(a) 
Purpose and Intent. The City Council finds and determines that the necessity for the provisions contained in the City's rules and regulations for water service and use and enacted by this chapter are declared as a matter of the City Council's determination to be for the purpose and intent of:
(1) 
Providing water for the benefit of the City;
(2) 
Securing and promoting the public health, safety, and welfare of its present and future residents;
(3) 
Conserving the water supplies of the City;
(4) 
Facilitating the enforcement of the City's water use restrictions and prohibitions and best management practices;
(5) 
Recognizing that the State of California has declared that the use of recycled water is in the public's interest and that a substantial portion of the future water requirements of the State may be met by the utilization of recycled water; and
(6) 
Providing an orderly and adequate means of protecting the City's water system from backflow.
(b) 
Amendments to the City's Rules and Regulations for Water Service and Use. It is anticipated that the City's rules and regulations for water service and use will be amended from time to time by the City Council in response to any regulations imposed by the State and any other Federal, or regulatory agency, or local ordinance, after complying with the notice and publishing requirements of the California Water Code, Sections 375 and 376.
(c) 
Conflicts with Other Provisions of the City Code. In the event of any conflicts or inconsistencies between the provisions of this chapter or with the provisions of any other chapter(s) of the City Code, the provisions of this chapter shall control, unless to do so would be inconsistent with the stated purpose and intent of this chapter.
(d) 
Responsible Parties. Every property owner, tenant, person or organization (herein "customer") supplied with water service by the City shall be considered as having given express consent to be bound by this chapter and the City's rules and regulations for water service and use.
(e) 
Responsibility for Enforcement. The primary responsibility for enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall be vested in the Director of Water and Sewer Utilities or agents of the City as the City Manager shall designate.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-1)
Pursuant to the authority of the Charter of the City of Santa Clara, the rates and fees charged, the sale and distribution of water through the water distribution system of the City and the rules and regulations therefor shall be determined from time to time by the City Council by resolution to properly reflect adjustments as it deems necessary.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-2)
Unless the particular provision or the context otherwise requires, the definitions and provisions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this chapter:
(a) 
Reserved for future use.
(b) 
"B" definitions:
(1) 
"Backflow"
means the reverse flow of water or any other fluid or substance or any combination or mixture thereof from the customer's system into the City's water distribution system.
(2) 
"Backflow prevention device"
means a City-approved device that prevents backflow into the City's water distribution system.
(3) 
"Best management practice (BMP)"
means a policy, program, practice or rule aimed at more efficient use or conservation of the water resources of the City and State.
(c) 
"C" definitions:
(1) 
"City Manager"
means the City of Santa Clara's City Manager and his/her duly authorized agents and representatives.
(2) 
"City's water system"
means the water supply and distribution system and all appurtenances thereto owned and operated by the City, including all service connections to the City's water mains.
(3) 
"Cross-connection"
means an unprotected actual or potential connection between a potable water system used to supply water for drinking purposes and any source or system containing unapproved water or a substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome, and potable. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover devices, or other devices through which backflow could occur, shall be considered to be cross-connections.
(4) 
"Customer"
means a person, business or agency in whose name water service from the City is rendered, regardless of the identity of the actual user of water service.
(5) 
"Customer's system"
means the water piping system located immediately downstream from the City's water meter or backflow prevention device on any premises.
(d) 
"D" definitions:
(1) 
"Director or Director of Water and Sewer Utilities"
means the Director of Water and Sewer Utilities and his/her duly authorized agents and representatives.
(e) 
Reserved for future use.
(f) 
Reserved for future use.
(g) 
Reserved for future use.
(h) 
Reserved for future use.
(i) 
Reserved for future use.
(j) 
Reserved for future use.
(k) 
Reserved for future use.
(l) 
"L" definitions:
(1) 
"Landscape water efficiency regulations"
means a set of rules and regulations contained in the City's rules and regulations for water service and use which govern water-efficient landscaping.
(m) 
Reserved for future use.
(n) 
Reserved for future use.
(o) 
Reserved for future use.
(p) 
"P" definitions:
(1) 
"Premises"
means any building, lot, parcel, real estate, land, or portion of land, whether improved or unimproved, occupied or unoccupied, including adjacent streets, sidewalks, pathways and parking strips.
(q) 
Reserved for future use.
(r) 
"R" definitions:
(1) 
"Recycled water"
means water that has been produced by the treatment of wastewater and is approved by the State of California for specified nonpotable applications.
(2) 
"Recycled water regulations"
means a set of regulations contained in the City's rules and regulations for water service and use which governs: (i) the use of recycled water, (ii) the design, installation and inspection of systems for use of recycled water and (iii) the operations and maintenance of systems for use of recycled water.
(3) 
"Rules and regulations for water service and use"
means a set of rules and regulations promulgated, adopted or amended from time to time by a resolution of the City Council as necessary to govern the water service furnished by the City.
(s) 
"S" definitions:
(1) 
"Service connection"
means all or any portion of the water pipe and appurtenances, including meter, between the City distribution line and an individual customer's system.
(t) 
Reserved for future use.
(u) 
Reserved for future use.
(v) 
Reserved for future use.
(w) 
"W" definitions:
(1) 
"Water use prohibitions and restrictions"
means a set of regulations adopted or amended from time to time by a resolution of the City Council as necessary to prevent the waste or unnecessary uses of water within the city for the purpose of securing and promoting the public health, safety and welfare of all persons in the City.
(x) 
Reserved for future use.
(y) 
Reserved for future use.
(z) 
Reserved for future use.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-3)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to attach to or detach from or divert from any water main, service pipe or other connection through which water is supplied by the City to water consumers of the City or to interfere in any manner with such pipes, connections, or appurtenances thereto without having first obtained written consent from the Director.
(b) 
It shall be the duty of the Director to give his/her written consent for each such attachment or detachment and, within a reasonable time, cause such attachment or detachment to be made; provided, that all charges and costs therefor are fully paid to the City, and the attachment or detachment comply with the City's rules and regulations.
(c) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to enter into, upon, uncover, disturb, or alter any City property or facility, including, but not limited to water meters, water valves, backflow valves, water wells, water production or storage facilities, backflow prevention devices, or any other appurtenance thereof, without prior written permission from the Director.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-4)
It shall be unlawful for any person to use water for any purpose other than that for which they are charged according to any schedule of rates adopted by the City Council without written notification to the City's water and sewer utilities.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-5)
Whenever any water service from the water distribution system of the City to any place, dwelling, building, or premises has been terminated, discontinued, disconnected, or shut off because of the nonpayment of any charge, bill, rate or fee owing to the City or because of any violation of any rule or regulation of the City relating to the furnishing of such service, it shall be unlawful for any person to restore such service to such place, dwelling, building, or premises who has not been authorized to do so by the Director.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-6)
It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with any water meter which has been disconnected from the water distribution system of the City by reason of the nonpayment of any bill, charge, fee, or rate owing to the City for water services or by reason of the violation of any rule or regulation of the City applicable to the furnishing of such service without the prior consent or authorization of the Director.
(Ord. 1705 § 2, 10-21-1997; Formerly § 31-7)