Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 14.20 Water Connections

It is unlawful to make any connection to the domestic water system of the City for the purpose of supplying water to any property, unless the same be made through a meter installed by and under the supervision of the Water Department of the City, and unless the connection is made directly with the water main in front of the property so connected. If there is no water main in front of the property, connection shall be made at the point approved by the Board of Public Utilities of the City.

(Prior code § 34.1)

A separate meter and separate connection to the water main shall be made for each house or bungalow court supplied with water from the domestic water system of the City.

(Prior code § 34.2)

In the event of a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, it shall be the duty of the Public Utilities General Manager of the City to serve by mail on the occupant of the property a notice requiring the unlawful connection with the water system to be disconnected; and in the event that the same is not done within ten days after the mailing of such notice, it shall be the duty of the Public Utilities General Manager to disconnect such unlawful connection.

(Ord. 7362 § 6, 2017; Prior code § 34.3)

Prior to commencing water service to any land or property not previously served with nonagricultural water, the following conditions, in addition to any other requirements heretofore or hereafter adopted, shall be met by the applicant before such water service is commenced:

A. Application for service. The written application for service shall state the description of the land or property to be served and shall contain a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth all water rights of every nature, to the best knowledge of the applicant, which have been exercised or held or which exist for use on the land sought to be served, including but not limited to shares of stock in mutual water companies, whether appurtenant to such lands or merely temporarily located for service of "extra water" or otherwise, and including the right to receive water pursuant to contract, agreement, decree or deeds;

B. Joint Extraction Agreement. The applicant shall execute a joint extraction agreement with City in a form to be provided by City, which will authorize City to extract water for use on the land or property to be served;

C. Sale of water stock and water rights. The applicant shall sell to City any such shares or water rights owned or controlled by the applicant or theretofore used or held for water service to such lands or equivalent shares or equivalent water rights may be accepted in the discretion of the City. The price to be paid for such shares and water rights shall be the fair market value of such shares and water rights for use in City's water service area. The City shall, from time to time, establish by a formal resolution of the City Council the fair market value and administrative procedures for sale and purchase of shares and water rights.

(Prior code § 34.4)

In the event any water right or right to receive water now appurtenant to or pursuant to which water is or may be used on lands within the water service area of the City or the water service area of mutual water companies serving water within the City's service area is hereafter sold, conveyed, assigned or transferred in any manner whatsoever so as to result directly or indirectly in the exercise of such rights and use of such waters on lands outside such service areas or the deprivation of the water supplies appropriated to the public use of the City and its inhabitants, then the City shall refuse to extend domestic, agricultural, industrial or municipal water service from its municipal water department to such lands thus deprived of their present water rights unless and until the Board of Public Utilities, with the approval of the City Council, shall find and determine by resolution that there is surplus water available for service to such lands. The finding of the Board of Public Utilities shall be final and conclusive as to the existence or nonexistence and the extent and availability, if any, of surplus water for such purposes. Nothing in this section contained shall be construed or deemed to prevent the free transfer and exchange of private water rights.

(Prior code § 34.5)