13.04 — WATER SERVICE SYSTEM

It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a uniform procedure for the sale and distribution of all water service furnished by the City and to establish uniform regulations for the operation and maintenance of the Norwalk Municipal Water System. No water or water service shall be used, obtained or distributed through the systems, nor shall any part of the systems, including improvements, equipment and appurtenances, be obtained, possessed, installed, removed, operated, relocated or in any manner interfered with, except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(Prior code § 16-1.1; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

As used in this chapter:

"Applicant" means a person or agency applying for water service.

"Authorized private contract work" means private contract work authorized by the City.

"Benefitted frontage" or "front foot of benefit" means the width of a parcel at an average depth of 50 feet from the property line.

1. For special cases on interior parcels, i.e., not corner parcels where the width is greater than the depth, the benefit frontage shall be determined by multiplying the average depth times the frontage divided by 100 feet. (The average depth shall not exceed 100 feet.)

2. Benefitted frontage for corner parcels with width less than 150 feet may be computed as defined in item 1 of this definition. Benefitted frontage for corner lots having either depth and/or width in excess of 150 feet may be computed by deducting 150 feet from the longer side and adding the difference to the shorter side, or may be computed as defined in item 3 of this definition.

3. Benefitted frontage for parcels having unusual or irregular boundaries may be determined by the Director of Public Works.

"Benefitted parcel" means a parcel of land benefitted by the supply of water from the City on which a capital improvement charge will be made, including:

• The gross area of subdivision (including streets);

• The gross area of each parcel or lot.

(Note: Area is deemed to extend to the center lines of abutting streets.)

"Billing date" means the fixed date upon which water meters are read in the City's systems.

"Billing unit" means each house, apartment, store, trailer space, hotel or motel unit provided with water piping shall be considered a tenant unit. Each of the first five tenant units shall be equivalent to one billing unit. Each additional five tenant units or fraction thereof shall be

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City of Norwalk, CA § 13.04.020

NORWALK CODE

§ 13.04.020

equivalent to one billing unit.

"Capital improvement" or "structural improvement" means improvements, equipment and appurtenances of the City systems, specifically including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Real estate and rights-of-way;

2. Wells;

3. Reservoirs;

4. Pumping plants and all piping;

• Water treatment plants;

• Fire hydrants;

7. All water mains four inches in diameter or larger and appurtenances to the water mains;

• Service connections, meters and appurtenances.

"Capital improvement charge" means the charge for equitable participation in the capital improvements of the City's systems as a condition precedent to the supply of water to a benefitted parcel of land which has not been supplied with water by the City.

"Construction water service" means the service provided by the City in supplying water for backfilling trenches and other construction service.

"Contracting agency" means a person, mutual water company, association, or private utility water company which contracts for water from the City for resale, redistribution and for re-use.

"Cross connection" means an illegal piping connection or any connection which may cause contamination or backflow or back-siphonage.

"Customer" means a person or agency of record receiving water service from the City.

"Director of public works" means the Director of the City's Department of Public Works.

"Domestic water service" means the service performed by the City in supplying water for domestic use, including the use of water for household residential purposes, sprinkling lawns, irrigating small gardens and shrubbery, watering livestock, washing vehicles, and ordinary use of water at residences and business or commercial establishments.

"Easement" means public way, right-of-way or easement which the City is authorized to use for pipeline or other purposes.

"Engineering and construction services" means those services by employees of the City for which a charge or service is exacted from private contractors, for the preparing of plans and specifications, checking the plans submitted by privately employed engineers, inspecting the construction of water systems installed by private contractors, and installing water systems as a condition precedent to receiving water service for a subdivision or parcel of land.

"Flat rate water service" means the service of supplying unmetered water by the City.

"Interconnection" means an authorized connection of the City's distribution system to another water service agency or water system.

"Irrigation water service" means the water service provided by the City for irrigation purposes only.

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.020

§ 13.04.030

"Main extensions" means the extension of distribution pipelines beyond existing facilities, exclusive of service connections.

"Metered service connection" means a service connection or service lateral, including meter and meter box.

"Metered water service" means the supplying of water by the City through a meter which measures the quantity of water used.

"Permanent service connection" means a service connection intended to remain in use for a period of two years or more.

"Premises" means the lot, parcel or property occupied or used by a single customer to which water is being supplied by the City or for which water service has been requested.

"Private contract work" means construction of water mains and related facilities, by subdividers or persons other than the City or its agents, to be connected to and to become a part of the City's system.

"Private contractor" means a person or firm, not employed by the City, engaged in the installation of water facilities within the service area of the City's system.

"Public water service" means the class of domestic service provided by the City in supplying water to any tax exempt property.

"Public way" means street, alley, highway or walk dedicated to the public use.

"Rate schedules" means the entire schedule of rate and charges established and authorized by the City Council for the various types of services rendered by the City, incident to the City's system.

"Service applicant" means a person who applies for one of the engineering or construction services rendered by the City.

"Service connection" or "service lateral" means the pipe, valves, and other equipment installed in place, necessary for conducting water from the City's distribution mains to the meter or meter location, but not including the meter or meter box.

Structural improvement. See "Capital improvement."

"System" means the City's water distribution systems or any unit of the system.

"Temporary service connection" means a service connection requested for a period of time less than two years.

"Unauthorized private contract work" means private work undertaken without authorization by the City.

"Water department" means Division of Water Supply in the Department of Public Works.

"Water services" means the services performed by the City incidental to supplying water.

"Water superintendent" means the City Water Superintendent in charge of the Water Department.

(Prior code § 16-1.2; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Operational Control. The Division of Water Supply, under the direction of the Director of Public Services/City Engineer, shall be responsible for the administration and supervision

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City of Norwalk, CA § 13.04.030

NORWALK CODE

§ 13.04.060

of all operational aspects of the Norwalk Municipal Water System.

• B. Financial Control. The Department of Finance, under the direction of the Director of Finance, shall be responsible for the administration and supervision of all financial aspects of the Norwalk Municipal Water System.

• C. Unless otherwise stated, nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit either the Water Superintendent or the Director of Finance from adopting supplementary policies, rules or regulations designed to effectuate and promote the intents and purposes of this chapter, where such policies, rules or regulations of the Water Superintendent or Director of Finance are not in conflict with the provisions of this chapter nor in conflict with each other.

(Prior code § 16-1.3; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Services Furnished. The City will exercise reasonable diligence and care to:

  1. Deliver a continuous supply of water to each customer at a reasonable pressure;

  2. Avoid unnecessary shortages or interruptions in water service.

• B. Limitations. The City assumes no responsibility for:

  1. The continuity of water supply or service (consumers dependent upon a continuous water supply should provide adequate storage for emergencies);

  2. Maintenance of pressure, either at a constant or minimum quantity or amount;

  3. Water shortage or inadequacy of supply, the City reserving the right to deny or suspend service to any applicant or customer by reason of such shortage or inadequacy;

  4. Any loss, damage or injury caused by reasons of denial, interruption or suspensions of service, inadequacy of supply or water pressure, or by reason of hot water steam emanating from the property or premises serviced.

(Prior code § 16-1.4; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Water services provided by the City may be separated into the following classes:

• A. Domestic;

• B. Public;

• C. Irrigation;

• D. Construction;

• E. Fire protection.

Such services may be either metered or unmetered.

(Prior code § 16-1.5; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.060

§ 13.04.060

Whenever domestic service is furnished, the City will endeavor to furnish at all times a safe and potable supply.

(Prior code § 16-1.6; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.070

§ 13.04.080