Chapter 18.32
OFFENSES AND PENALTIES
Sections:
18.32.010 Tampering with system prohibited.
18.32.020 Unauthorized digging in street or sidewalk prohibited.
18.32.040 Violations – Penalties.
18.32.010 Tampering with system prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person, except when duly authorized by the administrative head of the department or by a member of the fire department, to open, operate, close, turn on, turn off, interfere with, attach any pipe or hose to or connect anything with any fire hydrant, stop valve or curb stop belonging to the city. [Ord. 80; Ord. 06-04].
18.32.020 Unauthorized digging in street or sidewalk prohibited.
No person shall dig into any street or sidewalk for the purpose of laying, moving, or repairing any water service line, water main, valve, hydrant or curb stop, without having secured a city right-of-way construction permit to do so from the department. [Ord. 80; Ord. 06-04].
18.32.030 Theft of water.
No person shall bypass any water meter, damage or tamper with such meter with intent to prevent or alter its recording of water, tap a water line, connect to a water hydrant or in any other way tamper with any part of the water system with intent to secure water without paying therefor or without properly making the applications or paying the deposits required by this title.
In addition to the other penalties for such act provided by this title, any person found guilty of such act may be denied water service for a period not in excess of one year, and may be required to post a cash bond equal to 10 times his ordinary anticipated monthly billing as a precondition of future service. [Ord. 80; Ord. 06-04].
18.32.040 Violations – Penalties.
Any person who has violated any provision of this chapter shall have committed a civil infraction subject to a civil penalty as set forth in RMC 10.02.050(E).
Provided, if the same violator has been found to have committed an infraction violation for the same or similar conduct two separate times, with the violations occurring at the same location and involving the same or similar sections of the Richland Municipal Code or other similar codes, the third or subsequent violation shall constitute a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in RMC 1.30.010 for criminal offenses. [Ord. 80; Ord. 17-84; Ord. 06-04; Ord. 06-10 § 1.35].