Section 377 Of Chapter 3.5. Water Conservation Programs From California Water Code >> Division 1. >> Chapter 3.5.
377
. (a) From and after the publication or posting of any ordinance
or resolution pursuant to Section 376, violation of a requirement of
a water conservation program adopted pursuant to Section 376 is a
misdemeanor. A person convicted under this subdivision shall be
punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 30
days, or by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by
both.
(b) A court or public entity may hold a person civilly liable in
an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a
violation of any of the following:
(1) An ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to Section 376.
(2) An emergency regulation adopted by the board under Section
1058.5, unless the board regulation provides that it cannot be
enforced under this section.
(c) Commencing on the 31st day after the public entity notified a
person of a violation described in subdivision (b), the person
additionally may be civilly liable in an amount not to exceed ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) plus five hundred dollars ($500) for each
additional day on which the violation continues.
(d) Remedies prescribed in this section are cumulative and not
alternative, except that no liability shall be recoverable under this
section for any violation of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) if the
board has filed a complaint pursuant to Section 1846 alleging the
same violation.
(e) A public entity may administratively impose the civil
liability described in subdivisions (b) and (c) after providing
notice and an opportunity for a hearing. The public entity shall
initiate a proceeding under this subdivision by a complaint issued
pursuant to Section 377.5. The public entity shall issue the
complaint at least 30 days before the hearing on the complaint and
the complaint shall state the basis for the proposed civil liability
order.
(f) (1) In determining the amount of civil liability to assess, a
court or public entity shall take into consideration all relevant
circumstances, including, but not limited to, the nature and
persistence of the violation, the extent of the harm caused by the
violation, the length of time over which the violation occurs, and
any corrective action taken by the violator.
(2) The civil liability calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) for
the first violation of subdivision (b) by a residential water user
shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) except in
extraordinary situations where the court or public entity finds all
of the following:
(A) The residential user had actual notice of the requirement
found to be violated.
(B) The conduct was intentional.
(C) The amount of water involved was substantial.
(g) Civil liability imposed pursuant to this section shall be paid
to the public entity and expended solely for the purposes of this
chapter.
(h) An order setting administrative civil liability shall become
effective and final upon issuance of the order and payment shall be
made. Judicial review of any final order shall be pursuant to Section
1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(i) In addition to the remedies prescribed in this section, a
public entity may enforce water use limitations established by an
ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this chapter, or as
otherwise authorized by law, by a volumetric penalty in an amount
established by the public entity.