Wasco Municipal Code Ch. 13.08 Water Rates

• For statutory provisions on municipal water systems, see Gov. Code §38730 et seq.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

A. "Person" includes any person, firm or corporation, also any of the places of business, as enumerated in this chapter, using water furnished on the premises they own or occupy through connections with the water mains of the city.

B. "Water user" includes any person, as defined in this section, who does not have water piped on the premises owned or occupied by him, and regularly draws water from the pipes of any "person," as above specified, either daily or otherwise, and whether residing within or without the area served by the city. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 143 §1, 1968).

No building permit for construction, renovation, or remodel of a structure shall be issued unless the property for which the building permit is being issued is connected to the city’s water system. If not previously connected, a water connection fee shall be paid prior to issuance of a building permit. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016).

A. The charge and/or rate for water supplied to and for places not herein specifically mentioned and for users outside the city boundaries, shall be determined by the director of public works based on empirical data supplied by the new business and/or by widely used engineering reference manuals, and further consistent with other rates herein approved by the council. The director of public works shall then be responsible to notify the city council of such new water rate at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

B. All existing and new water services shall be metered. Except as otherwise described herein, the costs of the meter and the installation of the meter shall be borne by the owner or subdivider of the premises served. The owner or subdivider shall obtain city’s approval of the type of meter to be installed prior to installation and city’s inspection of the installation prior to covering up any portion of same below ground.

C. When water furnished to any person and/or user is run through and measured by a water meter, then the charge per billing cycle for water so measured and furnished shall be as follows:

1. For single-family residential, the minimum fee is twenty-eight dollars and twenty-five cents per billing
cycle, which includes up to two thousand five hundred cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of two
thousand five hundred cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic
feet of water or fraction thereof.

2. For multi-family residential with two units, the minimum fee is thirty-three dollars and ninety cents per
billing cycle, which includes up to three thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of three
thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or
fraction thereof.

3. For multi-family residential with three to four units, the minimum fee is fifty dollars and eighty-five cents
per billing cycle, which includes up to four thousand five hundred cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess
of four thousand five hundred cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred
cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

4. For multi-family residential with five to eight units, the minimum fee is seventy-nine dollars and ten cents
per billing cycle, which includes up to seven thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of seven
thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or
fraction thereof.

5. For multi-family residential with nine to twenty units, the minimum fee is one hundred thirty-five dollars
and sixty cents per billing cycle, which includes up to twelve thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in
excess of twelve thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic
feet of water or fraction thereof.

6. For multi-family residential with twenty-one to forty units, the minimum fee is three hundred thirty-nine dollars per billing cycle, which includes up to thirty thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of thirty thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   7. For multi-family residential with forty-one units or more, the minimum fee is three hundred thirty-nine dollars per billing cycle, which includes up to thirty thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of thirty-thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   8. For commercial, the minimum fee is twenty-two dollars and sixty cents per billing cycle, which includes up to two thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of two thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   9. For general, the minimum fee is thirty-three dollars and ninety cents per billing cycle, which includes up to three thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of three thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   10. For industrial, the minimum fee is one hundred thirty-five dollars and sixty cents per billing cycle, which includes up to twelve thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of twelve thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   11. For institutional, the minimum fee is one hundred thirty-five dollars and sixty cents per billing cycle, which includes up to twelve thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of twelve thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   12. For irrigation, the minimum fee is ninety dollars and forty cents per billing cycle, which includes up to eight thousand cubic feet of water usage. Usage in excess of eight thousand cubic feet is charged at three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

   13. In addition to any other fees, charges or deposits for water furnished through a temporary meter, which is hooked up to a fire hydrant and is to be used within the city, or the city’s designated sphere of influence, the charge for said water shall be three dollars and ninety-eight cents per one hundred cubic feet of water or fraction thereof.

D. A senior discount rate is available that will reduce the water bill to qualified senior citizens by thirty percent. Seniors who qualify for this rate must verify eligibility through PG&E’s Lifeline Program. Seniors must apply annually for the rate reduction.

E. Annually, the minimum fee and the usage in excess fee as discussed in subsection C of this section may be increased beginning with the March billing cycle, without further notice of ballot, by an amount equal to the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Los Angeles – Riverside – Orange County Area, provided by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics); provided, that the maximum increase shall not exceed the lesser of (1) the estimated cost to the city, or (2) four percent. The annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be calculated from the calendar year (January 1st through December 31st) just prior to the March billing cycle. The benchmark CPI to be used in this calculation shall include all items of the index, including food and energy items.

F. Water service is required for all properties within the city.

G. For businesses or uses whether identified in, or not provided for, in this chapter, and who do not have an existing water meter the city herein reserves the right to install, or have installed by its contracting agent a water meter to measure the water furnished. If such a meter is installed, the charge of the meter may be placed on the user’s monthly water bill, and thereby provide reimbursement to the city.

H. Any and all water rates described herein may be modified by the city council by ordinance or resolution. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 620 §1, 2011; Ord. 614 §1, 2011; Ord. 592 §1, 2009; Ord. 577, 2008; Ord. 498 §1 Exh. A, 2005; Ord. 462 §1, 2002; Ord. 454 Exh. A, 2001; Ord. 449 §1, 2000; Ord. 418 §1, 1997; Ord. 389 §1, 1993; Ord. 386 §1, 1993; Ord. 375 §1, 1992; Ord. 360 §1, 1991; Ord. 325 §1, 1987; Ord. 143 §2, 1968).

Fire hydrants are provided for the main purpose of extinguishing fires and shall only be opened and used by city employees, agents of the city, County Fire Department employees, or by a water user with a valid permit issued by the city. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 449 §1, 2000).

Water users intending to take water from a fire hydrant shall first obtain a valid permit from the city and shall only extract water through a fire hydrant in compliance with the city’s regulations and policies.

A. An applicant for a temporary water permit shall submit his application to the city water department on forms to be furnished by the city.

B. An applicant shall provide a one thousand dollars security deposit to the city to obtain the required meter which is to be hooked up to the fire hydrant. The water user shall be responsible for any and all damages to the meter or the loss thereof, until returned to the city.

C. A water user shall be charged a minimum rental fee of thirty dollars per month, or a portion thereof, that the water meter is under the possession or control of the water user and the water user shall prepay the rental fee for the time that the temporary water permit will be in effect.

D. A water user with a valid permit, hooking up to a fire hydrant, shall have in place, an air gap back flow prevention device so that there is no contamination of the city’s water supply.

E. The city may reject an application for a temporary water use permit if the applicant has not complied with any of the city’s regulations or policies regarding such permit, the applicant is not going to use the water within the city or the city’s sphere of influence, or it has been determined that issuance of such a permit will jeopardize the health, safety or general welfare of the citizens.

F. The city may suspend or revoke a temporary water permit if the water user is not in compliance with the city’s regulations or policies regarding same, or if it is in the best interests of the city to revoke or suspend a temporary water permit in order to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens.

G. In addition to any other penalty as set forth in Chapter 1.08, any person taking water from a fire hydrant in violation of this chapter, shall be subject to a five hundred dollar per day penalty charge in addition to any other charges, fees or deposits that are required under this chapter.

H. This section may be superseded or supplemented by water conservation laws discussed in Chapter 13.22. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 449 §1, 2000).

A. Water service shall be provided only upon the presentation of an application to the city. If the applicant is not the owner of the premises, the applicant shall pay a deposit with the application which shall secure payment of the applicant’s future water, sewer, and sanitation charges as well as any other utility charges which the city council may, by resolution, place on the same billing with the foregoing utility charges. The amount of the deposit shall be established from time to time by the city council by resolution.

1. In case water service is terminated due to nonpayment on an account for which a deposit has been paid,
the deposit shall be forfeited to the extent of the unpaid account plus penalty and interest hereinafter
described and any additional water service charges incurred following the month of the delinquency. The
remainder of the deposit, if any, shall be returned without interest to the customer. If the customer cannot be
located after ninety days following termination of water service, the entire deposit shall be forfeited. The
customer may not reestablish water service elsewhere on the city’s water system without first paying in full
any amount of the charges not paid by the deposit. To the extent any portion of the deposit is used to pay the
delinquent account, the customer shall pay the city the full amount of the deposit applied to the delinquent
account in order to resume water service.

2. In the event water service is terminated on a premises owned by the customer, the total delinquency,
plus penalty and interest, plus any water service billed prior to termination but after the delinquency, shall
constitute a special assessment against the premises and, upon recordation in the office of the county
recorder of a notice of lien, shall constitute a lien against the premises for the amount of such assessment. A
certified copy of the recorded notice of lien may be sent to the appropriate county official to add the amounts
of the respective assessment to the next regular tax bills levied against the premises, and the amount shall be
collected at the same time and in the same procedure under foreclosure and sale in case of delinquency as
provided for ordinary municipal taxes and assessments. Nothing herein shall be deemed to supersede any
other remedy available to the city hereunder or any other action permitted by this code or California state law
nor to prevent the city from commencing civil or criminal proceedings to collect the delinquency and other
charges.

B. The city may bill each customer in arrears on or about the first day of each month. The bills are due on or about the tenth of the month. In the event the bill has not been paid within twenty days of its date (on or around the twentieth of the month), it shall be delinquent and penalty and interest in amounts established from time to time by resolution of the city council shall be added to the outstanding balance. Where other utility services are billed on the same invoice, all of the services must be paid in full or the bill will be deemed delinquent. If any check offered by a customer for payment in whole or in part for the service is returned without payment for any reason, a charge may be imposed on the customer in an amount set from time to time by resolution of the city council.

C. The city shall have a written policy on discontinuation of residential water service for nonpayment as required by the Water Shutoff Protection Act. This policy is to provide for deferred or reduced payment plans, alternative payment schedules and a formal mechanism to contest or appeal a bill and contain a telephone number for customers to call to avert discontinuation of residential services for nonpayment. The policy is to state that water service will not be discontinued during the appeals process. It is the intent of the city to comply with the provisions of the Water Shutoff Prevention Act and all provisions in this chapter are subject to agreement with that Act. The city’s policy on discontinuation of residential water service shall be posted on its website.

Except as otherwise described herein, in the event a bill is sixty days delinquent (unpaid prior to a date on or about the twentieth of the second month following the billing), the city may terminate water service to the premises pursuant to the city’s policy on discontinuation of residential water services.

Termination of water service may not occur on Saturday, Sunday, a legal holiday, or at any time during which the business offices of the city are not open to the public. In the event the date of termination would occur on any of the foregoing, it shall be continued to the next business day thereafter when the city’s business offices are open to the public. Service may not be restored to the premises for the customer or any other owner of the premises, whether ownership is transferred by sale, foreclosure, or any other means of conveyance, until the full amount has been paid.

D. The size of taps for new general service shall be a minimum of one inch, and it is unlawful for any person to tap or interfere in any way with the mains or pipes of the city without the permission of the city first had and obtained. Service connections of pipes of the person from the property line to the water mains will be made by the city or its agents only, for which a charge of not less than fifteen dollars will be made.

E. The supplying of water by the city to any and all persons and water users is declared to be mainly and principally for domestic and business use and to eliminate so far as possible the hazard of fire, and the use of an open hose or faucet for irrigation purposes is prohibited, and all outside faucets or openings shall be closed whenever attention is called by the city officials, or other appropriate signals, to a fire hazard. The irrigating or sprinkling of lawns, or gardens, shrubs or trees, is to follow the guidelines specifically indicated in Chapter 13.22. (Ord. 707, 2020; Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 653 §1(B), 2015; Ord. 643 §2, 2014; Res. 89-1224 §1, 1989; Ord. 143 §3, 1968).

A. All water services furnished to private users from one service connection shall be deemed one service and not separate services. Where multiple users are serviced from one service connection the full service charge for each of the users shall be chargeable to one primary user who shall sign and be responsible for the full service, except as provided to the contrary in State of California Public Utilities Code Section 10009 and 10009.1.

B. All units of a multiple user connection shall be fully charged for services furnished until a disconnection or termination request has been made for said connection. There will be no prorations or refunds made for any claimed unused monthly services to any one or more of the multiple service users when the service has not been disconnected or terminated. (Ord. 668 §1, 2016; Ord. 405 §§1--3, 1995).