Title WAT, California Water Code

At the hearing any person interested, including persons owning property within the district, may appear and present any matters material to the questions set forth in the resolution declaring the necessity for incurring the bonded indebtedness. (Added by Stats. 1949, Ch. 274.)

At the conclusion of the hearing, the board shall by resolution determine whether the whole or part of the district will be benefited by the accomplishment of the purpose stated in the resolution. (Added by Stats. 1949, Ch. 274.)

If the board determines that the whole of the district will not be benefited, the resolution shall also describe the portion of the district which will be benefited, in a manner sufficient for identification, which portion of the district described in the resolution shall thereup…

After the formation of an improvement district within a district pursuant to this article, all proceedings for the purpose of a bond election within the improvement district and for the purpose of taxation for the payment of the bonds and interest shall be limited, and apply only…

The determination of the board that the whole of the district will be benefited by the bond issue or that only a described portion of the district will be benefited by the bond issue is final and conclusive. (Added by Stats. 1949, Ch. 274.)

After the board has made its determination pursuant to Section 31387, if it deems it necessary to incur the bonded indebtedness, it shall by resolution state: (a) That it deems it necessary to incur the bonded indebtedness. (b) The purpose for which the bonded indebtedness will b…

In determining the amount of debt to be incurred, the legislative body may include: (a) All costs and estimated costs incidental to or connected with the acquisition, construction, improving or financing of the project. (b) All engineering, inspection, legal and fiscal agent’s fe…

(a) Any time following the establishment of an improvement district pursuant to this article, the board, by a four-fifths majority vote, may exempt part or all of the territory within the improvement district from liability for payment of principal, interest, and any other amount…

Any person interested may commence the contest of a district election, other than a general district election, within 20 days after the result has been declared by filing a complaint in the superior court of the county where the election was held. If no contest is commenced withi…

All water distributed for irrigation purposes, except as otherwise provided in this article, shall be apportioned ratably to each holder of title to land upon the basis of the ratio which the last assessment against his land for district purposes bears to the whole sum assessed i…

Water sold to holders of title to land pursuant to Section 35470 shall be apportioned ratably to each holder of title to land making application therefor under such rules and regulations as the board may from time to time establish. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 390.)

Where revenue bonds have been issued payable from revenues to be derived from the sale of water for the irrigation of land all water distributed for irrigation purposes shall be apportioned ratably to each holder of title to land making application therefor pursuant to rules and …

As an alternative, and in addition, to other methods set forth in this article regarding the apportionment of water, a district may enter into long-term water service contracts with the holders of title to land for the apportionment of all or any part of its water supply. Long-te…

A district may establish, print, and distribute equitable rules and regulations for the sale and distribution of water. A district may provide therein that water shall not be furnished to (1) persons who violate the rules and regulations or against whom there are delinquent water…

After equitable rules and regulations for the distribution of water have been published once a week for two weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in each affected county, any violation thereof is a misdemeanor and the violator shall, upon conviction thereof, be su…

If its board deems it to be for the best interests of the district, a district may enter into a contract for the lease, sale, or use of any surplus water not then necessary for use within the district, for use either within or without the district. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 390.…

Nothing in this article authorizes the sale of any water right. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 390.)

No right in any water or water right owned by the district shall be acquired by use permitted under this article. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 390.)

The board may grant to the owner or lessee of a right to the use of any water permission to store the water in any reservoir of the district or to carry it through any conduit of the district. (Added by Stats. 1981, Ch. 393, Sec. 1.)

Unless otherwise provided in the proceedings for the issuance of the bonds, they and the interest on them shall be paid from an annual assessment upon land or charges which in the discretion of the board are fixed and collected in lieu thereof and all land shall be and remain lia…

At any time before a district has incurred any indebtedness or obligation, or after all indebtedness and obligations have been discharged, two-thirds or more in number of the holders of title to an area of land in the distribution district, as appears on the last equalized assess…

The secretary of the district, upon the filing of the petition, shall examine it and if, in his opinion, the petition has been signed by the requisite number of landowners, he shall set it for hearing at the first regular meeting of the board of the district held after the expira…

The secretary of the board shall cause notice of the time and place of hearing to be posted for a period of two weeks next preceding the hearing (a) in three public places in the area requested to be excluded, and (b) in three public places in the area of the distribution distric…

At the time and place of the hearing, anyone interested in the petition for exclusion may appear before the board of the district and urge or oppose its approval. After the hearing, if the board of the district determines that it is for the best interests of the distribution dist…

All expenses incurred in connection with a petition to exclude lands from a distribution district shall be paid by the petitioners. (Added by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1935.)

If a special election is called by the board pursuant to Article 1 of this chapter, the board shall within 30 days after calling the election give notice of the election. (Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1607.)

The notice shall be published once a week for at least three weeks previous to the election in each affected county. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

For the purposes of the special election, the board shall establish a convenient number of election precincts and define their boundaries. (Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1607.)

At the time of calling the election, the board shall in its order designate voting places and appoint three landholders of the district to act as a board of election at each voting place. (Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1607.)

The election shall be conducted as nearly as practicable in accordance with the provisions of this division relating to general elections, but no particular form of ballot shall be required. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The qualifications of voters at the election shall be the same as prescribed for the formation election. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The votes cast at the election shall be canvassed by the board in the same manner as votes cast at the formation election, and the result of the special election shall be declared and entered of record in the minutes of the board. (Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1607.)

The provisions of this article are applicable only to warrants payable on demand. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

Whenever any warrant of the district is presented for payment when funds are not available for payment, it shall thereafter draw interest at a rate determined by resolution of the board, not to exceed 7 percent per year, until public notice is given that such funds are available.…

Upon the presentation of warrants for payment when funds for payment are not available, the treasurer of the district or of the county, as the case may be, shall endorse on them all of the following: (a) “Funds not available for payment.” (b) The date of presentation. (c) The int…

The treasurer shall keep a record showing all of the following: (a) Number and amount of each registered warrant. (b) Date of its issuance. (c) Person in whose favor it was issued. (d) Date of its presentation for payment. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The registered warrant is a contract in writing for the payment of money, and the period prescribed for the commencement of an action based upon the warrant is four years from the date of issuance. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

Whenever there is sufficient money in the treasury to pay all outstanding registered warrants or whenever the board orders that all registered warrants presented for payment prior to a certain date be paid and there is sufficient money available for payment, the proper treasurer …

The notice shall state that the treasurer is prepared to pay all registered warrants or all registered warrants presented for payment prior to the date fixed by the board. No further description of the warrants entitled to payment need be made in the notice. (Added by Stats. 1951…

The notice shall be published once a week for two successive weeks in some newspaper published in the office county. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

All warrants designated in the notice shall cease to draw interest at the time of the first publication of the notice. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

Upon the presentation of any warrant entitled to payment under the terms of the notice, the treasurer shall pay it together with interest due on it from the date of its original presentation for payment to the date of the first publication of the notice. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch…

The treasurer shall enter all of the following in the record of registered warrants he is required to keep: (a) Dates of the payment of all the warrants. (b) Names of the persons to whom payments are made. (c) Amount paid to each person. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

Only holders of title to land which has been assessed as provided in this division shall be qualified to vote at the election. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

To the right of or below the question on the ballot, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 303, Sec. 57. (AB 1512) Effective January 1, 2026.)