Hanford, CA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 13.04.150(G)
- Repair window
- 10 days from discovery
- On-time repair
- Billed at standard rate
- Late repair
- Billed at double rate
- City duty
- Notifies customer of suspected leak
Summary
Hanford's water division helps customers locate a plumbing leak and re-bills the excess usage at the standard rate if the customer repairs it within 10 days; unrepaired leaks are billed at double the rate.
When a leak is discovered by a customer in a customer's water system and a customer is charged for water that it has not used, as a result of the leakage, it shall be the policy of the city to aid the customer in locating the leak. If the leak is repaired by the customer within a period of 10 days of the date the leak is discovered and the customer can establish that a portion of the charges identified in its water bill are in excess of the amount normally charged to the customer, that excess amount of water use caused by the leakage shall be charged to the customer at the standard water rate. If the leak is not repaired by the customer within the 10 day period, the portion of the excess water usage which results from the leakage will be billed at two times the standard water rate until the leak is repaired by the customer. The city shall give prompt notice to a customer if the city obtains information indicating that a leak may exist in the customer's exclusive control.
H. Violations—Administrative Penalties. The violation of any provisions of subsections A, B, or C of this section shall result in the following actions by the city:
1. Flat Rate Customers.
a. First Violation. A written notice of the violation shall be issued by the utilities and engineering department personnel or police department to the respective water customer of the city.
b.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4873707; v4 updated 2026-03-17).
Full Breakdown
Under Hanford Municipal Code § 13.04.150(G), when a customer's water bill spikes because of a leak in the customer's own system, city policy is to help the customer locate it. Fixing the leak within 10 days of discovery lets the customer pay only the standard water rate for the excess usage the leak caused. If the leak is not repaired within that 10-day window, the excess usage is billed at double the standard water rate until the customer completes the repair. The city must give prompt notice if it has information suggesting a leak exists within the customer's exclusive control.
Violations & Fines
Missing the 10-day repair window isn't a citable offense: it simply doubles the water rate charged on the leak-caused excess usage until the leak is fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hanford reduce my water bill if I have a leak?
What if I don't fix a household water leak quickly in Hanford?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanford
California rules heatmap·Compare Hanford to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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