SECTIONS 520-523 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 520-523

520. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that, pursuant to
the primary interest of the people of the state to put the limited
available supplies of water in this state to beneficial use to the
fullest extent of which they are capable, and to prevent waste,
unreasonable use, or unreasonable method of use, it is necessary to
determine the quantities of water in use throughout the state to the
maximum extent that is reasonable to do so.

521. The Legislature further finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Water furnished or used without any method of determination of
the quantities of water used by the person to whom the water is
furnished has caused, and will continue to cause, waste and
unreasonable use of water, and that this waste and unreasonable use
should be identified, isolated, and eliminated.
(b) Water metering and volumetric pricing are among the most
efficient conservation tools, providing information on how much water
is being used and pricing to encourage conservation.
(c) Without water meters, it is impossible for homeowners and
businesses to know how much water they are using, thereby inhibiting
conservation, punishing those who conserve, and rewarding those who
waste water.
(d) Existing law requires the installation of a water meter as a
condition of water service provided pursuant to a connection
installed on or after January 1, 1992, but the continuing widespread
absence of water meters and the lack of volumetric pricing could
result in the inefficient use of water for municipal and industrial
uses.
(e) The benefits to be gained from metering infrastructure are not
recovered if urban water suppliers do not use this infrastructure.
(f) This chapter addresses a subject matter of statewide concern.
It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter supersede and
preempt all enactments and other local action of cities and counties,
including charter cities and charter counties, and other local
public agencies that conflict with this chapter, other than
enactments or local actions that impose additional or more stringent
requirements regarding matters set forth in this chapter.
(g) An urban water supplier should take any available necessary
step consistent with state law to ensure that the implementation of
this chapter does not place an unreasonable burden on low-income
families.

522. The Legislature further finds and declares that waste or
unreasonable use of water imposes unnecessary and wasteful
consumption of energy to deliver or furnish the water, and it is
necessary, therefore, to determine the quantities of water in use
throughout the state to the maximum extent that it is reasonable to
do so in order to reduce that energy consumption.

523. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the California
goal for measurement of water use is the achievement by January 1,
1992, of the installation of water meters on all new water service
connections after that date to systems and facilities owned,
operated, or under the management or control of a water purveyor,
which meters will measure the quantity of water furnished or
delivered through each system or facility to each new user of the
water.