Residents for Adequate Water v. Redwood Valley County Water District

In January 1989, Residents for Adequate Water and respondents Michael E. Sweeney and Oliver L. Sause obtained a writ of mandate halting the connection of new residential water service by appellant Redwood Valley County Water District. In July 1993, the district unsuccessfully moved to dissolve the writ of mandate and to set aside the subsequent judgment. (Code Civ. Proc., § 473.) The district appeals the order denying its motion to set aside the judgment, contending that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to issue the writ of mandate because (1) it misinterpreted and misapplied the Safe Drinking Water Act and its implementing regulations, and (2) those seeking the writ did not exhaust their administrative remedies. We affirm the order denying the motion to set aside the judgment.

I. Facts

In February 1988, Residents for Adequate Water and respondents Michael E. Sweeney and Oliver L. Sause petitioned for a writ of mandate to halt the connection of new residential water service by appellant Redwood Valley County Water District. The district is a county water district and public water system providing service connections for treated domestic water in Redwood Valley in…