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. (a) (1) A public water system is not required to fluoridate
pursuant to Section 116410, or the regulations adopted thereunder by
the department, in any of the following situations:
(A) If the public water system is listed on the schedule to
implement a fluoridation program pursuant to paragraph (4) of
subdivision (b) of Section 116410 and funds are not offered pursuant
to a binding contractual offer to the public water system sufficient
to pay the capital and associated costs from any outside source. As
used in this section, "outside source" means a source other than the
system's ratepayers, shareholders, local taxpayers, bondholders, or
any fees or charges levied by the water system.
(B) If the public water system has been offered pursuant to a
binding contractual offer the capital and associated funds necessary
for fluoridation as set forth in subparagraph (A) and has completed
the installation of a fluoridation system, however, in any given
fiscal year (July 1-June 30, inclusive) funding is not available to
the public water system sufficient to pay the noncapital operation
and maintenance costs described in subdivision (g) from any outside
source other than the system's ratepayers, shareholders, local
taxpayers, bondholders, or any fees or charges levied by the water
system. A binding contractual offer to provide funds for 12 months,
without regard to fiscal year, of noncapital operation and
maintenance costs shall render a water system unqualified for an
exemption under this subparagraph for that year.
(C) If the funding provided by an outside source for capital and
associated costs is depleted prior to completion of the installation
of a fluoridation system and funds sufficient to complete the
installation have not been offered pursuant to a binding contractual
offer to the public water system by an outside source. In the event
of a disagreement between the public water system and an outside
funding source about the reasonableness of additional capital and
associated costs, in order to qualify for an exemption under this
subparagraph the costs overruns must be found to be reasonable by a
registered civil engineer recognized or employed by the department
who is familiar with the design, construction, operation, and
maintenance of fluoridation systems.
(2) Each year the department shall prepare and distribute a list
of those water systems that do not qualify for exemption under this
section from the fluoridation requirements of Section 116410. This
list shall include water systems that have been offered, have
received, or are expected to receive, sufficient funding for capital
and associated costs so as to not qualify for exemption under
subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and have either (A) been offered
or have received, or anticipate receiving, sufficient noncapital
maintenance and operation funding pursuant to subdivision (g), or (B)
have not yet completed the installation of a fluoridation system, so
that they do not qualify for exemption under subparagraph (B) of
paragraph (1).
(3) Any water system that has been offered pursuant to a binding
contractual offer the funds necessary for fluoridation as set forth
in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and is not included in the list
pursuant to paragraph (2), may elect to exercise the option not to
fluoridate during the following fiscal year pursuant to subparagraph
(B) of paragraph (1) by so notifying the department by certified mail
on or before June 1.
(4) The permit issued by the department for a public water system
that is scheduled to implement fluoridation pursuant to paragraph (4)
of subdivision (b) of Section 116410 shall specify whether it is
required to fluoridate pursuant to Section 116410, or whether it has
been granted an exemption pursuant to either subparagraph (A) or
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).
(b) The department shall enforce Section 116410 and this section,
and all regulations adopted pursuant to these sections, unless
delegated pursuant to a local primary agreement.
(c) If the owner or operator of any public water system subject to
Section 116410 fails, or refuses, to comply with any regulations
adopted pursuant to Section 116410, or any order of the department
implementing these regulations, the Attorney General shall, upon the
request of the department, institute mandamus proceedings, or other
appropriate proceedings, in order to compel compliance with the
order, rule, or regulation. This remedy shall be in addition to all
other authorized remedies or sanctions.
(d) Neither this section nor Section 116410 shall supersede
subdivision (b) of Section 116410.
(e) The department shall seek all sources of funding for
enforcement of the standards and capital cost requirements
established pursuant to this section and Section 116410, including,
but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Federal block grants.
(2) Donations from private foundations.
Expenditures from governmental sources shall be subject to
specific appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes.
(f) A public water system with less than 10,000 service
connections may elect to comply with the standards, compliance
requirements, and regulations for fluoridation established pursuant
to this section and Section 116410.
(g) Costs, other than capital costs, incurred in complying with
this section and Section 116410, including regulations adopted
pursuant to those sections, may be paid from federal grants, or
donations from private foundations, for these purposes. Each public
water system that will incur costs, other than capitalization costs,
as a result of compliance with this section and Section 116410, shall
provide an estimate to the department of the anticipated total
annual operations and maintenance costs related to fluoridation
treatment by January 1 of each year.
(h) A public water system subject to the jurisdiction of the
Public Utilities Commission shall be entitled to recover from its
customers all of its capital and associated costs, and all of its
operation and maintenance expenses associated with compliance with
this section and Section 116410. The Public Utilities Commission
shall approve rate increases for an owner or operator of a public
water system that is subject to its jurisdiction within 45 days of
the filing of an application or an advice letter, in accordance with
the commission's requirements, showing in reasonable detail the
amount of additional revenue required to recover the foregoing
capital and associated costs, and operation and maintenance expenses.