Santa Paula Municipal Code Ch. 57 Water Softeners

This chapter is adopted pursuant to the city's police powers and Cal. Health & Safety Code § 116786, for the purpose of improving water quality, including, without limitation, protecting beneficial uses of the Santa Clara River downstream of the city's Wastewater Reclamation Plant.

(Ord. 1160, passed 9-5-06)

Unless the contrary is stated or clearly appears from the context, the following definitions govern the construction of the words and phrases used in this chapter:

RESIDENCE means a structure which is or is intended to be, in whole or in part, a place of dwelling, whether occupied or not, whether fully constructed or not, and includes, without limitation, homes, whether attached to another structure or not, apartments, condominiums and mobile homes.

SELF-REGENERATING WATER SOFTENING APPLIANCES (SRWS) means a water softening device that removes calcium and magnesium salts from water by using an ion-exchange resin utilizing a chloride based exchange during the ion-exchange process. The ion-exchange resin used in SRWS's is recharged by using a chloride based brine solution which is subsequently discharged into the city's sewer system. SRWS's may be automatically recharged by timer or sensor.

(Ord. 1160, passed 9-5-06)

It is unlawful for any person to install or replace or cause to be installed or replaced a SRWS in a residence located within the city's jurisdiction.

(Ord. 1160, passed 9-5-06) Penalty, see Ch. 13

This chapter does not apply to water softeners recharged by portable cartridges supplied by service providers where the brine solution resulting from a water softener recharge is not discharged into the city's sewer system.

(Ord. 1160, passed 9-5-06)

The City Manager is authorized to promulgate administrative policies and procedures designed to implement this chapter and to establish a "buy-back" program to assist in reducing the number of existing SRWS's within the city's jurisdiction. The amount allocated for such a buy-back program will be determined by City Council resolution.

(Ord. 1160, passed 9-5-06)