California · Health and Safety Code - HSC

HSC §116750: (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 Section 1170 of the Penal Code for three, four, or five

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Tampering with or threatening to tamper with a public water system with intent to harm is a felony punishable by imprisonment of 16 months to 5 years and fines up to $30,000.

Read the full statutory text
(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 Section 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 Section 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. (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.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.