Article 1. Generally of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.

A district may use a seal, alterable at the pleasure of the board.

It may sue and be sued by its name.

(a) A district may acquire, plan, construct, reconstruct, alter, enlarge, lay, renew, replace, maintain, and operate garbage dumpsites and garbage collection and disposal systems, sewers, drains, septic tanks, and sewerage collection, outfall, treatment works and other sanitary disposal systems, and storm water drains and storm water collection, outfall and disposal systems, and water recycling and distribution systems, as the board deems necessary and proper, and in the performance of these functions, either in or out of the district, it may join through joint powers agreements pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, or through other means with any county or municipality or any other district or governmental agency.
  (b) Before any garbage dump is established, the location shall first be approved by the county health officer, and, in addition, if the location is within two miles of any city, the consent of the governing body of the city shall first be secured.
  (c) (1) If the district includes any part of a city, water district, or other local agency that provides water service to any territory in the district, the district shall not supply water service to the territory unless the district first obtains the consent of the city, water district, or other local agency. The consent shall not be revoked, if the revocation will result in a decrease of the revenues available to pay the outstanding bonds of the district.
  (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the provision of recycled water by a district.
  (3) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a district may not supply water service using recycled water to the territory of any part of a city, water district, or other local public entity providing water service, or commence construction of facilities for that service, prior to offering to consult with that city, water district, or other local public entity, and providing notification of availability for consultation. The obligation to consult terminates if that local public entity providing water service fails to make itself available for consultation within 60 days of written notification to that local public entity.
  (B) The consultation and notification requirements described in subparagraph (A) do not apply to a district if the district, prior to supplying water or commencing construction as described in subparagraph (A), provides notification to the local public entity pursuant to Section 65604 of the Government Code or submits a written request to the local public entity pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13580 of the Water Code.
  (d) The Department of Water Resources may assist sanitary districts in applying for, and in obtaining approval of, federal and state funding and permits for cost-effective water recycling projects and shall confer and cooperate with the legislative body of the district during the application and approval process.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of furnishing water in the district for any present or future beneficial use, the Winton Sanitary District may exercise any of the powers of a county water district, including the power to acquire, operate, finance, and control water rights, works, property, rights, and privileges useful or necessary to convey, supply, store, or make use of water for any useful purpose, all in the same manner as county water districts formed under the County Water District Law (Division 12 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Water Code). However, the Winton Sanitary District shall otherwise continue to be governed in all respects as a sanitary district under the provisions of this part, and the provisions of this section are intended only to vest additional powers in the district which the district may elect to exercise.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of furnishing water in the district for any present or future beneficial use, the Lost Hills Sanitary District may exercise any of the powers of a county water district, including the power to acquire, operate, finance, and control water rights, works, property, rights, and privileges useful or necessary to convey, supply, store, or make use of water for any useful purpose, all in the same manner as county water districts formed under the County Water District Law (Division 12 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Water Code). However, the Lost Hills Sanitary District shall otherwise continue to be governed in all respects as a sanitary district under the provisions of this part, and the provisions of this section are intended only to vest additional powers in the district which the district may elect to exercise.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 6512 and the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code), for the purpose of furnishing water in the district for any present or future beneficial use, the Montara Sanitary District may, pursuant to subdivision (b), exercise any of the powers of a county water district, including the power to acquire, operate, finance, and control water rights, works, property, rights and privileges useful or necessary to convey, supply, store or make use of water for any useful purpose, all in the same manner as county water districts formed under the County Water District Law (Division 12 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Water Code). The Montara Sanitary District shall otherwise continue to be governed in all respects as a sanitary district under this part, and the provisions of this section are intended only to vest additional powers in the district which the district may elect to exercise.
  (b) If the governing body of the Montara Sanitary District determines, by resolution, entered in the minutes, that it is feasible, economically sound, and in the public interest for the district to exercise the powers specified in subdivision (a), the governing body shall submit to the electors of the district the question of whether the district should adopt those additional powers. The question submitted to the electors shall be in substantially the following form: "Shall the Montara Sanitary District exercise the powers of a county water district for the purpose of furnishing water in the district?" The district may exercise those powers only if a majority of the voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of the question. The costs of that election, including any additional costs incurred by the County of San Mateo for purposes of meeting legal requirements directly associated with the conduct of the election, shall be borne by the district.
  (c) If the electors of the district authorize the district to exercise the powers specified in subdivision (a), the district shall include in any revenue plan developed as part of its exercise of those powers an item to reimburse the County of San Mateo the sum of one hundred eighteen thousand dollars ($118,000) for costs incurred with respect to its effort to acquire the existing water system serving the Montara Sanitary District service area. Reimbursement to the county shall occur within 180 days after the district receives any revenues from the sale of bonds, the levy of assessments, or the receipt of any other revenues to be used by the district in the exercise of its powers pursuant to this section.
  (d) If the Montara Sanitary District assumes authority to exercise the powers of a county water district pursuant to this section, thereafter the district shall be subject to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code).
  (e) In enacting this section it is the intent of the Legislature that any service by the Montara Sanitary District not affect the approval or development of a project that includes units for lower income persons, as defined in Section 50079.5, and persons and families of moderate income, as defined in Section 50093.
  (f) Upon request of the governing body of the Montara Sanitary District, the County of San Mateo shall provide the district with all books, papers, records, documents and other information, including all writings as defined in Section 250 of the Evidence Code, resulting from, or produced by, the expenditure of funds by the county to determine if the acquisition of the existing water system serving the Montara Sanitary District service area is feasible.

It may permit the use of any property of the district by any county or municipality, or any other district or governmental agency.

It may, for the purposes specified in this part, acquire by purchase, gift, devise, condemnation proceedings, or otherwise, such real and personal property and rights of way, either within or without the limits of the district, as in the judgment of the board are necessary or proper to the exercise of its powers, and particularly for the purpose of permitting ingress to and egress from such real or personal property, and pay for and hold them, and it may dispose of such of its property as the board finds to be no longer required for the purposes of the district. The district shall not condemn property outside of the county or counties in which it is located unless the board of supervisors of each county in which such property is located has consented to such acquisition by resolution.

(a) A district may lease, for a term not exceeding 99 years, subject to periodic review, district property that will not be needed for district purposes during the term of the lease, as a means of providing revenues to the district for the operation and maintenance of sanitary sewer system and waste water treatment and disposal facilities of the district, and to finance the acquisition, construction, and improvement of these facilities.
  (b) Prior to entering into a lease, the board shall, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (e), publish notice pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code of the time and place of the meeting of the board at which the proposed lease will be considered, and at that time and place shall afford all persons present an opportunity to be heard with respect to the proposed lease.
  (c) If the board finds that the subject property will not be needed by the district and that it is in the best interests of the district and the users of its sanitary sewer system that the lease be entered into, it may, by ordinance setting forth the findings, authorize the lease. The ordinance shall be subject to Article 2 (commencing with Section 9340) of Chapter 4 of Division 9 of the Elections Code.
  (d) Every lease shall be awarded to the bidder which, in the determination of the legislative body, offers the greatest economic return to the district after competitive bidding conducted in the manner determined by the legislative body. Notice inviting bids may be published pursuant to Section 6066, in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the district.
  (e) If the board makes a finding at a noticed public hearing that the subject property will be used for compatible uses, that it will be of public benefit, and that the term of the lease will not exceed 10 years, subdivisions (c) and (d) shall be optional.

It may make and accept contracts, deeds, releases, and documents that, in the judgment of the board, are necessary or proper in the exercise of any of the powers of the district.

It may pay lawful claims and demands against it.

It may employ and pay necessary agents and assistants.

It may lay its sewers and drains in any public street or road in the county, and for this purpose enter upon it and make all necessary and proper excavations, restoring it to proper condition. The work of restoring and repairing any such public street or road in the county shall be done under the supervision and control of the county engineer or road commissioner at the cost of the district, and in accordance with the standards established by ordinance of the board of supervisors for restoring and repairing county roads. If the street or road is in a city the consent of the proper city authorities shall first be obtained. If the street or road is in the unincorporated area of the county, the consent of the proper county authorities shall first be obtained.

It may collect waste and garbage.

It may call and conduct all necessary or proper elections.

It may compel all residents and property owners in the district to connect their houses and habitations and structures requiring sewerage or drainage disposal service with the sewers and storm drains in streets and to use the garbage collection and disposal system.

It may prohibit any resident or property owner in the district from connecting any house, habitation, or structure requiring sewerage or drainage disposal service to any privately owned sewer or storm drain in the district.

It may require any resident or property owner in the district who desires to have any house, habitation, or structure connected to a sewer or drainage disposal line owned by the district to pay his proportionate share of the cost of the line, either by an increased installation charge or by other arrangement with the district, if he did not contribute to the cost of the acquisition, construction, or installation of the line by the district.

Any sanitary district and any county may enter into a contract agreeing to pay and apportion between them the costs of locating, removing, repairing, or relocating any facilities owned or to be owned by either party on the roads or other property of the other in such proportion and upon such terms as the governing boards of the parties shall determine to be equitable.

It may, by an order approved by a two-thirds vote of the members of the board, prescribe, revise and collect, fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges for services and facilities furnished by it in connection with its sanitation or sewerage systems. Revenues derived by the district under the provisions of this section may be used for any purpose except the acquisition or construction of additional local street sewers or laterals which are an augmentation to an existing sewer system.

The district board may, by resolution, abandon action for the collection of any district tax assessment, connection charge, service charge, penalty, cost, fee, assessment, fine, or other money owed the district under this part or pursuant to any other provision of law which the district board determines is in an amount too small to justify the cost of collection. Such a resolution shall discharge all district officers and employees, and any other public officer or employee charged with the collection thereof, from further accountability with respect to collection of the amount owed. However, the resolution shall not extinguish the claim nor constitute a release of any person from liability for the payment of any amounts which are due and owing. The addition of this section does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, the preexisting law.

It may sell, or otherwise dispose of, any water, sewage effluent, fertilizer, or other byproduct resulting from the operation of a sewerage system, sewage disposal plant, refuse disposal plant or process, or treatment plant, and construct, maintain, and operate such pipelines and other works as may be necessary for that purpose. The addition of this section made at the 1972 Regular Session of the Legislature does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, the existing law.

It may construct, maintain, and operate such pipelines or other works as may be necessary to conserve and put to beneficial use any water or recycled effluent recovered from the operation of the wastewater system, plant, or works, by sale or disposition for agricultural or industrial purposes, or by discharging or spreading the water or recycled effluent in such a manner as to percolate into the underground gravels and replenish the natural water resources. The addition of this section made at the 1972 Regular Session of the Legislature does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, the existing law.

On or before August 10, the board may certify to the board of supervisors and county auditor a statement of any delinquent and unpaid charges for sewer and other services, or either, requested in writing by the owner of the property that remain delinquent and unpaid for a period of 60 days or more on July 1. The amount of any charges for sewer and other services, or either, included in the statement of delinquent and unpaid charges shall be added to and become a part of the annual taxes next levied upon the property for which the sewer service was provided and upon the property subject to the charges for any other district services and shall constitute a lien on that property as of the same time and in the same manner as does the tax lien securing the annual taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection, and enforcement of ad valorem taxes shall be applicable to the charges, except that if any real property to which the lien would attach has been transferred or conveyed to a bona fide purchaser for value, or if a lien of a bona fide encumbrancer for value has been created and attaches thereon prior to the date on which the first installment of the taxes would become delinquent, then the lien which would otherwise be imposed by this section shall not attach to the real property and the charges relating to the property shall be transferred to the unsecured roll for collection. The county shall deduct from the charges collected an amount sufficient to compensate the county for costs incurred in collecting the delinquent and unpaid charges. The amount of the compensation shall be fixed by agreement between the board of supervisors and the district's board of directors.

A district shall notify the assessee shown on the latest equalized assessment roll whenever delinquent and unpaid charges for sewer and other services, or either, which could become a lien on the property pursuant to Section 6520.10 remain delinquent and unpaid for 60 days.

In the event any charges for sewer and other services, or either, remain unpaid the amount of the unpaid charges may in the discretion of the district be secured at any time by recording in the office of the county recorder of any county, a certificate specifying the amount of the charges and the name and address of the person liable therefor. From the time of recordation of the certificate, the amount required to be paid together with interest and penalty constitutes a lien upon all real property in the county owned by the person or afterwards, and before the lien expires, acquired by him or her. The lien has the force, priority, and effect of a judgment lien and shall continue for 10 years from the date of the recording of the certificate unless sooner released or otherwise discharged. The lien may, within 10 years from the recording of the certificate or within 10 years from the date of the last extension of the lien in the manner herein provided, be extended by recording a new certificate in the office of the county recorder of any county and from the time of the recording the lien shall be extended to the real property in the county for 10 years unless sooner released or otherwise discharged.

It may make and enforce all necessary and proper regulations for:
  (a) The removal of garbage.
  (b) The cleanliness of the roads and streets of the district.
  (c) All other sanitary purposes not in conflict with the laws of this State.

Any district may exercise the power granted to sanitation districts by Section 4765 of this code.

It may do any act necessary or proper to the complete exercise and effect of any of its powers, or for the purposes for which it is formed.

No regulation or ordinance of a district which regulates or prescribes standards for the installation of plumbing inside of buildings and structures, shall be effective within any county, city and county, or city which has adopted an ordinance, regulation, or code incorporated in an ordinance governing such installations.

A violation of a regulation or ordinance of a district is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 30 days, or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both.

It may borrow money and incur indebtedness and guarantee the performance of its legal or contractual obligations whether heretofore or hereafter incurred; and also refund or retire any public indebtedness or lien that may exist or be created against the district or any property therein which shall have arisen out of the transaction of the affairs of the district.

In order to effect its powers, it may enter upon private property for the purpose of inspection and maintenance of sanitary and waste disposal facilities and may terminate service to property in which a violation of any rule or regulation is found to exist. Prior to termination of service, however, the district board shall notify, in writing, the owner and tenant, if any, of such property that service is intended to be so terminated and conduct a hearing thereon as herein provided. Such notice shall be mailed to the owner at the address shown on the records of the assessor of the county or as known to the clerk, and a copy shall be delivered to the tenant or posted conspicuously on the property. The notice shall state the date of proposed termination of service and the reasons therefor and the date the district board shall hold a hearing upon such intended termination. Such hearing shall not be held less than 10 days subsequent to the giving of notice as herein required.

In order to enforce the provisions of any ordinance of the district, the district may correct any violation of an ordinance of the district. The cost of such correction may be added to any sewer service charge payable by the person violating the ordinance or the owner or tenant of the property upon which the violation occurred, and the district shall have such remedies for the collection of such costs as it has for the collection of sewer service charges. The district may also petition the superior court for the issuance of a preliminary or permanent injunction, or both, as may be appropriate, restraining any person from the continued violation of any ordinance of the district.