SECTIONS 55100-55109 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 55100-55109

55100. Any portion of a county, containing unincorporated
territory, or containing the whole or any portion of one or more
incorporated cities and contiguous unincorporated territory, and not
included in a district, may be formed into a district.

55101. A district may be formed of two or more parcels of
noncontiguous territory within the same county if the board of
supervisors determines that the single district may be more
efficiently and economically operated than if separate districts were
formed, but no parcel of noncontiguous territory which contains less
than 10 acres may be included in any district.

55102. A petition for the formation of a district may be presented
to the board of supervisors.

55103. The petition shall be presented at a regular meeting of the
board of supervisors and shall be signed by not less than 25 percent
of the freeholders resident within the proposed district, or by not
less than 25 percent of the freeholders resident and nonresident
within the proposed district, including not less than 15 percent of
such resident freeholders.

55104. The formation petition shall contain:
(a) The name and boundaries of the proposed district to be
benefited by the improvement.
(b) A general description of the improvement desired for the
purpose of supplying the inhabitants of the district with water, and
which may embrace any or all of the following: the acquisition,
construction, installation, completion, extension, repair, or
maintenance of water works, structures, and appliances, and the
acquisition, by purchase, condemnation, contract, lease, or
otherwise, of lands, rights-of-way, water, water rights, and water
service, necessary or convenient for such purpose.
(c) An estimate of the cost of the proposed improvement and of the
incidental expenses in connection therewith.
(d) A request that an election be called in the district for the
purpose of submitting to the qualified voters thereof the proposition
of forming the district and the incurring of any indebtedness by the
issuance of bonds of the district to pay the cost and expenses of
the proposed improvement or any part thereof except if the petition
be signed by all of the owners of property within the proposed
district as such owners are shown upon the last equalized assessment
roll, an election need not be requested.

55105. The petition shall be accompanied by a map showing the
exterior boundaries of the proposed district, with relation to the
territory immediately contiguous thereto, and contain a general
description of the proposed improvement.

55106. There shall also be filed with the petition a good and
sufficient undertaking, to be approved by the board of supervisors,
in double the amount of the probable cost of forming the district,
conditioned that the sureties shall pay the cost in case the
formation of the district is not effected.

55107. The failure of the petition to contain any of the matters
required to be contained therein shall not affect the legality of the
organization of the district if it is thereafter organized.

55108. If the petitioners so desire, the petition may also contain
a statement that the taxes provided for in this division shall be
levied upon the land within the district and upon no other property.

55109. Upon the request of 25 or more freeholders, or a majority of
the freeholders, if less than 50 in number, needing water service
within a given area, the board of supervisors may instruct any county
officer to prepare a report recommending means of providing such
service, including a plan for financing, constructing, operating and
maintaining facilities essential to such service and a petition for
the formation of or annexation to a district, and to prepare
improvement petitions, including maps, preliminary estimates, legal
descriptions, and all things necessary for the completion of the
petition.
The board of supervisors may instruct any qualified county officer
or may engage a qualified person, firm or corporation to prepare
groundwater studies and reports, plans and estimates for water
systems and engineering feasibility reports for water systems,
reservoirs, conduits, treatment plants, conservation and reuse of
water.