Article II — Application for Water Service

No water or water service shall be sold or distributed, nor shall any person obtain or use any water or water service supplied or distributed through the Norwalk Municipal Water System, nor shall any person use, obtain or possess any part of the system, including improvements, equipment and appurtenances, unless an application has been filed with and approved by the Water Superintendent as provided in this article.

(Prior code § 16-2.1; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Every application for water service shall be in writing, on a form provided by the City, signed by the applicant, and shall set forth the following facts:

• A. Name and address of applicant;

• B. Location or address of premises to be served, together with a brief description of the property;

• C. Date applicant desires service to commence;

• D. Whether or not the premises have heretofore been supplied with water by the City;

• E. Class of service desired;

• F. Whether the applicant is owner or tenant (or agent of either) of the premises to be served;

• G. Where optional rates are in effect, the rate schedule desired;

• H. A statement that the applicant agrees to accept the service applied for, subject to all rules and regulations applicable to the Norwalk Municipal Water System, and that the applicant further agrees to pay for the services applied for at the prescribed rates;

• I. A statement that the applicant agrees to give at least 24 hours notice to the City before service is to be discontinued, that the applicant agrees that the provisions of the application obligating the applicant to accept and pay for service shall remain in force until 24 hours after such notice of discontinuance is given, and that all bills will be paid in full for service up to the date of receipt of the notice by the City;

• J. A statement that the applicant assumes, and agrees to hold the City harmless from all liability for any damage occurring on the premises served or elsewhere by reason of open faucets, faulty fixtures, or broken pipes on such premises at or after the time when service is turned on, whether or not at that time there is any responsible interested person on the premises to sign for such turning on;

• K. A general statement that the applicant agrees that, in the event he or she should subsequently cancel one or more items of service, such cancellation shall not change or affect the terms of his or her application in respect to the remaining item or items of service;

• L. Such other information as the City may reasonably require.

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.080

§ 13.04.120

The application shall constitute merely a written request for service and shall not bind the City to provide service, except under reasonable conditions, nor shall the application be construed to obligate the applicant to take service for a period of time longer than that upon which the rates and minimum charge of the applicable rate schedule are based. Upon approval of the application by the City, the terms and statements set forth in the application shall be binding as contractual obligations of the applicant.

(Prior code § 16-2.2; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Denial. The City shall have the right to deny new water service applications otherwise in order to be approved when, in the opinion of the Director of Public Works, one of the following conditions exist:

  1. The available water supply is inadequate to meet existing domestic service requirements or to meet the proposed added requirements; or

  2. The water system is inadequate to service the domestic water system needs of the existing customers in the area or of the existing customers plus the applicant.

• B. Appeal. An applicant may appeal from such denial to the City Council, which shall have the authority to affirm or reverse such denial with or without a public hearing.

• (Prior code § 16-2.3; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Upon application, water may be obtained at regular metered rates from fire hydrants for purposes other than extinguishing fires. When water is to be so procured from fire hydrants, the application shall, in addition to the requirements specified in Section 13.04.080, set forth the following:

• A. The location of the fire hydrant to be used, the period of such use and the desired commencement date;

• B. A statement that the applicant agrees to pay the required cash deposit or charge to the City;

• C. A statement that the applicant agrees to pay (1) the cost of repairing any damage to equipment required to be installed on a fire hydrant for such procuring of water, and (2) the value of any such equipment removed from the fire hydrant other than by the City, and agrees that such cost and value shall constitute a charge against the applicant.

• (Prior code § 16-2.4; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Where a temporary service connection, as defined in this chapter, is requested by the applicant, the application shall, in addition to the requirements specified in Section 13.04.080, contain a statement that the applicant agrees to the pay cash deposit or charge prescribed for the installation, maintenance, inspection and removal of such temporary service as is provided in this chapter.

(Prior code § 16-2.5; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA § 13.04.120

NORWALK CODE

§ 13.04.150

Payment for all prescribed charges or cash deposits required for all meter or service installations shall accompany all applications for water service.

(Prior code § 16-2.6; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Contracts shall not be required as a condition precedent to obtaining water service unless such service requires the construction of special extension facilities and provision for such facilities has not otherwise been made.

(Prior code § 16-2.7; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Every contracting agency, as defined in this chapter, applying for water service from the City shall, as a condition precedent to the receipt of water from the City, agree to the following:

• A. That it will make its facilities available to the City for the transportation of water supplied by the City to other applicants of the City for water service if sufficient capacity is available in the water mains of the contracting agency, at a cost determined to be attributable to the transportation of water;

• B. That the existence of available capacity of the water main of the contracting agency, and the cost attributable to the transportation of water to be paid or credited to the contracting agency shall be conclusively determined by the City's Director of Public Services/City Engineer;

• C. That if the City deems it necessary to use such means of transporting water to its customers in the City, the City may, upon written notice to the contracting agency, make a connection to the contracting agency's water system for the supply of water to such other applicants and may credit the contracting agency for the quantity of water served to such customers of the City.

(Prior code § 16-2.8; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Where the applicant seeks to obtain water service for a subdivision or parcel of land not serviced by the system, then, as a condition precedent to receiving water service for such parcel or subdivision, the applicant shall be subject to the following:

• A. Existing Local System. Where a local system is available for supplying the service to such subdivision or parcel of land, applicant shall be charged and pay for the benefits accruing from the capital improvements of the Norwalk Municipal Water System.

• B. No Existing Local System. Where no local system exists or is available for supplying the service to such subdivision or parcel of land, the applicant shall furnish and install the necessary local system improvements in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Director of Public Services/City Engineer. Should main extensions be required, the applicant shall make such installation in accordance with this section. Credit for unserved properties benefiting by such extension shall generally be given to such applicant at such time as service is requested and provided to such unserved properties.

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.150

§ 13.04.190

(Prior code § 16-2.9; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Any person in possession of premises where the water supply has been shut off and the curbcock or valve sealed, who turns on the water supply or suffers or causes it to be turned on without having first filed and received approval of an application for such service as provided in this chapter, shall be liable for all charges for the water service rendered. At the election of the City, the amount of such charges shall be determined as follows:

• A. By the meter reading; or

• B. By an estimate of the water delivered during the period of time water service was obtained on the premises without proper application and approval.

• (Prior code § 16-2.10; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

When the City finds that water is being used upon the premises without proper application, the Department of Finance shall deliver or mall written notice of such fact, together with an application form, to the person in possession of such premises, or shall fasten such notice upon the front or rear door of the premises in a prominent place. The notice shall state that unless proper application for such water service is filed with the City within three days from the date of such notice, together with a cash deposit for the water estimated by the City to have been already used, the water supply will be shut off. Upon failure to comply with such notice, the City may terminate service.

(Prior code § 16-2.11; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Notices or complaints from a customer to the City may be given by him or her or his or her authorized representative to the Finance Department or to an employee of the Finance Department, or its agents, duly authorized to receive notices or complaints. Such notices may be either verbal or written and shall be delivered, communicated or mailed to the Finance Department at City Hall.

• B. Complaints and notices regarding operational matters shall be forwarded by the Finance Department to the Water Superintendent.

(Prior code § 16-2.12; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Notice from the City to a customer normally will be given in writing, either delivered to him or her or mailed to him or her at his or her last known address. Where conditions warrant, a verbal notice or a notice by telephone will be deemed adequate. (Prior code § 16-2.13; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

PUBLIC SERVICES

§ 13.04.200

§ 13.04.250