BILL NUMBER: AB 1975	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 29, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 7, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fong

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2010

   An act to add Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 537) to
Division 1 of the Water Code, relating to water.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1975, as amended, Fong. Water charges and meters: multiunit
structures.
   The Water Measurement Law requires every water purveyor to
require, as a condition of new water service on and after January 1,
1992, the installation of a water meter to measure water service.
That law also requires urban water suppliers to install water meters
on specified service connections, and to charge water users based on
the actual volume of deliveries as measured by those water meters in
accordance with a certain timetable.
   This bill, with a certain exception, would require every water
purveyor that provides water service to a multiunit residential
structure or a mixed-use residential and commercial structure, for
which the first occupancy permit for a newly constructed building is
issued on or after January 1, 2012, to require the installation of
meters or submeters on each individual dwelling unit as a condition
of new water service to that property. The bill would require the
owner, or his or her agent, to charge occupants for water and sewer
service based on the actual volume of water delivered as measured by
the water meter or submeter  , plus specified fees for the
actual costs of reading the meter or submeter and providing billing
services and for late payments of charges and fees  .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 537) is added to
Division 1 of the Water Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 8.5.  MULTIUNIT STRUCTURES


   537.  (a) Each water purveyor that sells, leases, rents,
furnishes, or delivers water service to a multiunit residential
structure or a mixed-use residential and commercial structure for
which the first occupancy permit for a newly constructed building is
issued on or after January 1, 2012, shall require the installation of
a water meter or submeter to measure water supplied to each
individual dwelling unit as a condition of new water service to that
property.
   (b) The owner, or his or her agent, of a structure described in
subdivision (a) shall charge occupants for water and sewer service.
This charge shall be based on the actual volume of water delivered to
the unit as measured by the meter or submeter installed pursuant to
subdivision (a). 
   (c) (1) The owner, or his or her agent, may charge an
administrative fee for the actual cost of reading meters or submeters
and providing billing services for purposes of this section. The
administrative fee shall not exceed four dollars ($4) per meter or
submeter per month.  
   (2) The owner, or his or her agent, may charge an additional fee
for late payments, which shall not exceed ten dollars ($10) per
billing cycle, if the occupant does not pay all charges and fees
imposed pursuant to this section in full on or before the due date.
The due date for these charges and fees shall be no earlier than the
19th day after the date on which the bill for these charges and fees
is mailed or delivered to the occupant.  
   (d) 
    (c)  This section does not apply to a structure
described in subdivision (a) that is greater than four stories in
height above grade and for which the owner, or his or her agent,
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the water purveyor that the
structure's plumbing configuration incorporates multiple points of
entry in each dwelling unit and renders the installation of submeters
infeasible.