California Health and Safety Code 116750 – (a) Any person who tampers with a public water system is guilty …
(a) Any person who tampers with a public water system is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of § 1170 of the Penal Code for three, four, or five years, subject to a fine not to exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), or both.
(b) Any person who tampers with or makes a threat to tamper with a public water system is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of § 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months, two, or three years, subject to a fine not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or both.
Terms Used In California Health and Safety Code 116750
- Contaminant: means any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water. See California Health and Safety Code 116275
- Person: means an individual, corporation, company, association, partnership, limited liability company, municipality, public utility, or other public body or institution, including the United States to the extent authorized by federal law. See California Health and Safety Code 116275
- Public water system: means a system for the provision of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances that has 15 or more service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. See California Health and Safety Code 116275
(c) For purposes of this section, the term “tamper” means either of the following:
(1) To introduce a contaminant into a public water system with the intention of harming persons.
(2) To otherwise interfere with the operation of a public water system with the intention of harming persons.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 202. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)