ARTICLE 3.5. Metered Service [525. - 529.7.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 3.5.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 525. Section 525.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, every water purveyor who sells, leases, rents, furnishes, or delivers water service to any person shall require, as a condition of new water service on and after January 1, 1992, that a suitable water meter to measure the water service shall be installed on the water service facilities in accordance with this chapter. The cost of installation of the meter shall be paid by the user of the water, and any water purveyor may impose and collect charges for those costs. (b) Subdivision (a) applies only to potable water. (c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a community water system which serves fewer than 15 service connections used by yearlong residents or regularly serves fewer than 25 yearlong residents, or a single well that services the water supply of a single-family residential home.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 526. Section 526.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an urban water supplier that, on or after January 1, 2004, receives water from the federal Central Valley Project under a water service contract or subcontract executed pursuant to Section 485h(c) of Title 43 of the United States Code with the Bureau of Reclamation of the United States Department of the Interior shall do both of the following: (1) On or before January 1, 2013, install water meters on all service connections to residential and nonagricultural commercial buildings constructed prior to January 1, 1992, located within its service area. (2) On and after March 1, 2013, or according to the terms of the Central Valley Project water contract in operation, charge customers for water based on the actual volume of deliveries, as measured by a water meter. (b) An urban water supplier that receives water from the federal Central Valley Project under a water service contract or subcontract described in subdivision (a) may recover the cost of providing services related to the purchase, installation, and operation and maintenance of water meters from rates, fees, or charges.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 527. Section 527.

(a) An urban water supplier that is not subject to Section 526 shall do both of the following: (1) Install water meters on all municipal and industrial service connections located within its service area on or before January 1, 2025. (2) (A) Charge each customer that has a service connection for which a water meter has been installed based on the actual volume of deliveries as measured by the water meter, beginning on or before January 1, 2010. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), in order to provide customers with experience in volume-based water service charges, an urban water supplier that is subject to this subdivision may delay, for one annual seasonal cycle of water use, the use of meter-based charges for service connections that are being converted from nonvolume-based billing to volume-based billing. (b) A water purveyor, including an urban water supplier, may recover the cost of providing services related to the purchase, installation, and operation of a water meter from rates, fees, or charges.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 528. Section 528.

Notwithstanding Sections 526 and 527, any water purveyor that becomes an urban water supplier on or after January 1, 2005, shall do both the following: (a) Install water meters on all municipal and industrial service connections located within its service area within 10 years of meeting the definition of urban water supplier. (b) (1) Charge each customer for which a water meter has been installed, based on the actual volume of water delivered, as measured by the water meter, within five years of meeting the definition of urban water supplier. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in order to provide customers with experience in volume-based water service charges, an urban water supplier that is subject to this subdivision may delay, for one annual seasonal cycle of water use, the use of meter-based charges for service connections that are being converted from nonvolume-based billing to volume-based billing. (c) For the purposes of this article, an “urban water supplier” has the same meaning as that set forth in Section 10617.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 529. Section 529.

(a) This article addresses a subject matter of statewide concern. (b) Subject to subdivision (c), this article supersedes and preempts all enactments, including charter provisions and amendments thereto, and other local action of cities and counties, including charter cities and charter counties, and other local public agencies that conflict with this article. (c) This article does not supersede or preempt any enactment or other local action that imposes additional or more stringent requirements regarding matters set forth in this article.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 529.5. Section 529.5.

On and after January 1, 2010, any urban water supplier that applies for financial assistance from the state for a wastewater treatment project, a water use efficiency project, or a drinking water treatment project, or for a permit for a new or expanded water supply, shall demonstrate that the applicant meets the requirements of this article.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 529.7. Section 529.7.

This article does not limit the authority of a water purveyor that promotes conservation through volumetric water pricing, including, but not limited to, an urban water supplier that promotes conservation through volumetric water pricing, to determine and impose a rate, fee, or charge in addition to the charge for the actual volume of metered water delivered.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026