CHAPTER 2. Formation Petition [74050. - 74056.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 2.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74050. Section 74050.

A petition for the formation of a district, signed by at least 20 percent or 500 of the qualified electors within the proposed district, shall be presented to the board of supervisors of the principal county. The petition shall be presented at a regular meeting of the board of supervisors.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74051. Section 74051.

Any elector residing within the proposed district, whose name appears on the register of voters of the last general election, or on the register of voters at any time within 30 days preceding the presentation of a petition for the formation of a district, shall be deemed to be a qualified elector of the proposed district eligible to sign the petition.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74052. Section 74052.

The petition shall set forth and particularly describe the proposed boundaries of the district, shall pray that the district be organized under the provisions of this division, and shall propose a name by which the district shall be known. The petition shall also request the board of supervisors, upon its definition and establishment of the proposed boundaries of the district, to divide the district into either three, five, or seven divisions.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74053. Section 74053.

The petition shall be published once a week for at least three weeks before the presentation to the board of supervisors in some newspaper printed and published in the principal county, together with a notice stating the date of the meeting of the board at which the petition will be presented. If any portion of the proposed district lies within another county, or counties, the petition and notice shall be likewise published in a newspaper printed and published in each of such counties.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74054. Section 74054.

The petition may consist of any number of separate instruments, and, when contained upon more than one instrument, one copy only of the petition need be published, but the names of all the petitioners shall be published the same as if appended to the original petition.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74055. Section 74055.

All copies of the petition filed prior to the hearing of the petition shall be considered by the board of supervisors the same as though filed with the petition first placed on file.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 74056. Section 74056.

The petition may include a statement that all bonds of the district and all bonds of any improvement district created therein shall be payable from assessments to be levied upon all real property in the proposed district or in the improvement district created therein. If such a statement is included in the petition, the notice of hearing of the petition and the notice of election for the formation of the district shall so state, and, if the district is formed, all bonds thereafter issued by the district and all bonds of any improvement district organized therein shall be payable from assessments levied upon all real property in district or improvement district, as the case may be, and such real property shall be liable to be taxed for the payment of principal and interest of such bonded indebtedness until the bonds are fully paid. Any such assessment shall be levied in the manner provided in this division.

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