Section 116415.

(a) (1) A public water system is not required to fluoridate pursuant to Section 116410, or the regulations adopted thereunder by the department, in any of the following situations:

(A) If the public water system is listed on the schedule to implement a fluoridation program pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 116410 and funds are not offered pursuant to a binding contractual offer to the public water system sufficient to pay the capital and associated costs from any outside source. As used in this section, "outside source" means a source other than the system's ratepayers, shareholders, local taxpayers, bondholders, or any fees or charges levied by the water system.

(B) If the public water system has been offered pursuant to a binding contractual offer the capital and associated funds necessary for fluoridation as set forth in subparagraph (A) and has completed the installation of a fluoridation system, however, in any given fiscal year (July 1-June 30, inclusive) funding is not available to the public water system sufficient to pay the noncapital operation and maintenance costs described in subdivision (g) from any outside source other than the system's ratepayers, shareholders, local taxpayers, bondholders, or any fees or charges levied by the water system. A binding contractual offer to provide funds for 12 months, without regard to fiscal year, of noncapital operation and maintenance costs shall render a water system unqualified for an exemption under this subparagraph for that year.

(C) If the funding provided by an outside source for capital and associated costs is depleted prior to completion of the installation of a fluoridation system and funds sufficient to complete the installation have not been offered pursuant to a binding contractual offer to the public water system by an outside source. In the event of a disagreement between the public water system and an outside funding source about the reasonableness of additional capital and associated costs, in order to qualify for an exemption under this subparagraph the costs overruns must be found to be reasonable by a registered civil engineer recognized or employed by the department who is familiar with the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of fluoridation systems.

(2) Each year the department shall prepare and distribute a list of those water systems that do not qualify for exemption under this section from the fluoridation requirements of Section 116410. This list shall include water systems that have been offered, have received, or are expected to receive, sufficient funding for capital and associated costs so as to not qualify for exemption under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and have either (A) been offered or have received, or anticipate receiving, sufficient noncapital maintenance and operation funding pursuant to subdivision (g), or (B) have not yet completed the installation of a fluoridation system, so that they do not qualify for exemption under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).

(3) Any water system that has been offered pursuant to a binding contractual offer the funds necessary for fluoridation as set forth in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and is not included in the list pursuant to paragraph (2), may elect to exercise the option not to fluoridate during the following fiscal year pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) by so notifying the department by certified mail on or before June 1.

(4) The permit issued by the department for a public water system that is scheduled to implement fluoridation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 116410 shall specify whether it is required to fluoridate pursuant to Section 116410, or whether it has been granted an exemption pursuant to either subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).

(b) The department shall enforce Section 116410 and this section, and all regulations adopted pursuant to these sections, unless delegated pursuant to a local primary agreement.

(c) If the owner or operator of any public water system subject to Section 116410 fails, or refuses, to comply with any regulations adopted pursuant to Section 116410, or any order of the department implementing these regulations, the Attorney General shall, upon the request of the department, institute mandamus proceedings, or other appropriate proceedings, in order to compel compliance with the order, rule, or regulation. This remedy shall be in addition to all other authorized remedies or sanctions.

(d) Neither this section nor Section 116410 shall supersede subdivision (b) of Section 116410.

(e) The department shall seek all sources of funding for enforcement of the standards and capital cost requirements established pursuant to this section and Section 116410, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Federal block grants.

(2) Donations from private foundations.

Expenditures from governmental sources shall be subject to specific appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes.

(f) A public water system with less than 10,000 service connections may elect to comply with the standards, compliance requirements, and regulations for fluoridation established pursuant to this section and Section 116410.

(g) Costs, other than capital costs, incurred in complying with this section and Section 116410, including regulations adopted pursuant to those sections, may be paid from federal grants, or donations from private foundations, for these purposes. Each public water system that will incur costs, other than capitalization costs, as a result of compliance with this section and Section 116410, shall provide an estimate to the department of the anticipated total annual operations and maintenance costs related to fluoridation treatment by January 1 of each year.

(h) A public water system subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission shall be entitled to recover from its customers all of its capital and associated costs, and all of its operation and maintenance expenses associated with compliance with this section and Section 116410. The Public Utilities Commission shall approve rate increases for an owner or operator of a public water system that is subject to its jurisdiction within 45 days of the filing of an application or an advice letter, in accordance with the commission's requirements, showing in reasonable detail the amount of additional revenue required to recover the foregoing capital and associated costs, and operation and maintenance expenses.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 727, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2005.)