RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE ORANGE VALE WATER COMPANY

(Amended September 14, 2026)

 

RULE #1

MANAGEMENT OF ORANGE VALE WATER COMPANY

The office of Orange Vale Water shall be located at 9031 Central Avenue, OrangeVale, California 95662 in the County of Sacramento, where the records of the Company are kept. The water system is under the exclusive control and management of the Company.  Complaints, claims, etc., shall be presented in writing to the General Manager of the Company.  

 

RULE #2

APPLICATION FOR USE OF WATER

Application for use of water shall be made by any new owner of record of property to be served within the service area of the Company.  Responsibility lies with the owner of record to notify the Company of any changes of billing address and/or ownership or any other situation affecting said parcel.

 

RULE #3

DISTRIBUTION OF WATER

The Superintendent of the Company shall have full and absolute control of the distribution facilities and is vested with authority to disconnect water service to any consumer in violation of any rule or regulation adopted by the Company or its governing body.  Complaints, questions, suggestions, etc., shall be made to the General Manager of the Company.

 

RULE #4

DELIVERY OF WATER

The Board of Directors of the Company shall establish a schedule that will be followed in the delivery of water to the consumer, and will establish the method of measurement of the same.  Notice of water rate schedule shall be posted in a prominent location at the offices of Orange Vale Water Company.

 

RULE #5

RESPONSIBILITY

The Company assumes no responsibility for damage to the transmission system or for the inability or failure of San Juan Water District and/or the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, to deliver water to the Company for any reason or unavoidable circumstance.

 

RULE #6

USE AND WASTE OF WATER

A – Customer’s water shall not be allowed to run off to adjoining property, roadside ditch or gutter.

B – Leaking pipes, fixtures or sprinklers shall be repaired promptly within five (5) working days or less if warranted by the severity of the problem.

C – All swimming pools, ponds and fountains shall be equipped with re-circulating pumps.  Pool draining and refilling is only allowed for health, maintenance or structural reasons and requires water company approval.

D – Open-hoses are not permitted.  Automatic shut-off nozzles are required on all hoses.

E – Use of a hose to clean sidewalks, driveways, patios, streets and parking lots is not permitted except for health and safety reasons.

F – No irrigation is permitted between the hours of 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.  The only exception is drip irrigation and commercial agriculture.

G – No single-pass laundry system is permitted in commercial applications. 

H – No one is permitted to use or transport water onto any land or lands other than the land described as his/her parcel, nor allow such water to run on adjacent/contiguous land.

 

RULE #7

CONTROL OF VALVES, PIPES, WELLS, FIRE HYDRANTS, PUMPS, ETC

The water distribution system, including pipes, valves, wells, fire hydrants, pumps, meters, etc., are under the exclusive control and management of the Company.  The Superintendent is authorized and directed to regulate the water system operated by the Company.  The Superintendent shall inspect all new water systems which are installed by the owner of record or developer of the property.  Anyone found changing, tampering, damaging or in any way interfering with the Orange Vale Water Company system will be prosecuted under the provisions of Section 592 of the Penal Code of the State of California.

 

RULE #8

ACCESS TO PIPELINES AND APPURTENANCES

The employees of the Company shall have free access along any and all part of the water distribution system, crossing land(s) of individual consumers for the purpose of repair, measurement of water, or any other details of operation of the system. 

 

RULE #9

WATER SERVICE CONNECTION

All water users must expose and keep accessible their water service connection, consisting of the water service valve, meter, and valve box.  Each owner of record is responsible for the water that flows through their valve/meter and the repair of any and all leaks on the customer side of the meter assembly.  Every individual parcel of land must have its own water service connection and valve as per Orange Vale Water Company specifications.  The only exception to this regulation is for an adjoining parcel of land under the same ownership.  The owner of record or his designee must use and maintain their one-water service connection and service line with the understanding that the pressure may be diminished on said parcel.  And, that if said parcel is ever split and sold, a separate water service connection and valve must be installed per Company specifications.

 

RULE #10

BACK FLOW PREVENTION DEVICE

Any water user who is required to have a backflow device on their parcel is responsible for any and all maintenance, repairs, upgrades and new installations of said device(s).  In the event the device fails its annual test that is performed by Orange Vale Water Company, the owner of said device(s) is responsible for any and all repairs necessary to make the device(s) meet the standards necessary to pass the test.  In the event said device(s) is deemed un-testable, stolen and/or damaged, or is unable to be repaired, the device(s) is to be upgraded in accordance with current Orange Vale Water Company Code of Specifications and Cross-Connection Control Program Policies and Procedures at the owner’s expense.  Access for cross-connection control surveys shall be given to Orange Vale Water Company personnel as a condition for continued water service.

                                                                                           

RULE #11

SIZE OF WATER SERVICE CONNECTION

All residential water service connections for parcels under 2-1/2 acres shall be one-inch (1”) in size.  Parcels 2-1/2 acres to 5 acres are entitled to a one and one-half (1-1/2”) connection.  A parcel must be at least 5 acres to receive a two-inch (2”) connection.  All commercial parcels are entitled to a connection size of their choice, meter size to be determined by Orange Vale Water Company.  A minimum of $275.00 shall be charged to downsize a water meter. 

 

RULE #12

UNIT OF MEASUREMENT

The unit of measurement of water furnished to each parcel of land shall be measured and charged by the cubic foot.  One Hundred (100 CF) cubic feet of water equals one (1) unit or 748 gallons.

 

RULE # 13

WATER BILLS

Effective February 1, 2026, water bills will be due and payable upon receipt and considered delinquent by the 20th day of the following month.  All assessment-only parcels and/or parcels without a water connection will be billed annually.  Each parcel must have its own individual water service connection.  The owner of record is solely responsible for any water flow through the water-measuring device attached to his/her parcel.

 

RULE #14

PENALTY FOR DELINQUENT WATER BILLS

The failure of any consumer to meet their obligation as specified in Rule #13 will be subject to the following penalty:  Water service (water flow) will be reduced if the water bill remains unpaid, following a 48-hour notification delivered to the property.  Full water service (water flow) will not be restored until all charges, assessments for delivery of water and all penalties and costs as a result thereof are paid.  Any reduced service found to be tampered with will be disconnected and that consumer will be assessed additional disconnect fees,  Commercial properties are subject to disconnect for failure to pay following a 48-hour notification to the property.  (California Health and Safety Code, Section 17920.3)

 

RULE #15

RESPONSIBILITY OF OTHERS

New water systems, additional alterations or modifications to the existing water system that is deemed necessary by the Company, its engineers, the fire department, etc., to provide water service to any existing, new, or potential development, without depleting the water pressure or volume of water to existing landowners, shall be the sole responsibility of the owner of record or developer(s) of said land.

 

RULE #16

DAMAGE TO WATER CONNECTION

Any damage to a water service valve, meter assembly, and/or meter valve box shall be repaired by Orange Vale Water Company.  All costs incurred to be the responsibility of the owner of record.  Orange Vale Water Company assumes no responsibility for damages incurred to interior plumbing caused directly, or indirectly by a shut-down of the Orange Vale Water Company water system.

 

RULE #17

Nonfunctional Turf – AB 1572

Prohibition of Irrigation of Nonfunctional Turf

 

(a) The use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, other than a cemetery, and on properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities is prohibited as of the following dates:

 

(1)       All properties owned by the Department of General Services, beginning January 1, 2027.

 

(2)       All properties owned by local governments, local or regional public agencies, and public water systems, except those specified in paragraph (5), beginning January 1, 2027.

 

(3)       All other institutional properties and all commercial and industrial properties, beginning January 1, 2028.

 

(4)       All common areas of properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities, beginning January 1, 2029.

 

(5)       All properties owned by local governments, local public agencies, and public water systems in a disadvantaged community, beginning January 1, 2031, or the date upon which a state funding source is made available to fund conversion of nonfunctional turf on these properties to climate-appropriate landscapes, whichever is later.

 

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the use of potable water is not prohibited by this section to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial nonturf plantings, or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health and safety need.

 

Enforcement

A public water system, city, county, or city and county may enforce the provisions of this chapter.

 

To avoid duplication of enforcement, any entity identified in paragraph (1) that is not a retail public water system shall notify the retail public water system 30 days prior to enforcement of the provisions of this chapter against a property served by such system.

 

Nothing in paragraph (2) shall preclude enforcement by any entity identified in paragraph (1) once adequate notice is given.

 

The following penalties are imposed for violation. Any violations occurring on separate calendar days are separate violations.

1st violation – warning, educational materials provided[1]

2nd violation – warning, educational materials provided

3rd violation – fine of $500, educational materials provided

4th violation – fine of $1,000, educational materials provided

5th or more violation – Additional $1,000 fine per violation

 

Noncompliance by a person or entity shall be subject to civil liability and penalties set forth in California Water Code Section 1846.

THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ORANGE VALE WATER COMPANY

[1] May update with local warning details and fine amounts.