Fairfield Municipal Code Art. 22.10 Water Services

FMU shall furnish water only to a customer who has a current account, including a current address and the name of the person responsible for making payments on the account. Water service will be provided only through a water meter assigned to a particular account.

Each property or parcel shall have a separate water service connection and meter to the water system. Irrigation water meters serving multiple parcels under common ownership, including landscape parcels along roadways, shall be exempt from this requirement.

Multi-family residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional users shall have a separate water meter for landscape irrigation use.

Fire services shall have active and billable accounts at all times.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the City to require the installation of a new connection directly between the City’s water facilities and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or junior accessory dwelling (JADU) that is contained within the existing space of a single-family residence or accessory structure and meets the requirements of Government Code Section 66314.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))

Application for service is required to initiate service for the first time to a particular parcel.

Request for service to parcels that have previously received water service shall be made to FMU during normal business hours. A person taking possession of premises and using water without having made application for water service shall be held liable for all water used from the date of the last recorded meter reading. If application for service is not made within seven calendar days after notification to do so or if accumulated water bills are not paid upon presentation, the water service shall be discontinued without further notice.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))

Upon commencement of water service, the applicant or customer shall be liable for all water delivered through that particular service and all other charges applicable to such service. When two or more persons jointly make application for service, they shall receive a single periodic bill, but shall be jointly and individually liable for payment of all charges incurred.

In the event that customer is a tenant, both tenant and property owner shall be jointly and separately responsible for payment of all service charges incurred on customer property.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))

When the applicant for water service is a former customer who has failed to pay all bills for previous water service or charges for any other service received from the water system, FMU shall refuse water service to the applicant until all outstanding bills or charges are paid and shall also require a cash deposit as a guarantee for the payment of future bills.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))

Customers making any change in the size, character or extent of their facilities utilizing the water service which will require increasing the size of the existing service or result in a large or unusual increase in water usage shall apply for a plumbing permit with the City and undergo applicable planning, review, and inspections.

Commercial, institutional, or industrial customers shall notify the FMU director in writing for any changes in use categories.

Any increase in service demand and/or size of the existing service may be subject to section 22.33, Charge for alteration or change in meter size, and section 22.42, Changes in size of meter, pipe, etc., at expense of customers, as determined by the FMU director. All costs associated with the changes in customer’s facilities that impact the water system shall be the responsibility of the customer.

(Ord. No. 2025-13, § 1 (Exh. A))