Opinion ID: 2511845
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: HOLLIDAY WATER IS A CORPORATE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM AS DEFINED BY UTAH CODE SECTION 19-4-111(1)(a)

Text: ¶ 24 The parties vigorously dispute whether Holliday Water meets the definition of a corporate public water system under Utah Code section 19-4-111(1)(a) (Supp. 2009). Holliday Water believes that it is so obvious that it qualifies as a corporate public water system, that it asks us to take judicial notice of this as a fact. In support of taking judicial notice of its status, Holliday Water directs us to: (1) a statement we made in Holliday Water Co. v. Lambourne, 24 Utah 2d 97, 466 P.2d 371 (1970), (2) a definition from the Utah Safe Water Drinking Act, and (3) a letter from the Public Service Commission. Holliday Water next asserts that even without taking judicial notice of its status, we should conclude that Holliday Water falls squarely within the definition of a corporate public water system under the plain language of the statute. ¶ 25 Salt Lake County disagrees. First, the County argues that under Utah Rule of Evidence 201 we cannot take judicial notice of a record in a different case or proceeding, or of a fact in dispute. Next, the County argues that Holliday Water does not meet the definition of a corporate public water system under the plain language of the statute. ¶ 26 We decline to take judicial notice that Holliday Water is a corporate public water system. Instead, we conclude that this issue is best resolved by means of statutory interpretation. ¶ 27 When interpreting statutes, we look first to the plain language of the statute, and give effect to that language unless it is ambiguous. Stephens v. Bonneville Travel, Inc., 935 P.2d 518, 520 (Utah 1997). In doing so, our primary goal is to evince the true intent and purpose of the Legislature. State v. Martinez, 2002 UT 80, ¶ 8, 52 P.3d 1276 (internal quotation marks omitted). ¶ 28 Utah Code section 19-4-111(1)(a) defines a corporate public water system as a public water system that is owned by a corporation engaged in distributing water only to its shareholders. There is no dispute that Holliday Water is a corporation that operates a public water system. Rather, the parties' disagreement over the statute centers on whether Holliday Water distributes water only to its shareholders. ¶ 29 Holliday Water distributes water to shareholders through connections or meters. Once the water is distributed, the shareholders are then free to use or redistribute the water as they desire. They are free to provide water to nonshareholders, whether family, renters, or strangers. ¶ 30 Although Salt Lake County concedes that Holliday Water distributes water only to meters associated with its shareholders, Salt Lake County contends that because water from those meters may eventually find its way to nonshareholders and other retail customers, Holliday Water does not qualify as a corporate public water system. ¶ 31 The County's argument is unpersuasive. The phrase engaged in distributing water only to its shareholders is clear and unambiguous; we therefore need not expand our search for meaning beyond the text of the statute. [4] World Peace Movement of Am. v. Newspaper Agency Corp., 879 P.2d 253, 259 (Utah 1994) (Only when we find ambiguity in the statute's plain language need we seek guidance from the legislative history and relevant policy considerations.) Under the plain language of the statute, a corporation operating a public water system satisfies the definition of a corporate public water system so long as the corporation's water is delivered exclusively to the shareholders of the corporation. How, where, and to whom the water travels after it is in the shareholders' possession is of no consequence. [5] Because it is undisputed that Holliday Water distributes water only to meters assigned to its shareholders, we hold that Holliday Water qualifies as a corporate public water system under the amended statute and that it has no statutory obligation to fluoridate its water supply. ¶ 32 Having determined that Holliday Water meets the definition of a corporate public water system under the statute, we now address Salt Lake County's argument that Holliday Water must comply with Regulation 33 notwithstanding the application of the amendments to Utah Code section 19-4-111.