The Council may, from time to time, by resolution, adopt rules and regulations for the operation and maintenance of the Water Department and for furnishing water to users, and may likewise, by resolution, modify the rates, charges and penalties established and imposed in this chapter.
(Ord. 135 §5, 1973; Ord. 2016-443 §1)
A. 
No person shall be entitled to have a water connection until the owner shall make an application for such connection on a form provided by the City Clerk.
B. 
Before any structure or any unimproved realty shall be connected to the City's water distribution system for the first time after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, there shall be charged and collected by the City from the person requesting such connection a fee for the connection, depending on the meter size, as follows:
Meter Size
Charge
3/4″
$1,249.75
1″
$1,406.00
1-1/2″
$1,874.50
2″
$3,749.00
3″
$4,998.75
4″
$6,978.25
6″
$12,184.50
Beginning with January, 1994, and continuing with each succeeding January, the City Council of the City of Guadalupe shall by resolution adjust the water system connection fee in accordance with the following formula establishing the multiplier to be applied to the above stated charges.
Multiplier
=
1+ (current ENRCI) - (base ENRCI)
base ENRCI
"Base ENRCI" shall be the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index as of October, 1992 (464.72).
"Current ENRCI" shall be the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index at the time specified for modification of the water system connection fee.
"Multiplier" shall be the figure used to multiply the base fees established above.
C. 
In all cases where the City does not require meters, there shall be charged and collected by the City, from the person requesting such connection, charges established by resolution of the City Council, which have been determined as being necessary to pay all of the expenses of the connection:
Type of Structure
Charge
Single-family resident
Per resolution
Duplex
Per resolution
Three-family dwelling or apartment
Per resolution
For each apartment in excess of 3, add
Per resolution
Business establishments
Per resolution
D. 
Deposits. No persons shall be entitled to water service until an application is made and a deposit paid to guarantee utility bill payment. The deposit amount shall be established by resolution of the City Council for each service within the City and a higher amount established by resolution of the City Council for each service outside the City. Deposits shall be refunded when water service is discontinued and the customer's account is current, or after one year of on-time payments. However, in the event a customer fails to pay his or her bill within 2 months of its being rendered, that customer shall be required to raise the amount of his or her deposit by the amount of the overdue bill.
(Ord. 135 §6, 1973; Ord. 146 §1, 1974; Ord. 208 §3, 1981; Ord. 92-321 §2; Ord. 2013-414 §25)
A. 
No new unmetered water service shall be supplied by the City. At the request of a property owner, the City will install water meters at the expense of the property rates established by the City Council. The minimum size meter shall be three-fourths inch.
B. 
Where more than one unit on a parcel is to be served, the owner shall install one meter for each unit, unless the owner shall establish, by application to the City Council, that such requirement would be an undue hardship.
(Ord. 135 §2C, 197; Ord. 173 §1, 1978; Ord. 208 §2, 1981)
There shall be no private water well drilled within the City without a permit of the City Council. Application for a water-well drilling permit shall be made with the City Clerk, and must specify the names of all persons who will use the water. In no case may water from private water wells be used for domestic purposes. The City Clerk shall charge each applicant $250.00 for applying for a water-well drilling permit.
(Ord. 135 §16, 1973; Ord. 2015-436 §1)
Any requests for water main extensions outside the City shall, if the City so desires, be granted if the owner of the property to be served agrees to annex to the City and, in addition thereto, any applicant for such water service shall pay a sum as the Council may, from time to time, fix by resolution. In addition, such applicant shall pay the cost of the main extension in accordance with the rates then in effect.
(Ord. 135 §12, 1973; Ord. 2013-414 §26)
Fees and charges for water service shall be set by resolution of the City Council.
(Ord. 135 §1, 1973; Ord. 170 §1, 1977; Ord. 176 §1, 1978; Ord. 183 §1, 1979; Ord. 199 §1, 1980; Ord. 90-293; Ord. 2015-436 §1)
This section shall remain in effect only until such time as a water meter is installed and no new unmetered services shall be created. Whenever water is supplied by the City, and there are no meters, a basic monthly charge shall be made to each user, as follows:
 
Inside City
Outside City
Family residences, whether in single or multiple dwelling units:
$9.00
$18.00
For each hotel, motel or roominghouse and boarding house, per room:
$2.25
$4.50
For each business establishment which uses small amounts of water, including drugstore, bank, barbershop, retail store, office, and other uses not otherwise classified:
$9.90
$19.80
For each business establishment not otherwise classified which uses large amounts of water, including washrack, beauty shop, baker, garage, grocery stores with produce sections, cardroom, public buildings:
$12.65
$25.30
For restaurants, with a legal occupancy as determined by the Fire Department of:
 
 
Up to 50 persons
$23.50
$47.00
51 to 70 persons
$39.00
$78.00
71 or more persons
$55.00
$110.00
For bars, saloons and taverns, with a legal occupancy as determined by the Fire Department of:
 
 
Up to 50 persons
$13.50
$27.00
51 to 70 persons
$22.50
$45.00
71 or more persons
$31.50
$63.00
Service stations:
 
 
With one island
$11.25
$22.50
With 2 islands
$22.50
$45.00
Theaters:
$27.00
$54.00
For each trailer park, including washroom and laundry:
$9.35
$18.70
Water tank truck loads: $12.65 per load or $0.60 per 100 cu. ft., whichever is less in any given month
(Ord. 135 §2a, 1973; Ord. 162 §1, 1976; Ord. 170 §2, 1977; Ord. 176 §2, 1978; Ord. 183 §2, 1979; Ord. 199 §2, 1980; Ord. 209 §1, 1981 Ord. 90-293)
A. 
Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other ordinance, the following special adjustment shall apply for all residential three-fourths-inch meter services within the City: The amount due for all service between the billing periods of May and September, 1979, inclusive, shall be based on a monthly demand charge of $3.25 per meter, and a monthly use charge of $0.25 per 100 cubic feet of water.
B. 
Bills that have already been rendered shall be adjusted, except that such adjustments shall not apply to any penalty fees already paid.
(Ord. 183 §3, 1973)
Where there are 2 or more separate users on the same parcel using one service connection, the owner of the parcel shall be responsible for the water bill. Where persons other than the owner of the parcel are paying the water bill on the date the ordinance codified in this section becomes effective, the City shall notify the owners of the provisions of this section, and permit up to 6 months to comply.
(Ord. 135 §2B, 1973; Ord. 208 §1, 1981)
A property owner may be granted an exception to the application of Section 13.04.090 by the water superintendent, where:
A. 
There is a means of shutting off and locking off the water supply to each tenant on the parcel, and such means is reasonably accessible without assistance;
B. 
The owner provides written permission for the City to come onto the parcel for the purpose of shutting off and locking off the water supply of any tenant.
(Ord. 135 §2B(1), 1973; Ord. 213 §1, 1982)
The City Council may permit more than one place of business, using small quantities of water mainly for lavatory and drinking purposes, to be served through the same meter or connection when, in its opinion, special conditions justify such service, and in all such cases a minimum established rate shall be charged for each separate place of business so served of not less than the established minimum rate.
(Ord. 135 §10, 1973)
The amount of any water service charge imposed by the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed a debt to the City, and any person so indebted shall be liable to an action in the name of the City in any court of competent jurisdiction for the amount of water service charge imposed on such a person.
(Ord. 135 §15, 1973)
The City water service charge shall be paid in advance. The City Clerk shall bill each owner for the City water service charge each month in advance, unless the charges have been paid.
(Ord. 135 §13, 1973)
When a water bill is rendered for any period of time less than the regular billing period for water furnished, the regular minimum charge shall be prorated: provided, however, a minimum of one-fourth of such period shall be charged along with any consumption charge per Section 13.04.060.
(Ord. 135 §4, 1973; Ord. 90-293)
A. 
All bills for water service shall be due and payable at the City Hall, and are considered delinquent one day after the mailing date.
B. 
Service may be shut off at any time after 60 days with at least 10 days' notice. The Public Works Director shall cause a meter reading to be made, and thereupon the bill for water used since the previous reading shall become immediately due and payable.
C. 
The amount fixed for water turn-off and turn-on, late fees, and other special water services shall be established by resolution of the City Council.
D. 
In addition to paying the delinquent water bill and the above charges, the water customer shall be required to provide a deposit in an amount established by resolution of the City Council before water service shall be restored, or a new account created after it has been discontinued for failure to pay.
(Ord. 135 §14, 1973; Ord. 90-293; Ord. 2013-414 §24; Ord. 2020-485 §1)
In the event of an emergency, the City shall have the power to turn off water from mains and pipes of the system, without notice. In all other cases, the City shall give reasonable notice of such turning off to the consumers likely to be affected.
(Ord. 135 §11, 1973)
Any duly authorized agent of the City shall be allowed free access to make a personal examination of the premises of any applicant or consumer of water for the purpose of designating the rate to be applied to such premises, and for the inspection of water, pipes and equipment connected thereto.
(Ord. 135 §7, 1973)
In case of fire and during a stated period of water shortage, no person shall take any water from any fire hydrant or street sprinkling tank; and all irrigating faucets, hose sprinklers and water shall be immediately turned off upon an alarm of fire or water shortage, and shall not be turned on again until the fire or water shortage is known to be extinguished or terminated. Every water user shall restrict his or her use of water supplied through the City's distribution facilities in compliance with rules that may be established from time to time by resolution of the City Council.
(Ord. 135 §8, 1973; Ord. 2016-443 §1)
No person, except a duly authorized agent of the City, shall turn the water on or off from any building or premises, and no person shall tap, cut or move any water pipe laid in streets or alleys unless permission to do so has been granted by the City.
(Ord. 135 §8, 1973)
It is unlawful for any person to willfully or negligently waste water. The term "waste" shall include, without limitation:
A. 
The watering of grass, lawns, ground cover, shrubbery, open ground, crops and trees, including greenbelt, golf course and agricultural irrigation, in a manner or to the extent which allows unreasonable excess water to run off the area being watered. Every water user is deemed to have under his or her control at all times the water distribution lines and facilities serving his or her property and is chargeable with knowledge of the manner and extent of his or her water excess runoff.
B. 
The washing of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots and other hard surface areas by direct hosing where unreasonable amounts of such water will run off without secondary benefit. Exceptions are: (1) the washing of residential patios, commercial food service establishment patios, and hard surface areas around swimming pools; (2) the washing of hard surface areas necessary to dispose of dangerous liquids or substances, or as necessary to prevent or eliminate matters dangerous to the public health and safety, including spillage of foodstuffs and other matter, which cannot be swept, scraped, shoveled or otherwise removed other than by washing; and (3) for aesthetic purposes the washing of commercial sector sidewalks (not streets) on an as needed not daily basis, for removal of material not otherwise covered in this section.
C. 
The escape of water through breaks or leaks within any water user's plumbing or distribution system for an unreasonable period of time within which such break or leak should reasonably have been discovered and corrected. It shall be presumed that a period of 24 hours after the water user discovers such leak or break, or receives notice from the City of such leak or break, whichever occurs first, is a reasonable time within which to correct, or to implement correction, of such leak or break.
(Ord. 135 §9, 1973; Ord. 2016-443 §1)
Any person guilty of violating any of the provisions of this chapter, or performing any act declared by this chapter to be unlawful, or knowingly misrepresenting to any officer or employee of the City any material fact in connection with determining the charges provided for in this chapter, shall be deemed guilty of an infraction, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine and/or imprisonment in accordance with the general penalty provision then in effect in the City, pursuant to Chapter 1.08 of this Code, as amended.
(Ord. 135 §17, 1973; Ord. 86-271 §22; Ord. 2016-443 §1)