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Title 12 — PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Chapter 12.20 — UTILITY RULES AND REGULATIONS

Palo Alto Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-09-29 · Palo Alto

12.20.030 Statute of limitations for challenges to gas rates, water service rates,…

refuse rates, storm water management fees and fiber licensing service rates.

12.20.010 Council to adopt rules and regulations.

The city council may by resolution adopt rules and regulations governing utility, utilities, public utility, or public utilities services other than communications services in the city and the fees and charges therefor. Every person supplied with utility, utilities, public utility, or public utilities services by the city shall be considered as having expressed consent to be bound by such rules and regulations. It is unlawful for any person to disobey or fail to observe any rule, regulation or rule and regulation.

(Ord. 5267 § 4, 2014; Ord. 4099 § 1, 1992: Ord. 2231 (part), 1965: prior code § 37.102)

12.20.020 Knowing provision of false information.

It shall be unlawful for the purchaser of any electricity, gas, or water from the city of Palo Alto, or the customer of any electric, gas, water, wastewater, refuse, or storm drainage utility of the city of Palo Alto, or any person receiving or using such electricity, gas, or water or wastewater, refuse, or storm drainage utility service, to knowingly provide incorrect, inaccurate, false, or misleading information of any kind to the city of Palo Alto in connection with an application by such purchaser, customer, or person for or receipt of electricity, gas, or water, or any electric, gas, water, wastewater, refuse, or storm drainage utility service, or in connection with any request for information made by the city of Palo Alto in accordance with the Palo Alto Utilities Rules and Regulations adopted by resolution of the council pursuant to Section 12.20.010.

(Ord. 4162 § 1, 1993)

12.20.030 Statute of limitations for challenges to gas rates, water service rates,…

storm water management fees and fiber licensing service rates.

Any judicial action or proceeding against the city, to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul an ordinance, resolution, or motion fixing or changing a rate or charge for: a) a gas commodity or a gas service furnished by city and adopted on or after June 1, 2019, or b) for water service, wastewater collection and disposal, refuse, storm water management, or fiber licensing services furnished by city and adopted on or after June 1, 2020 shall be commenced within 120 days of the effective date of that ordinance, resolution, or motion.

(Ord. 5497 § 2, 2020: Ord. 5467 § 2, 2019)

Chapter 12.24

FLUORIDATION

12.24.010 Authorized - Funds.

(a) The city manager is hereby authorized and directed to take the necessary steps and means to add sufficient amounts of an approved fluoride compound to all water served to consumers in the city of Palo Alto to produce and maintain at all times in all parts of the distribution system one part of fluoride to one million parts of water.

(b) Funds shall be appropriated in budgets subsequent to the fiscal year 1955-1956 in order to maintain such fluoridation.

(Ord. 1577 §§ 1, 2, 1954)

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▸Contents — Palo Alto Municipal Code
Palo Alto Municipal Code
  1. Article VIII — A. Board of Education
  2. Title 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
  3. Title 2 — ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
  4. Title 4 — BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS
  5. Title 5 — HEALTH AND SANITATION
  6. Title 6 — ANIMALS
  7. Title 8 — TREES AND VEGETATION
  8. Title 9 — PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY
  9. Title 10 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
  10. Title 11 — ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCEDURE
  11. ▸Title 12 — PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
    Overview
    1. 12.04 Definitions
    2. 12.08 Maintenance and Construction of Streets, Sidewalks, Driv…
    3. 12.09 Equipment or Facilities in Rights-of-Way
    4. 12.10 Street Cut Fees
    5. 12.11 Parklets
    6. 12.12 Encroachments
    7. 12.13 State Video Service Franchisees
    8. 12.16 Underground Utilities
    9. 12.20 Utility Rules and Regulations
    10. 12.24 Fluoridation
    11. 12.28 Utility Systems Revenue Bonds
    12. Chapter 12.04 — DEFINITIONS
    13. Chapter 12.08 — MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF STREETS, SIDEW…
    14. Chapter 12.09 — EQUIPMENT OR FACILITIES IN RIGHTS-OF-WAY
    15. Chapter 12.10 — STREET CUT FEES
    16. Chapter 12.11 — PARKLETS
    17. Chapter 12.12 — ENCROACHMENTS
    18. Chapter 12.13 — STATE VIDEO SERVICE FRANCHISEES
    19. Chapter 12.16 — UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
    20. Chapter 12.20 — UTILITY RULES AND REGULATIONS
    21. Chapter 12.28 — UTILITY SYSTEMS REVENUE BONDS
    22. Chapter 12.32 — WATER USE REGULATIONS
  12. Title 13 — IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE
  13. Title 15 — FIRE PREVENTION
  14. Title 16 — BUILDING REGULATIONS
  15. Title 17 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE
  16. Title 18 — ZONING
  17. Title 19 — MASTER PLAN
  18. Article 7 — AUTHORITY FOR AND SCOPE OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLANS.
  19. Article 8 — PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLAN.
  20. Chapter 19.06 — SPECIFIC PLANS
  21. Chapter 19.10 — COORDINATED AREA PLANS
  22. Title 20 — PRECISE PLANS
  23. Title 21 — SUBDIVISIONS AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAND
  24. Title 22 — PARKS

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