Attachment A
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA
AMENDING CHAPTERS 8-10A (CROSS-CONNECTIONS)
AND CHAPTER 8-1.07 (APPEALS) OF TITLE 8 OF
THE SANTA MARIA MUNICIPAL CODE
WHEREAS, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted the Cross - Connection Control Policy Handbook on December 19, 2023, effective July 1, 2024, replacing relevant portions of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Maria Municipal Code must be amended to reflect the changes required by the State through its replacement of portions of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations and to provide specific sections required by the Cross- Connection Control Program Handbook.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, State of California, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 8-10A of Title 8 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code (“SMMC”) concerning Cross-Connections is amended as follows:
Section 8-10A.01. Purpose.
(a) To protect the public Potable Water supply of the City of Santa Maria from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within the Responsible Party's internal or private water system(s) such contaminants or pollutants which could Backflow into the public water distribution system; and (b) To promote the elimination or control of existing cross -connections, actual or potential, between the Responsible Party's in-plant Potable Water system(s) and non-potable water system(s), plumbing fixt ures, and industrial piping system(s); and
(c) To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of Cross-Connection control which shall systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of the publicly owned Potable Water system; and (d) To provide outreach and education on Cross-Connections to the community, water customers, and City staff; and
(e) To meet the State of California’s Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook standards.
Section 8-10A.02. Definitions.
“Approved” means a ccepted by the Director of Utilities as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this Ordinance, the Cross-Connection Control Plan, or as suitable for the proposed site.
“Backflow” means an undesired or unintended reversal of flow of water and/or other liquids, gases, or other substances into a public water system’s distribution system or approved water supply.
“Backflow Prevention Assembly” or “BPA” means an Approved mechanical assembly designed and constructed to prevent Backflow, such th at while in -line it can be maintained and its ability to prevent Backflow, as designed, can be field tested, inspected and evaluated.
“Cross-Connection” means a ny actual, potential, or temporary connection (such as swing connections, removable sections, f our-way plug valves, spools, dummy sections of pipe, swivel or change-over devices, sliding multiport tubes, or similar) or structural arrangement between the public Potable Water distribution system , including a piping system connected to the Distribution System and located on the Premises of a water user or available to the water user, and any source or system containing liquid, gas, or other substances that may enter the public Potable Water system.
“Cross-Connection Control Plan ” or “CCC Plan” means the City’s guiding document establishing the methods, procedures, and policies the City has in place to comply with the requirements of the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook.
“Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook ” or “CCCPH” means t he State of California cross-connection control (CCC) program standards as established in the CCCPH, which became effective July 1, 2024, and are incorporated into the State of California’s Drinking Water Regulations. The CCCPH and its standards apply to all California public water systems (PWSs), as defined in California’s Health and Safety Code (CHSC, section 116275 (h)). Compliance with this CCCPH is mandatory for all California PWSs. The CCCPH updated and replaced Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
“Director of Utilities” means the administrator/manager in charge of all aspects of the Utilities Department.
“Distribution System” means the network of conduits used for the delivery of Potable Water from the source to the Responsible Party's water system.
“Potable Water” means water which is satisfactory for drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes and meets the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or its successor organization.
“Premises” means a ny location, building , structure, residence, garage, room, shed, shop, store, dwelling, lot, parcel, land or portion thereof, whether improved or unimproved.
“Responsible Party” means the owner, operator, manager or occupant of a Premises which has water service from a public Potable Water distribution system; the owner, manager or operator of a private water system that has water service from a public Attachment A
Potable Water distribution system.
“Service Connection” means the terminal end of a tie -in to the public Potable Water system, i.e., the location where the City of Santa Maria loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water. If a City-owned meter is installed at the end of the tie-in to the public Potable Water system, then the Service Connection generally means the downstream end of the meter.
“Service Line ” means private piping extending from the Service Connection to the Responsible Party's point(s) of use.
“Water System” means the piping and all related appurtenances providi ng Potable Water to a Premises. In the City of Santa Maria, the water system is made up of two parts:
(1) The public Potable Water distribution system includes all the facilities and the network of conduits used for the delivery of water that remain under the control of the City of Santa Maria up to the point where the Responsible Party's system begins.
(2) The Responsible Party's system includes those parts used for the delivery of water to points of use located on the responsible party's Premises beyond the termination of the public Potable Water distribution system.
Section 8-10A.03. Authority of Director of Utilities.
The Director of Utilities is authorized to prepare, amend, and enforce the Cross - Connection Control Plan to protect the public Potable Water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to the Backflow of contaminants or pollutants through the Service Connection and to comply wi th the Cross -Connection Control Policy Handbook.
Section 8-10A.04. Requirements.
(a) By agreeing to start , or continuing to accept , utility services, the Responsible Party agrees to comply with all regulations pertaining to such services pursuant to requirements in the SMMC and the Conditions for Service established in the Cross-Connection Control Plan.
(b) Installation, modification, or a lteration of any Service Connection is prohibited without prior approval from the Director of Utilities and compliance with the Cross- Connection Control Plan.
Section 8-10A.05. Enforcement, Violations, and Penalties.
(a) A violation of the Cross-Connection Control Plan is a violation of this Ordinance.
(b) A notice of violation will be issued to any Responsible Party found to be in violation of any provision of this Ordinance or the adopted Cross-Connection Control Plan.
The Responsible Party shall correct the violation within the time frame given in the notice of violation. If the Director of Utilities, or their designee, determines that the violation is creating or contributing to the existence of an imminent hazard, the Responsible Party shall correct the violation immediately. In any case of violation, the Director of Utilities has the authority to discontinue water service at any time the City determines the violation causes an imminent risk to the public Potable Water distribution system or Potable Water supply, regardless of whether a notice of violation has been issued . In such cases, the City will issue a post - shutoff notice of violation.
(c) Water service may be terminated after a second notification of violation of the same provision within a one -year period. Any person violating any provision of this Ordinance shall pay to the City all expenses incurred by the City in repairing any damage to the public Potable Water distribution system or actions required by the City to be taken to protect the Potable Water supply caused in whole or in part by such violation and any expense incurred by the City in investigating such violation.
(d) In addition to other remedies in this Ordinance, any Responsible Party violating any of the provisions herein is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof is punishable in accordance with Chapters 1-6 of the SMMC. As additional remedies, any Responsible Party in violation of this Ordinance may be subject to summary abatement proceedings, restraining order, injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, administrative citation pursuant to Chapter 1 -9 of the SMMC, administrative penalty pursuant to Chapter 1-8 of the SMMC, or any other remedy provided by law.
SECTION 2. Chapter 8-1.07 of Title 8 of the SMMC concerning Cross-Connections is amended as follows:
Section 8-1.07 Appeals.
In the event that any user or consumer is aggrieved by any ruling of the Director of Utilities made pursuant to any of the provisions of this chapter and Chapters 8-9, 8-10, 8-10A, 8- 11, and 8-13, such consumer or user may appeal from such ruling to the City Manager within the time and in the manner set forth in Section 8 -12.1406. The City Manager's action on such appeal shall likewise be made and become final pursuant to the provisions of Section 8-12.1406.
SECTION 3. This Ordinance has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the CEQA guidelines, and the City’s environmental procedures, and has been found to be exempt pursuant to Section 15601(b)(3) (general rule) of the CEQA Guidelines, because the City Council hereby finds with certainty that there is no possibility the passage of this Ordinance amending the public facilities and services code will have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 4. If any part or provision of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, including the Attachment A
application of that part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable.
SECTION 5. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage. Within 15 days following its p assage, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with State Law; or when deemed necessary due to the length or complexity of the Ordinance, cause a summary of the Ordinance to be prepared and published at least five days prior to the City Council meeting at which the proposed Ordinance is to be adopted. If a summary is published at least five days prior to the City Council meeting at which the proposed Ordinance is to be adopted, then within 15 days after adoption of the Ordinance the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall publish a summary of the Ordinance with the names of those City Council Members voting for and against the Ordinance and shall post a certified copy of the full text of such adopted Ordinance along with the names of those City Council Members voting for and against the Ordinance.
SECTION 6. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the City Council held the 16th day of June 2026 and PASSED AND ADOPTED the ___ day of ____ 2026 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAINED:
ATTEST:
Donna G. Schwartz
Chief Deputy City Clerk
Alice M. Patino
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
_________________________
City Manager