BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Delano City Council considered a proposed ordinance that would prohibit and fine unapproved use of the city’s water to prevent the potential increase in water costs for ratepayers.

The ordinance is designed to prohibit water theft, such as meter tampering and fire hydrants in Delano.

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City officials said at the meeting staff had seen people — mainly at the edge of Delano — connecting to the city’s fire hydrants and stealing water, saying it has been happening often.

City officials also said it’s hard to detect water theft. City staff typically only notice it when they’re driving around the city for inspection or other work.

While the city could only tell people to just disconnect in the past, this ordinance would allow the city to find and cite those who commit water theft, according to officials.

According to city officials, unauthorized connections to fire hydrants can lead to public health and safety issues, which includes possibly contaminating a drinking water source and making the community more vulnerable during fires.

The cost of water loss and infrastructure damages caused by water theft ultimately fall on the ratepayers, according to the agenda.

The ordinance would follow new state law and regulations, the agenda said. State law allows the city to penalize water theft as a misdemeanor, bring a civil action for damages related to water theft and adopt an ordinance letting Delano’s Code Enforcement officials issue fines.

Under the proposed ordinance, the fine amounts would be as follows:

Meter tampering: $130 for first violation, $700 for second violation (within one year of first violation), $1,300 for third and each additional violation

All other forms of water theft: $1,000 for first violation, $2,000 for second violation (within one year of first violation), $3,000 for third and each additional violation

Unauthorized connection to a fire hydrant: $2,500 for first violation, $5,000 for second violation (within one year of first violation), $10,000 for third and each additional violation

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The ordinance would also establish a hardship waiver granting process to reduce the fine, where an administrative hearing officer can reduce or eliminate the fine if the person required to pay it would suffer “undue financial burden” from the full amount.

If approved and adopted at the next City Council meeting, the ordinance would take effect 30 days after that day, according to the agenda.

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