Private Salt Water System

To help reduce the demand for the limited fresh water on Catalina Island, in the 1970s the City of Avalon established a salt water system, Avalon Municipal Code (AMC) 6-6.09. To ensure the positive impact to the fresh water supply, the City of Avalon requires a second plumbing system piped to toilets, AMC 8-5.05. Property owners with salt water service will have a "Salt Water Service Charge" billed in the property tax bill, AMC 6-6.01(d), AMC 6-6.03, AMC 6-6.04, and AMC 6-6.05.

The private sewer lines are the responsibility of the property owner, as defined in AMC 6-6.01(c): "Private salt water lines" shall mean the privately owned piping or line connecting a building, collection of buildings such as a common interest development, or other structure or structures to the City salt water system, and includes the service connection "wye" or saddle at the supply line.

Distribution System Map

Recycled Water Feasibility

The City of Avalon is actively reviewing the feasibility of Recycled Water as an alternative to the salt water system. This was one of the intentions of the original system design, to switch over to Recycled water. You can view the 2016 Recycled Water Master Plan (PDF) for more information.

Private Salt Water System Ordinance Text

Section 6-6.09 Salt Water Service: Installation and Maintenance Required.

(a) Any structure in the City utilizing toilets shall be equipped with a separate plumbing system piped to the toilets. Said separate plumbing system shall be installed and shall connect to the City's salt water system within one year of salt water service being available within one hundred (100') feet of the parcel on which a structure is situated or constructed.

(b) Connection to the salt water distribution system may be deferred for additional one year periods, not to exceed two extensions, upon application to the City Council if the City Council makes one of the following findings:

(1) That such installation and connection to City's system within one year of service being available would result in economic hardship to applicant.

(2) That due to the geologic and topographic conditions of applicant's property, installation and connection to City's system within one year would result in undue hardship to applicant.

(3) That there are extensive structural changes required for the installation of a separate plumbing system in applicant's structure, and connection to City's system within one year of service being available would result in undue hardship to applicant.

(c) Notwithstanding any extension of time granted by the City Council, the salt water service charges shall become due and payable one year from the date salt water service is available within one hundred (100') feet from the parcel on which applicant's structure is located or will be constructed.

(d) Property Owner's Obligation. Each property owner shall, at the property owner's expense, inspect, maintain in good working order, repair, rehabilitate and replace, as necessary, the property owner's private salt water lines in such a manner as to prevent corrosion, clogging, or failure of the lines.

(e) Private Salt Water Lines Not Part of City Salt Water System. The private salt water lines are the property of the property owner and are not part of the City salt water system. Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as changing the private nature of the private salt water lines or incorporating them into the City salt water system.

(Section 1, Ordinance 588, effective June 17, 1974, as amended by Section 1, Ordinance 635, effective August 4, 1977; and Section 1, Ordinance 708, effective September 9, 1981; Section 2, Ordinance 1147-16; effective March 17, 2016)