§ 13.01.010. General definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

A.

"Approved water supply" means a water supply whose potability is regulated by the Federal Government, State of California or the City.

B.

"Air-gap separation (AG)" means the physical break between the supply line and a receiving vessel.

C.

"Auxiliary water supply" means any water supply other than that received from the city. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor's public water supply or any natural source(s), such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, recaptured storm water and so forth; used waters; or industrial fluids. These waters may be contaminated or polluted, or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the city does not have sanitary control.

D.

"AWWA Standard" means the official standard developed and approved by the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

E.

"Backflow" means the undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system as a result of a cross connection or the unwanted flow of used or non-potable water, foreign liquids or gases or any other substance from any domestic, industrial or institutional piping system into the pure, potable water distribution system.

F.

"Backflow preventer or backflow prevention device" means a safety device used to prevent pollution or contamination of the water supply due to the reserves flow of water or other substance into the public potable water supply.

G.

"Backpressure" means a pressure, higher than the supply pressure, caused by a pump, elevated tank, boiler, or any other means that may cause backflow.

H.

"Backsiphonage" means backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping.

I.

"Base rate or fixed component" means the minimum fixed charge per billing period for water service to a user as set by the city council by resolution.

J.

"Billing period" means the calendar accounting unit for which charges are assessed and imposed for water service.

K.

"Billing unit" means the unit of water used to apply water rates for the purposes of calculating water charges for a person's water usage and equals one hundred cubic feet or seven hundred forty-eight gallons of water.

L.

"City" means the city of Calexico, California.

M.

"City council" means the city council of the city of Calexico.

N.

"Connection" refers to the act of linking the service pipe of a house, building, or other property to the city water system, and also to the physical apparatus by which such linking is accomplished.

O.

"Construction meter" means a temporary meter attached to a fire hydrant at a construction site to measure water usage at the site.

P.

"Contamination" means an impairment of a potable water supply by the introduction or admission of any foreign substance that degrades the quality and creates a health hazard.

Q.

"Cross connection" means the unprotected actual connection or potential connection between a potable water system used to supply water for drinking purposes and any source or system, sewer drain, conduit, pool storage reservoir, plumbing fixture or other device containing unapproved water or a substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome, and potable. By-pass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover devices, or other devices through which backflow could occur, shall be considered cross connections.

R.

"Customer" or "consumer" means all persons obtaining water service from the water supply system of the city.

S.

"Developer" means a person, natural or otherwise, who divides a tract of land into lots for sale as residential property or who makes improvements to residential, commercial, office or industrial properties.

T.

"Double check valve assembly (DC) backflow prevention device" means an assembly of at least two independently acting check valves including tightly closed shut-off valves on each side of the check valve assembly and test cocks available for testing the water tightness of each check valve.

U.

"Hazardous materials" means any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. "Hazardous materials" include, but are not limited to, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, and any material that a handler or the administering agency has a reasonable basis for believing that it would be injurious to the health and safety of persons or harmful to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment.

V.

"Hazardous substance" includes, but is not limited to, any "hazardous substance" as that term is defined under California Health and Safety Code Sections 25281(g), 25501 (o) and 25501.1, and pursuant to Title 42, Section 9601(14) of the United States Code; any "hazardous waste" as that term is defined under Title 42 Sections 6903(5) of the United States Code, and under California Health and Safety Code Section 25550(p); any "hazardous material," as that term is defined under California Health and Safety Code Section 25501(n); any chemical which the Governor of California has identified as a chemical known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity, pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8; and any crude oil or refined or unrefined petroleum product, or any fraction or derivative thereof, and any asbestos or asbestos-containing material. The term "hazardous substance" includes any amendments to the above referenced statutes and regulations.

W.

"Health agency" means the California Department of Health Services (DHS), California State Agency responsible for municipal water systems or the local health officer with respect to a small water system.

X.

"House line" means that portion of the water service pipe from the discharge side of the meter to the structure serviced.

Y.

"Industrial fluids system" means any system containing a fluid or solution that may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentrate, such as would constitute a health, system, pollution, or plumbing hazard, if introduced into the city's water supply.

Z.

"Local health agency" means the county or city health authority.

AA.

"Main" means a water line designed or used to serve more than one premise.

BB.

"Meter tampering" means cutting water meter locks or alteration or damage of any water meter or any of its components or unauthorized connections to the city water system or the use of "straight lines," "cheater pipes" or "bypass hoses" or any other means to take water by bypassing the city water meter or prevent water from being properly metered by the city.

CC.

"Person" means any person, firm, association of persons or corporation, including public, private or municipal corporation.

DD.

"Potable water" means water which is suitable for drinking.

EE.

"Premises" means a private home, building apartment house, condominium, trailer court, mobile home park, a group of adjacent buildings or property utilized under one ownership and under a single control with respect to use of water and the responsibility for payment thereof.

FF.

"Potential cross connection" means a fixture or appurtenance with threaded hose connection, tapered spout, or other connection which would facilitate extension of the water supply line beyond its legal termination point.

GG.

"Private fire hydrant" means a discharge pipe with a valve and spout located on private property at which water may be drawn.

HH.

"Private fire service main" means a pipe and its appurtenances on private property that is:

1.

Between a source of water and the base of the riser for water-based fire protection systems; or

2.

Between a source of water and inlets to fire foam making systems; or

3.

Between a source of water and base elbow of private fire hydrants or monitor nozzles; or

4.

Used a fire pump suction and discharge piping; or

5.

Beginning at the inlet side of the check valve on a gravity or pressure tank.

II.

"Processing fluids" means any fluid or solution which may be chemically or biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, pollution, or system hazard if introduced into the public water system or a consumer's potable water system. This includes, but is not limited to, polluted or contaminated waters; processed waters; used waters originating from the public water supply system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; cooling waters; questionable or contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams, or irrigation systems; chemicals in solution or suspension; oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes, or for firefighting purposes.

JJ.

"Public fire hydrant" means a discharge pipe with a valve and spout located on public property for use primarily by fire service personnel at which water may be drawn from the water main.

KK.

"Reclaimed water" means wastewater which as a result of treatment is suitable for uses other than potable use.

LL.

"Recycled water" means the reclamation and reuse of non-potable water for beneficial use.

MM.

"Reduced pressure principle (RP) backflow prevention device" means a backflow preventer incorporating not less than two check valves, an automatically operated differential relief valve located between the two check valves, a tightly closed shut-off valve on each side of the check valve assembly, and equipped with necessary test cocks for testing.

NN.

"Roving meter" means a meter attached to a movable vehicle to measure water drawn from a fire hydrant into a tank attached to the vehicle.

OO.

"Service line" means that portion of water service pipe from the main line up to and including the discharge side of the water meter.

PP.

"Straight line or cheater pipe" means any type of device installed in lieu of a water meter, connecting to the city's water service line to a private service line for the purpose of obtaining unmetered water.

QQ.

"Subdivision" is a tract of land divided by a sub-divider, or any lot or lots or tract of real property on which any building is or will be built.

RR.

"Survey" means the collection of information pertaining to a customer's piping system regarding the location of all connections to the public water supply system and must include the location, type and most recent inspection and testing date of all cross connection control devices and methods located within that customer's piping system. The survey must be in written form, and should not be an actual plumbing inspection.

SS.

"System" means all water source and supply facilities, transmission pipelines, and storage facilities, pumping stations, distribution mains and appurtenances, vehicles and materials storage facilities.

TT.

"Usage charge or variable component" means the charge for water used by a water user established by the city council by resolution.

UU.

"User" means a person, natural or otherwise, who utilizes the water system of the city for any purpose.

VV.

"User connection" means the point of connection of a user's piping to the city's water facilities.

WW.

"Water main" means the water pipe owned by the city from which water service lines lead.

XX.

"Water meter" means the instrument which measures and records the amount of water which flows through it.

YY.

"Water service" means the provision of potable or non-potable water from various sources, including, but not limited to, groundwater or other native water, imported water, recycled water, reclaimed water, and re-captured storm water, such that water flows through a system connected to the city water system.

ZZ.

"Water system" includes pipes, water mains, meters, valves, reservoirs, tanks, wells, springs, hydrants, sources, pumps and all other property and equipment owned by the city and through or from which water flows.

AAA.

"Water user" means any person obtaining water from the city's water supply.

BBB.

"Well" means an opening in the surface of the earth for the purpose of removing water through non-mechanical or mechanical means for any purpose.

(Ord. No. 1157, § 2, 10-21-14)