The board may fix and collect rates or charges for the use and supply of water furnished by the system, and to apply the receipts from the rates or charges to the expenses of the administration and government of the district and the use, operation and extension of the waterworks and water supply.

The revenues obtained from such rates or charges may be in lieu of or supplemental to revenues obtained by the levy of taxes.

The district board may provide for the collection of the charges for services rendered in the current or immediately preceding fiscal year as a part of the annual general county tax bill provided the district furnishes, on or before August 10, in writing to the board of supervisors and to the county auditor the description of each parcel for which a charge is to be billed together with the amount of the charge applicable to each parcel. The parcel description may be the parcel number assigned by the county assessor to the parcel. In such case the charge shall become a lien against the parcel of land to which it is charged in the same manner as the county general taxes. Penalties may be collected for late payment of the charge or the amount thereof unpaid in the manner and at the same rates as that applicable for late payment or the amount thereof unpaid of county general taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection and enforcement of municipal ad valorem taxes shall be applicable to such charges, except that if any real property to which such lien would attach has been transferred or conveyed to a bona fide purchaser for value, or if a lien of a bona fide encumbrancer for value has been created and attaches thereon, prior to the date on which the first installment of such taxes would become delinquent, then the lien which would otherwise be imposed by this section shall not attach to such real property and the charges relating to such property shall be transferred to the unsecured roll for collection.

If the district collects charges through the county general tax bill, the amount of the charge and any applicable penalty shall be stated on the tax bill separately from all other taxes, if practicable.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 713, Sec. 10.)