(a) Any public agency providing water for fire protection purposes may, by ordinance or resolution, fix and collect a charge to pay the costs of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for fire protection purposes.

Except as provided in subdivision (b), any such charge fixed pursuant to this section, may be made on all land within the public agency to which water is made available for fire protection purposes. The legislative body of the agency which fixes such a charge may establish schedules varying the charges in different localities within the agency depending on the cost of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for fire protection purposes. Such charges may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as other water rates or water charges collected by the public agency.

(b) (1) A public agency providing water for fire protection purposes shall not charge, levy, assess, fix, or collect any charge, tax, fee, rate, assessment, or levy of any kind whatsoever in connection with its water system on or from any entity providing fire protection service to others for supplying water for such fire protection purposes within the service area of such entity providing fire protection service or for any costs of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for such fire protection purposes within the service area of such entity providing fire protection service, except pursuant to a written agreement with such entity providing fire protection service.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall not restrict or limit a public agency providing water for fire protection purposes from levying charges for water service or facilities, including water for fire protection purposes, on any person, property, or entity, whether public or private, other than on an entity providing fire protection service.

Such charges shall be collected from such other persons, property, or entities pursuant to existing provisions of law which authorize such charges, or from an entity providing fire protection services only pursuant to a written agreement authorizing such charges.

(c) For the purposes of this section, “entity providing fire protection services” means a city, county, or city and county, whether general law or chartered, or a fire company, fire protection district, or any other person, association, company, corporation, district, municipal corporation, or any other public or private entity, which public or private entity or person provides fire protection services to any other public or private entity or person.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 73, Sec. 1.)