For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed within this section.

    "Cross-connection" means any physical connection between the piping system from the city service and that of any other water supply that is not, or cannot be, approved as safe and potable for human consumption, whereby water from the unapproved source may be forced or drawn into the city distribution mains.

    "Distribution mains" means water lines in streets and rights-of-way used for general distribution of water from which service is available to the customer.

    "Finance director" means the director of the Grass Valley finance department.

    "Premises" means a lot or parcel of property under one ownership except where there are well defined boundaries or partitions such as fences, hedges or other restrictions preventing the common use of the property by the several tenants, in which case each portion shall be termed separate premises. Apartment houses and office buildings may be classified as single premises.

    "Private fire protection service" relates to fire hydrants connected to the fire distribution system and made available to designated fire protection agencies.

    "Regular service" means water service rendered for normal domestic, commercial, industrial and irrigation purposes on a permanent basis and for which the general rates and regulations are applicable.

    "Service applicant" means any customer that has applied for water service including property owners, occupants and tenants. The service applicant is also the party to be billed. In the case of properties used for commercial purposes and master-metered apartment buildings, the service applicant is always the property owner.

    "Service connection" means the pipe line and appurtenant facilities such as the curb stop, meter and meter box all used to extend water service from the distribution main to the customer's premises. Where services are divided at the curb or property line to serve several customers, each such branch service shall be termed a separate service.

    "Temporary service" means one especially installed for construction work, single-season irrigation and other uses of limited duration.

    "Water department" means the department which shall construct, operate and maintain the city water distribution and treatment system, and such department is hereby established within the department of public works.

    "Well" or "water well" means any artificial excavation constructed by any method for the purpose of extracting water from, or injecting water into, the underground. This definition shall not include:

    A.    Oil and gas wells, or geothermal wells constructed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation, except those wells converted to use as water wells; or

    B.    Wells used for the purpose of:

    1.    Dewatering excavation during construction, or

    2.    Stabilizing hillsides or earth embankments. (Ord. 544 § 1, 1996: prior code § 23-1)