Willits Municipal Code Ch. 14.32 General Use Regulations

No more than one premises shall be served from each service connection, and there shall be only one service connection per premises, except as provided for in Section 14.32.020.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

Separate houses, buildings, living or business quarters and motor homes or travel trailers on the same parcel of land, occupied for less than ninety days, may be served at the option of the city, under such terms and conditions as the water department, in its sole discretion shall determine.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

Charges for water service to multiple users may be fixed by the city council by resolution or ordinance.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

It is unlawful for any person to willfully or negligently use water supplied by the city, without reasonable control or supervision thereof, in such manner as to waste the same by flowing from the premises of the user onto other premises or onto the public streets or thoroughfares in excessive or unusual amounts; or to sprinkle or irrigate any yard, lawn or premises with water supplied by the city between the hours of twelve midnight and five a.m., unless the water device being used is controlled by an automatic shutoff device or an individual in immediate attendance and view; or to water any lawns with water supplied by the city except by the use of a hose held in the hand or a sprinkling device.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

All facilities installed from the main up to and including the meter box shall be and shall remain the property of the city and may be maintained, repaired or replaced by the water department without the notification, consent or interference of the owner or occupant of the property.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

All facilities installed by the city on private property for the purpose of rendering water service shall remain the property of the city and may be maintained, repaired or replaced by the water department without the notification, consent or interference of the owner or occupant of the property. The property owner shall use reasonable care in the protection of the facilities. No payment shall be made for placing or maintaining facilities on private property.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

The customer shall be liable for any damage and the resultant water loss to the city-owned customer water service facilities when such damage results from causes originating on the premises. The cost for repairing any such damage and water loss shall be paid by the customer, and the cost shall be due and payable to the city upon the city's rendering a bill therefore.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

The customer shall not use the city meter curb stop to turn the water on or off. If a customer shutoff valve exists between the meter and the home, it can be used for the customer's convenience. If the meter is not equipped with a customer shutoff valve on their side of the meter, the water department must be contacted to turn the city meter curb stop.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

A. General. In accordance with the requirements of the regulations of the California Administrative Code, Title 17, Chapter V, Sections 7583 to 7622, inclusive, and any subsequent amendments thereto no water service connection to any premises shall be installed or maintained by the city unless the public water supply is protected as required by said state regulations and the requirements stated below. This section supplements and does not supersede local plumbing regulations, codes or ordinances, or State Board of Public Health Regulations relating to water supply.

B. Where Protection is Required. Backflow prevention devices shall be installed on the service connection to any premises having:

1. Access to any auxiliary water supply;

2. Any substance handled under pressure in such fashion as to permit entry into the water system; any material dangerous to health or toxic substance that might possibly be introduced into the water system;

3. Any lawn or garden sprinkling system, not installed in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code;

4. Swimming pool or spa system.

C. Type of Protection. In general, types of backflow prevention devices shall be required as follows:

1. A service connection to premises having an auxiliary water supply, internal pressure boosting system, or internal systems containing water of deteriorated quality shall be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.

2. A service connection to premises handling dangerous or toxic materials such as industrial plants, wharves, hospitals, mortuaries, etc., shall be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device properly located and installed.

3. A service connection to any sewage treatment plant or sewage pumping station shall be protected by an air-gap separation properly located and installed.

D. Responsibility for Installation, Inspection and Maintenance. Backflow prevention devices required herein shall be approved by the city and shall be installed, inspected and maintained at the expense of the customer. The backflow prevention device shall be inspected at least annually by the water department or its authorized subcontractor. The city shall charge and the customer shall pay a monthly fee established from time to time by resolution of the city council to cover the cost of the inspection.

E. Discontinuance of Service. The city may discontinue service of water to any premises and may physically disconnect the customer's piping from the city's water distribution system if a backflow prevention device required by this section is not installed, tested and maintained, or if any defect is found in an installed backflow prevention device, or if it is found that a backflow prevention device has been removed or bypassed or if unprotected cross-connections exist on the premises; and service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.

F. Prevention of Flow from One Service Connection through Another. If premises are supplied by more than one water connection to the city's facilities, the customer shall be required to install an approved backflow prevention device at each service connection to prevent the backflow of water from one service through another.

G. Exception. Any installation of equipment, such as sprinkler systems, pools, spas, etc., installed in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code and providing backflow devices shall be exempt from this section.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

The city shall not be liable for damage which may result from an interruption in service from a cause beyond the control of the water department. Temporary shut-downs may be made by the water department to make improvements and repairs. The city reserves the right to shut off the water to any premises or to any part of the system as long as necessary and without notice to customers at any time when the exigencies of the occasion may require it, but in all cases of extensions or connections, and otherwise whenever possible and as time permits, the water department will notify customers and the departments of the necessity of shutting off water and the probable length of time the water shall be shut off before taking such action. Affected fire departments will be notified promptly upon restoration of service.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

Right of Ingress to and Egress from Customer's Premises. Water department personnel and representatives of the state and county shall have the right of ingress and egress of the customer's premises at all reasonable hours for any purpose reasonably related to the furnishing of water service and the exercise of any and all rights secured to it by law or these regulations, including inspection of the customer's piping and equipment as to compliance.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

Except by agreement with the city, no customer shall resell or make profit from any of the water received by him from the city, nor shall such water be delivered to premises other than those specified in the application for service.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

If a condition on the customer's premises is found to be hazardous to the health and safety of the public arising from the use of water, the use and maintenance of any apparatus, appliances or equipment or otherwise, the water department may discontinue service to such premises without notice. The water department in such event shall make reasonable effort to notify the customer of the discontinuance of service, and corrective action shall be taken by the customer before service will be restored.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

Any duly authorized agent of the water department shall have the authority to enter any building or premises for the purpose of investigating the property of any applicant or consumer of water in order to designate the rate to be applied to the property and to view the water lines and equipment connected therewith. Except in emergency situations, such agents of the water department shall not enter any building or premises without the consent of the owner or occupant thereof, unless an investigation warrant authorizing such entry and investigation is first obtained. No person shall hinder or prevent the agents of the water department while in the performance of the duties described in this section from entering upon and into any and all property at all reasonable hours for the purpose of inspecting the same in order to carry out the provisions of this chapter. No person except a duly authorized agent of the water department shall turn the water on or off from any building or premises, and no person shall tap, cut or move any water line laid in streets or alleys unless permission to do so has been granted by the water department supplying the water.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))

A. It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following:

1. Open any street hydrant or valve or tamper with or interfere with any street service, water connection, reservoir, pumping plant, or any water meter attached to any service line connected with the city mains or water lines or hydrants of the city;

2. Turn on and off water mains or water lines of the city or occupy premises the water service to which has been turned on without authorization of the water department after having been shut off for a violation of this title or other rules or regulations; or tap, break or damage any water main, water line, meter or other fittings of the city laid in any easement, right-of-way, or other public place;

3. Tamper with, deposit, or cause to be deposited in any water main or line of the city any fluid or solid matter or substance of any kind or to do any act that might cause water to become polluted;

4. Make or add any water connection, line, main or service not authorized by the water department.

5. Take, pump or draw water from any water main, line or hydrant of the city without first arranging with the water department for the same and paying the established rate therefore.

B. If an unlawful water connection, line, main or service or water consumption is found to exist on any premises by the water department, the water department shall post in a conspicuous place on the premises a written notice specifying that the same are in violation of this section, giving the particulars thereof; and if the violation shall thereafter continue for forty-eight hours without correction, the water department shall terminate water service to the premises, which water service shall not again be turned on until the violation has been cured in accordance with the specifications of the water department and the charge for a renewal of service has been paid. In addition to and at the time of posting the notice, a copy thereof shall be mailed to the person occupying the premises addressed to the address of the premises or in lieu thereof, delivered personally to the occupant.

(Ord. 10-03, § 1 (part))