Ohio Code 2305.34 – Hydrant failure of nonprofit corporation or water and sewer district no liability
(A) Neither a nonprofit corporation organized under Chapter 1702 of the Revised Code that owns or operates a water supply or waterworks that regularly serves persons located outside a municipal corporation nor a regional water and sewer district organized under Chapter 6119 of the Revised Code is liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the failure of a hydrant controlled by the corporation or district to provide a sufficient quantity of water or sufficient water pressure to adequately suppress a fire of any size, regardless of whether the hydrant was designed for use as a fire hydrant or whether a fire department uses the hydrant with the permission of the corporation or district. All low-pressure hydrants in a municipal corporation or regional water and sewer district shall be designated as such by being painted a conspicuous color distinguishing low-pressure hydrants from high-pressure hydrants in the municipal corporation or regional water and sewer district.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2305.34
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
(B) This section does not create, and shall not be construed as creating, a new cause of action against or substantive legal right against a nonprofit corporation described in division (A) of this section or a regional water and sewer district.
(C) This section does not affect, and shall not be construed as affecting, any immunities from civil liability or defenses established by any other provisions of the Revised Code, including, without limitation, Chapter 2744 of the Revised Code in the case of a regional water and sewer district, or any immunities from civil liability or defenses available at common law, to which a nonprofit corporation described in division (A) of this section or a regional water and sewer district may be entitled under circumstances not covered by this section.