; nor shall more than one dwelling, building or store be supplied from the same service except by written permission of the city council.

(Prior code § 29-13)

No person shall be allowed to serve other premises from wells situated on his premises except by special permit from the city council, and not until after sanitary analysis has been made of such water supply by a competent chemist and such analysis approved by the city council.

(Prior code § 29-14)

Any person using the city water service shall accept such service at his own risk and waive any damages or claims against the city for the failure of the operation of such service or which may be caused by the bursting of any pipes or by reason of any other disarrangement or disturbances of such service.

(Prior code § 29-15)

The owner of premises to which water is served or the consumer living on any such premises shall keep the service pipe, stop cocks and all appliances connected therewith on such premises in good order and repair and at his own expense, and no claims shall be made or allowed against the city by reason of bursting or any other disarrangement of any service pipe or any appliance connected therewith.

(Prior code § 29-16)

The city shall maintain and keep in repair the water system and all of the service connections; provided, that the failure of such service or the injury thereto rendering repairs necessary does not result from the careless or improper act or omission on the part of the water consumer on the premises supplied with water, in which event the person causing the service to be out of repair shall pay the cost of repairing the same. Otherwise the water connections shall be discontinued until all charges, costs and unpaid bills and the cost of reconnection are paid.

(Prior code § 29-17)

Service connections from street mains to the inside of the curbline for water shall be made by the city council in such manner as it may determine.

(Prior code § 29-18)

Where water service is found disconnected it may be reconnected only by written application to the director of water and wastewater resources.

(Prior code § 29-19)

(Ord. No. 1387, § 4, 3-23-2015)

All water connections of larger size than five-eighths inch or of a different character or nature than those installed or contemplated by the city, at the discretion of the city council, may be made upon the written application of the consumer, filed with the director of water and wastewater resources, and at the consumer's expense. The charge as fixed by the city council shall be deposited with the director of finance before such connections or changes are made and if the money so deposited shall prove to be insufficient to defray the cost of making any such alteration or changes, then an additional charge shall be made, and unless the same is paid within five days after notice of such additional cost, the water connection shall be shut off until all such costs and charges and cost of reconnection are paid. If such estimated sum deposited is in excess of the cost of such reconnection or change, the difference shall be returned to the applicant.

(Prior code § 29-20)

(Ord. No. 1387, § 4, 3-23-2015)

In case of fire or an alarm of fire or in making repairs or in construction work, the city council through its duly authorized agents shall have the right to shut off water from any consumer or any number of consumers without notice and to keep it shut off as long as it may be necessary by reason of any of the above causes.

(Prior code § 29-21)

In case of fire or an alarm of fire the use of water for irrigation, street sprinklers or for faucets is prohibited until such fire is extinguished.

(Prior code § 29-22)

No person except the duly appointed representatives of the city council shall be permitted to tap or in any manner disturb or use any of the water mains, valves or other appurtenances of the distributing system.

(Prior code § 29-23)

No person other than an authorized employee of the city shall in any way tamper with any property of the water department or open or close any valve or fitting attached to any transmission or distribution line, water main or storage facility of the water department. No person other than an authorized employee of the city shall tamper with or in any way disturb the function or operation of any water meter installed by the city.

(Prior code § 29-24)

No person shall, except in case of fire, use water from or tamper with any city hydrant, valve or other connection, without a written permit from the city council.

(Prior code § 29-25)

Duly authorized representatives of the city council shall have the right of access at all reasonable hours to any premises where water is used for the purpose of inspection and examination of all service connections and meters, where such may have been installed beyond the curbline.

(Prior code § 29-26)

The city council shall have full authority to install water meters and charge for use of the water at meter rates. All meters thus installed shall be, and remain, the property of the city, and may be removed by the city council for good cause.

(Prior code § 29-34)

Any person requiring a meter larger than a five-eighths inch shall pay for such larger meter, as provided for in Section 13.04.190. After installation such meter shall be the property of the city.

(Prior code § 29-36)

The city council shall have the right to install pre-pay meters for water upon the premises of any consumer for good cause.

(Prior code § 29-37)

No person shall deposit, erect or maintain any natural watercourse or creek, or in any waterway within the city anything which may obstruct the free flow of water therein.

(Prior code § 29-38)

No person shall obstruct any gutter so as to prevent the free flow of water therein. Driveways from the street to private premises shall be so constructed as not to prevent the free flow of water in the gutters of the street.

(Prior code § 29-39)

Any person taking city water shall be considered as having expressed his consent to be bound by this title. The city shall have the authority to shut off the water of any person breaking or violating any of the rules and regulations prescribed for the operation and conduct of the municipal water plant without notice. Any deposit, either by way of bond or cash, shall be held by city. If the water consumer has promptly paid all water billings for a period of two years from the date of deposit, the city shall either return to the water consumer the bond or cash deposit, or apply the deposit, if cash, to succeeding water billings until the full amount of the deposit has been credited on the water billing.

If water service is discontinued within the two-year period, for any reason whatsoever, the director of finance shall have the right to apply the deposit toward payment of any delinquency, water billing and/or charges due to city as of date of disconnection and the balance of said deposit, if any, shall be refunded to the water consumer.

(Ord. 778 § 6, 1974: prior code § 29-40)

The provisions of Section 13.04.310 shall apply to the following consumers:

A. Those who have not been water consumers of city prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section;

B. Those who are presently water consumers of city but have been delinquent in the payment of past water billings.

(Ord. 778 § 7, 1974: prior code § 29-41)