• Transfer of Appropriated Water

Turner, P.J.

State law mandates that the owner of a water conveyance system with unused capacity allow others to use the facility to transport water. The use of a water conveyance facility by someone other than the owner or operator to transport water is referred to as "wheeling." In return for wheeling, the water conveyance system owner is entitled to "fair compensation." (Wat.Code § 1810.) The question in this case is whether as a matter of law the "Wheeling Statutes" (§§ 1810-1814) prevent the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California from adopting a fixed wheeling rate applicable to its member agencies that is based on the volume of water transported without regard to the nature of a particular wheeling proposal, including the distance traveled, or the particular facilities used, and includes in its calculation capital investment and other system-wide costs. We conclude the Metropolitan Water District could act as it did subject to defendants' right to judicial review pursuant to section 1813. We reverse the judgment to the contrary and remand for further proceedings where the parties can litigate the appropriateness of the wheeling rate pursuant to section 1813.

F. The Trial Court's Decision

The trial was ordered bifurcated. The trial court identified the "two purely legal issues" to be tried in the first phase as whether, under sections 1810-1814, "[the Metropolitan Water District] may include all of its system-wide costs in calculating its wheeling rates, or instead only costs relating to particular facilities" and "whether [the Metropolitan Water District] may set 'postage stamp' wheeling rates, in advance and without regard to any particular wheeling transaction." The trial court concluded, "The issue presently at hand is not whether the terms and conditions for wheeling transactions set by [the Metropolitan Water District] are reasonable in the abstract, but whether [the Metropolitan Water District] has set its wheeling rates in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Wheeling Statutes." If the Metropolitan Water District prevailed in the first phase of the trial, the second phase would consider "the reasonableness of the dollar amount of [the Metropolitan Water District's] wheeling rates, and any other remaining issues...." However, the trial court found against the Metropolitan Water District in the first phase of the trial. Therefore, it never reached the issues which would be considered in the second phase. No hearing has been held to date wherein the Metropolitan Water District's wheeling rate has been examined as provided for in section 1813.

As a factual matter, the trial court found the Metropolitan Water District's wheeling rate of $141 per acre foot included "costs for incentive payments for local conservation, and water supply development programs, as well as charges for water distribution, including charges for pipelines, aqueducts, and transportation of State Water Project water." The court further described the wheeling rate as including "such costs as [the Metropolitan Water District's] State Water Project supply costs, conservation incentive payments and fixed portions of its other 'capital' costs that are not directly related to an individual wheeling transaction. Some of those costs are fixed costs [the Metropolitan Water District] must pay regardless of whether any wheeling transactions take place."

Citing the language of the Wheeling Statutes, the trial court concluded: the Legislature intended that the owner of a water conveyance system recover incremental or additional capital, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs brought about by or attributable to a particular transaction; it was inconsistent with the purpose of the statute to allow owners of conveyance systems to recover all of their costs of doing business as a water district, regardless of whether such outlays were related to a wheeling transaction; and "an owner of facilities is entitled to fair compensation for the increased costs necessitated by a transferor's use of its facilities and nothing more." The trial court further concluded: "[The Metropolitan Water District's] contractual supply payments for State Water Project water ... are not costs incurred in connection with a proposed use of [its] facilities for a wheeling transaction. Likewise, conservation incentive payments are not incurred ... in connection with or because of a proposed wheeling transaction." Additionally, the trial court concluded that by providing service which is interruptible for "any reason," the Metropolitan Water District offers a service that is less than that required by the Wheeling Statutes; under the Wheeling Statutes, any wheeling transaction may be interrupted in the case of an emergency only. Finally, the trial court found that the Legislature intended that determinations, including available capacity and fair compensation, be made on a case by case basis; therefore, the Metropolitan Water District could not set fixed or "postage stamp" rates in advance and without regard to a particular wheeling transaction.

A. The Wheeling Rate

1. Standard of review

This case presents questions of statutory interpretation. The application of the Wheeling Statutes to undisputed facts presents a question of law. We are not bound by the trial court's legal conclusions.

The rules governing the construction of words in a statute are well settled. Our Supreme Court has held: "When interpreting a statute our primary task is to determine the Legislature's intent. [Citation.] In doing so we turn first to the statutory language, since the words the Legislature chose are the best indicators of its intent. [Citation.]" Further, our Supreme Court has noted: "[The] words used ... 'should be given the meaning they bear in ordinary use.' [Citations.]" If the language is " 'clear and unambiguous there is no need for construction, nor is it necessary to resort to indicia of the intent of the Legislature (in the case of a statute)....' " (Delaney v. Superior Court (1990) 50 Cal.3d 785, 798, 268 Cal.Rptr. 753, 789 P.2d 934.) We must give the words used "their 'usual and ordinary meaning.' [Citation.]" However, the literal meaning of a statute must be in accord with its purpose as our Supreme Court noted in Lakin v. Watkins Associated Industries (1993) 6 Cal.4th 644, 658-659, 25 Cal.Rptr.2d 109, 863 P.2d 179: "We are not prohibited 'from determining whether the literal meaning of a statute comports with its purpose or whether such a construction of one provision is consistent with other provisions of the statute. The meaning of a statute may not be determined from a single word or sentence; the words must be construed in context, and provisions relating to the same subject matter must be harmonized to the extent possible. [Citation.] Literal construction should not prevail if it is contrary to the legislative intent apparent in the [statute]....' " In Lungren v. Deukmejian (1988) 45 Cal.3d 727, 735, 248 Cal.Rptr. 115, 755 P.2d 299, our Supreme Court added: "The intent prevails over the letter, and the letter will, if possible, be so read as to conform to the spirit of the act. [Citations.] An interpretation that renders related provisions nugatory must be avoided [citation]; each sentence must be read not in isolation but in light of the statutory scheme [citation]...." The Supreme Court has held: " 'The courts must give statutes a reasonable construction which conforms to the apparent purpose and intention of the lawmakers.' (Clean Air Constituency v. California State Air Resources Bd. (1974) 11 Cal.3d 801, 813, 114 Cal.Rptr. 577, 523 P.2d 617[ ].)" Further, the Supreme Court has held: "We have recognized that a wide variety of factors may illuminate the legislative design, " 'such as context, the object in view, the evils to be remedied, the history of the time and of legislation upon the same subject, public policy and contemporaneous construction.' " (In re Marriage of Bouquet [ (1976) ] 16 Cal.3d 583, 587, 128 Cal.Rptr. 427, 546 P.2d 1371, quoting Alford v. Pierno (1972) 27 Cal.App.3d 682, 688, 104 Cal.Rptr. 110[ ].)" Finally, and this tenet of statutory construction will be of some importance as will be noted later: " 'It is a well recognized principle of statutory construction that when the Legislature has carefully employed a term in one place and has excluded it in another, it should not be implied where excluded.' (Ford Motor Co. v. County of Tulare (1983) 145 Cal.App.3d 688, 691, 193 Cal.Rptr. 511 [ ]; see generally 2A Sutherland, Statutory Construction (4th ed.1984 rev.) § 47.23, p. 194.)" The construction of the Wheeling Statutes by the Metropolitan Water District is entitled to great weight and respect; subject of course to the ultimate duty to interpret the law which rests with the judicial branch of government.

If statutory language is unclear, or terms used are not specifically defined, a court may also consider evidence of legislative history in ascertaining the statute's meaning. However, a court will generally consider only those materials indicative of the intent of the Legislature as a whole. Relevant material includes: legislative committee reports (Hutnick v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. (1988) 47 Cal.3d 456, 465, fn. 7, 253 Cal.Rptr. 236, 763 P.2d 1326); legislative analyst's reports (Moradi-Shalal v. Fireman's Fund Ins. Companies (1988) 46 Cal.3d 287, 300, 250 Cal.Rptr. 116, 758 P.2d 58); and testimony or argument to either a house of the Legislature or one of its committees. (People v. Patterson (1999) 72 Cal.App.4th 438, 443, 84 Cal.Rptr.2d 870; McDowell v. Watson (1997) 59 Cal.App.4th 1155, 1161, fn. 3, 69 Cal.Rptr.2d 692.) Those materials may be considered because, as the Supreme Court explained in Hutnick v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., supra, 47 Cal.3d at page 465, footnote 7, 253 Cal.Rptr. 236, 763 P.2d 1326, "[I]t is reasonable to infer that those who actually voted on the proposed measure read and considered the materials presented in explanation of it, and that the materials therefore provide some indication of how the measure was understood at the time by those who voted to enact it." Material showing the motive or understanding of an individual legislator, including the bill's author, his or her staff, or other interested persons, is generally not considered. This is because such materials are generally not evidence of the Legislature's collective intent. For the same reason, letters to various legislators and to the governor expressing opinions in support of or opposition to a bill (Quintano v. Mercury Casualty Co., supra, 11 Cal.4th at p. 1062, fn. 5, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 906 P.2d 1057), press releases by a bill's author (Calvillo-Silva v. Home Grocery, supra, 19 Cal.4th at pp. 726-727, 80 Cal.Rptr.2d 506, 968 P.2d 65), and enrolled bill reports (People v. Patterson, supra, 72 Cal.App.4th at p. 444, 84 Cal.Rptr.2d 870; McDowell v. Watson, supra, 59 Cal.App.4th at p. 1162) generally should not be considered.

2. System-Wide Costs

We first consider whether as a matter of law the Wheeling Statutes prevent the Metropolitan Water District from including system-wide costs in calculating its wheeling rate. Stated differently, the question is whether as a matter of law the Wheeling Statutes mandate that a water conveyance facility owner recover reasonable capital, operation, and maintenance costs incurred only with respect to the particular facilities used in the wheeling transaction. The parties refer to this concept as a "point- to-point" calculation.

Defendants do not dispute that the Metropolitan Water District may include in a wheeling charge its reasonable capital, operation, and maintenance costs associated with the use of its facilities to transport water in a wheeling transaction. They take issue with the notion that the Metropolitan Water District may charge member agencies that wheel water for a share of the capital, operation, or maintenance costs of the entire water conveyance system, including portions not used in a particular wheeling transaction. Instead, they assert, a wheeling charge for a particular transaction must be calculated with respect to the point-to-point use of the facilities. Defendants also argue that certain system-wide costs are not specifically related to wheeling transactions. Among the system-wide charges that defendants argue should not be included in the wheeling fee are debt service, State Water Project contract outlays, and water conservation program expenses. Defendants reason these costs are not incurred by the Metropolitan Water District because of a member agency's specific wheeling transaction. Defendants further note that the Metropolitan Water District is subject to those costs whether a member agency wheels water or not.

The Metropolitan Water District argues in part that because it recovers its capital, operation, and maintenance costs primarily through the sale of water to member agencies, a wheeling transaction that displaces a sale of water to a member agency causes it to become liable for the outlays otherwise recoverable in a sale. The Metropolitan Water District argues that a portion of its capital investment and other system-wide costs are incurred by it because the wheeling transaction displaces a sale to a member agency. The Metropolitan Water District contends that by setting its member agency wheeling rate on a par with purchased-water rates, it is recovering the reasonable charges it incurs in the transmission of wheeled water, as permitted by the Wheeling Statutes; therefore, the trial court erred in ruling the Metropolitan Water District could not include capital investment and system-wide costs in calculating its wheeling rate.

As noted above, there is some dispute whether the Metropolitan Water District's wheeling rate would apply only to member agency transactions that result in a lost sale of water by the Metropolitan Water District to that member agency. In any event, we find neither the plain language of the Wheeling Statutes nor the legislative history supports a conclusion as a matter of law that system-wide costs cannot under any circumstances be included in a wheeling rate calculation.

As mandated by the Supreme Court, we look first to the statutory language. Under the plain terms of the Wheeling Statutes, a water conveyance system owner is entitled to fair compensation "for that use," i.e., "the use of a water conveyance facility which has unused capacity, for the period of time for which that capacity is available...." (§ 1810.) Fair compensation is defined as "the reasonable charges incurred by the owner of the conveyance system, including capital, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, increased costs from any necessitated purchase of supplemental power, and including reasonable credit for any offsetting benefits for the use of the conveyance system." (§ 1811, subd. (c), italics added.) "Replacement costs" are further and specifically defined as "the reasonable portion of costs associated with material acquisition for the correction of irreparable wear or other deterioration of conveyance facility parts that have an anticipated life that is less than the conveyance facility repayment period and which costs are attributable to the proposed use." (§ 1811, subd. (d), italics added.) the water conveyance facility owner, in this case the Metropolitan Water District, is specifically authorized to determine what is "fair compensation" provided the determination is made in a timely and reasonable manner "consistent with the requirements of law to facilitate the voluntary sale, lease, or exchange of water...." (§ 1813.)

Several observations about the language of the statutes support our conclusion that the Wheeling Statutes do not as a matter of law preclude under any and all circumstances including system-wide costs in a wheeling rate calculation. First, the Legislature did not utilize language which is consistent with defendants' theory that only "point-to-point" costs may be recovered. Rather, the Legislature has chosen words which convey a materially broader right of compensation on the part of the water system operator, in this case, the Metropolitan Water District. In section 1811, subdivision (c) the right of "[f]air compensation" includes "reasonable charges incurred by the owner of the conveyance system, including capital, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, increased costs from any necessitated purchase of supplemental power, and including reasonable credit for any offsetting benefits for the use of the conveyance system." (Italics added.) Section 1811, subdivision (c) makes no reference to "point-to-point" costs or any similar concepts. In similar vein, section 1811, subdivision (c) makes no reference to actual, increased, incremental, or marginal expenditures in terms of "capital, operation, [and] maintenance ... costs." No doubt, in terms of "replacement costs" listed in section 1811, subdivision (c), the Legislature has more narrowly defined that term. In section 1811, subdivision (d), the Legislature has stated that "replacement costs" are limited to those which are "attributable to the proposed use." Nonetheless, in terms of "capital, operation, [and] maintenance ... costs" in section 1811, subdivision (c), no such limiting language appears; rather, other than in connection with "replacement costs" as limited in section 1811, subdivision (d), the water system operator is entitled to fair compensation " for the use of the conveyance system."

The Imperial Irrigation District argues it would be illogical to conclude that the Legislature intended to limit only replacement and power charges to increased costs attributable to or necessitated by a proposed wheeling use of a water conveyance facility. It asserts in part, "Includable capital costs may be calculated by either an incremental method or a proportionate (pro rata) method, so long as the capital expenses are related to the transferred water." We conclude that if the Legislature wanted to limit recoverable "capital, operation, [and] maintenance ... costs" (§ 1811, subd. (c)) to actual, incremental, increased, or "point to point" expenses it would have said so. We should not, as the Imperial Irrigation District proposes, engraft the statutory limitations on recoverable replacement costs in subdivision (d) of section 1811 onto the reference to "capital, operation, [and] maintenance" costs in subdivision (c) of that section. To so limit includable capital, operation, and maintenance costs would be inconsistent with the plain language of the statute. (Brown v. Kelly Broadcasting Co., supra, 48 Cal.3d at p. 725, 257 Cal.Rptr. 708, 771 P.2d 406.) Moreover, the Supreme Court has made it clear that when the Legislature has carefully omitted language in one part of a statute, it should not be implied where it has been excluded.

Defendants argue the Legislature has declared that recoverable wheeling costs must be determined solely by reference to the distance water travels and the particular facilities through which it moves. As articulated by the San Diego County Water Authority, there must be a "nexus ... between the wheeling rate charged and the actual path-specific facilities used in conveying water." In support of their position, defendants point primarily to the language "for that use" in section 1810. The Imperial Irrigation District argues "for that use" (§ 1810) means recoverable expenses must be "associated with moving water," "related to conveyance," or limited to actual costs. However, the phrase at issue in section 1810 states "if fair compensation is paid for that use." As noted previously, "[f]air compensation" is defined in section 1811, subdivision (c). No doubt, there are limitations on "replacement costs" as set forth in section 1811, subdivision (d). However, there are no similar limitations on recoverable "capital, operation, [and] maintenance ... costs" set forth in section 1811, subdivision (c). Further, as noted previously, section 1811, subdivision (c) indicates that "[f]air compensation" is defined as " reasonable charges ... including capital, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs ... for the use of the conveyance system." The flaw in the argument of the Imperial Irrigation District is that it: incorrectly focuses solely upon the "for that use" language appearing in section 1810; omits consideration of the "fair compensation" language in the same phrase; and disregards the scope of the definition of "[f]air compensation" in section 1811, subdivision (c). Needless to note, in assessing legislative intent, we must construe the relevant statutes as a whole.

Further, as discussed above, had the Legislature intended to limit recoverable capital, operation, and maintenance costs to actual costs, it would have used specific language to that effect. associated with the conveyance system as a whole, it could have used qualifying language to that effect. (Ibid.) In addition, we reject defendants' arguments that recoverable capital costs are limited to increased capital expenditures necessitated by a wheeling use such as the addition of a pump or new piping or a turn-out to a pipeline. Contrary to defendants' assertions, the specifically authorized recovery of capital costs is not limited to additional capital expenditures for changes in the conveyance system to meet the needs of a particular wheeling transaction. The Metropolitan Water District is under no statutory mandate to add to or reconstruct its facilities to accommodate wheeling transfers. The Metropolitan Water District is required only to make a statutorily defined amount of its unused capacity in its existing system available for wheeling in compliance with the Wheeling Statutes.

Second, a water conveyance system owner is entitled to reasonable charges it incurs "for the use of the conveyance system" (§ 1811, subd. (c)) when there is unused capacity available. The statutory reference to capital, operation, and maintenance costs is modified by the language "reasonable charges incurred by the owner of the conveyance system ... for the use of the conveyance system." (§ 1811, subd. (c), italics added.) We must give the word "incurred" its usual and ordinary meaning. The usual and ordinary meaning of "incurred" is "to become liable or subject to," brought about by, occasioned, or caused. (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dict. (10th ed.1995) p. 590; Statsky, West's Legal Thesaurus/Dictionary (West 1985) p. 398; Black's Law Dict. (6th ed.1990) p. 768, col. 1.) "Charges incurred" refers to costs a person becomes subject to or liable for because of an act or transaction. Hence, the "fair compensation" (§ 1810) to which a water conveyance system owner is entitled for wheeling water includes reasonable capital, maintenance, and operation costs occasioned, caused, or brought about by "the use of the conveyance system." (§ 1811, subd. (c).) "[F]air compensation" (§ 1810) includes charges the owner, in this case the Metropolitan Water District, becomes subject to or liable for in using the "conveyance system" (§ 1811, subd. (c)) to wheel water when it has unused capacity.

The San Diego County Water Authority asserts it would be "illogical and unreasonable" to allow the Metropolitan Water District to pass past costs on to present users "[s]ince no present transferor had any role in causing [the Metropolitan Water District] to incur those past costs...." The argument is somewhat unclear. However, the "present users" in question are member agencies of the Metropolitan Water District, to whom the wheeling rate applies. Moreover, those member agencies as such did have a role in "causing" the Metropolitan Water District, through its board of directors, to incur the costs of developing the infrastructure that serves the member agencies; an infrastructure that is utilized in wheeling water.

Third, the Legislature specifically authorized a water conveyance system owner to determine what is "fair compensation" subject to certain provisions. As noted above, section 1812 provides that "[t]he state, regional, or local public agency owning the water conveyance facility shall in a timely manner determine ... [¶] fair compensation." The Legislature did not enact a fair compensation calculation formula. Contrary to the assertions of the San Diego County Water Authority and the CPIL, the Legislature did not enact any language requiring that wheeling transfers be accomplished "at the lowest possible charge."

To the extent the statutory language is unclear, and because the Legislature did not specifically define "capital, operation, [and] maintenance" costs in section 1811, subdivision (c), we turn next to the legislative history. The legislative history does not support defendants' position that, as a matter of law, the Metropolitan Water District may not set a wheeling rate that includes system-wide costs. Not a single sentence in any report reveals a legislative intention to bar the Metropolitan Water District from doing what it did in this case. The compensatory language of the Wheeling Statutes was repeatedly amended and, with respect to capital, operation, and maintenance costs, expanded, in response to concerns expressed by water entities in opposition to the bill. Opponents of Assembly Bill No. 2746 argued: water conveyance system owners should be able to determine fair compensation; fair compensation should not be less than the use charge to long term contractors being served by the facility, and the definition should be expanded to so allow; if a wheeler paid only marginal costs, it could pay much less than the long term contractors who helped finance the facility, therefore, the definition of fair compensation should focus on a pro rata share of capital and other costs; the bill could interfere with water conveyance system owners' ability to meet contract payments if wheelers undercut prices and stole away customers; water rates to consumers who do not benefit from a wheeling transfer could increase; and because water districts have fixed costs, and if wheeling transactions resulted in any lost sales, increased rates or taxes could result for the remaining customers. In an unmistakable response to those concerns, and in an effort to gain the support of water entities, the Legislature amended the bill to: expand the fair compensation definition to include capital as well as operation and maintenance costs; omit references to marginal, pro rata, and incremental capital, operation, or maintenance costs in favor of a broader reference to reasonable such charges incurred; and to give water conveyance system owners control over the fair compensation determination.

The Legislature's goal was to remove institutional barriers to wheeling transactions. As revealed by the legislative history, enactment of the Wheeling Statutes was prompted by a concern that water conveyance facility owners would deny access to their systems or engage in protracted negotiations concerning wheeling uses. Contrary to defendants' assertions, there is no evidence the Legislature acted out of a concern that water conveyance facility owners in general, or the Metropolitan Water District in particular, were blocking wheeling transactions by "demanding unreasonable prices for access." Nor is there any support in the legislative history for the San Diego County Water Authority's claim that "the Legislature chose to pursue a market-based approach that allowed buyers and sellers to determine the price of water and limit the ability of facility owners to block transfers through barrier pricing." Rather, the legislative history shows that, consistent with state policy to facilitate the voluntary sale of water, the Legislature's aim was simply to require water conveyance system owners to make unused capacity in their facilities available for wheeling transfers. The Legislature recognized that in return for making its facilities available, a water conveyance system owner should be reasonably compensated for the use of the system. There is no indication the Legislature ever intended that the water conveyance system owner should suffer potential or actual financial loss as a result. Rather, the Legislature took repeated steps to enact compensatory language that would enable water conveyance system owners to provide the desired wheeling service while recovering their costs. In short, the Legislature did not intend that the impact of the Wheeling Statutes should be to cause a water conveyance system owner to lose money or to subsidize wheeling transfers. Moreover, no legislative report contains a single paragraph, sentence, or clause which suggests in any fashion that system-wide costs could not be assessed. In other words, there is no admissible historical evidence the Legislature intended that reasonable system-wide costs could not under any circumstances be considered in developing a wheeling transaction fee. Whether the system-wide costs included in the Metropolitan Water District's wheeling rate are proper must be determined in a hearing conducted pursuant to section 1813 upon issuance of the remittitur.

3. Fixed nature of rate

Defendants contend the Wheeling Statutes mandate that the Metropolitan Water District determine its wheeling rates on a case-by-case basis as transactions are proposed. We disagree. We turn again to the language of the statutes. As noted above, the Wheeling Statutes grant the water conveyance system owner the authority to determine fair compensation. As noted previously, section 1812 provides: "The state, regional, or local public agency owning the water conveyance facility shall in a timely manner determine the following: [¶] (a) The amount and availability of unused capacity. [¶] (b) The terms and conditions, including operation and maintenance requirements and scheduling, quality requirements, term or use, priorities, and fair compensation." (Italics added.) Section 1813 states: "In making the determinations required by this article, the respective public agency shall act in a reasonable manner consistent with the requirements of law to facilitate the voluntary sale, lease, or exchange of water and shall support its determinations by written findings. In any judicial action challenging any determination made under this article the court shall consider all relevant evidence, and the court shall give due consideration to the purposes and policies of this article. In any such case the court shall sustain the determination of the public agency if it finds that the determination is supported by substantial evidence." (Italics added.)

Under the plain terms of sections 1812 and 1813, the Metropolitan Water District is authorized (indeed, required) to determine fair compensation. The statutory authorization is limited by the requirements that the fair compensation determination be accomplished in a "timely" and "reasonable" manner, "consistent with the requirements of law to facilitate the voluntary sale, lease, or exchange of water...." (§ 1813.) In addition, the Metropolitan Water District must "support its determinations by written findings." (§ 1813.) The wheeling statutes are silent on the question whether a rate may be set in advance of a specific wheeling proposal.

The Imperial Irrigation District asserts that "the 'timely' rate- setting referenced in section 1812 is a requirement of timeliness for a response after a request has been made." The Imperial Irrigation District argues the language "timely" can only mean after an application by a bona fide transferor. We disagree. Neither the statutory language nor anything in the legislative history requires that the word "timely" be so construed. To the contrary, we conclude it cannot reasonably be argued that determining a fixed rate for wheeling by member agencies in advance of a particular transaction violates the timeliness requirement of section 1812. As evidenced by the legislative history, one impetus for the enactment of the Wheeling Statutes was the tendency of water conveyance system owners to engage in protracted negotiations of wheeling proposals. The requirement that the fair compensation determination be accomplished in a "timely" manner addressed that problem. The Metropolitan Water District's application of its fixed rate facilitates a timely determination of fair compensation. It simplifies the factors to be considered in setting the rate for a particular transaction. The Metropolitan Water District need only modify the fixed rate as applied to a proposed wheeling transaction after considering any necessitated power costs, treatment costs, replacement costs, or offsetting benefits. Application of the fixed rate limits the scope of any negotiations. It is entirely consistent with the timeliness mandate. Moreover, we find no other language in the Wheeling Statutes that precludes the adoption of a fixed wheeling rate. Further, there is no evidence the Legislature ever specifically intended that fixed wheeling rates were not to be applied so long as they required the payment of fair compensation.

4. Interruption of Service

The Metropolitan Water District reserved the right to interrupt wheeling service to a member agency "for any reason, including operational needs, water quality needs, changes in customer demands, maintenance requirements, or other similar conditions." Subdivision (c) of section 1810 provides: "Any person or public agency that has a water service contract with or the right to receive water from the owner of the conveyance facility who has an emergency need may utilize the unused capacity that was made available pursuant to this section for the duration of the emergency." "Emergency" is defined in section 1811, subdivision (b), as "a sudden occurrence such as a storm, flood, fire, or an unexpected equipment outage impairing the ability of a person or public agency to make water deliveries." The Imperial Irrigation District argues the Metropolitan Water District's interruption of service provision "would eliminate any necessity for [the] emergency exception" in section 1810, subdivision (c).

The statutory language on which the Imperial Irrigation District relies does not by its clear and unambiguous terms address the Metropolitan Water District's ability to interrupt wheeling service. Rather, sections 1810, subdivision (c), and 1811, subdivision (b), govern a member agency's right to interrupt a wheeling transaction in the event of an emergency. Section 1810, subdivision (c), specifically provides that "[a]ny person or public agency that has a water service contract with or the right to receive water from the owner of the conveyance facility" may interrupt a wheeling transaction in the event of an emergency. The subdivision by its unambiguous terms does not govern the Metropolitan Water District's ability to interrupt a wheeling transaction. Therefore, we reject the Imperial Irrigation District's argument. We note that under section 1812, the Metropolitan Water District is authorized to determine, with respect to a wheeling use, "[t]he terms and conditions, including operation and maintenance requirements and scheduling, quality requirements, term or use, [and] priorities...." Of course, the Metropolitan Water District may not under the guise of "interrupting" a wheeling transaction, simply refuse to wheel water. It does not contend otherwise. We emphasize that defendants may challenge the interruption of service provisions pursuant to section 1813. On remand, the trial court may consider whether the Metropolitan Water District's interruption of service provision is consistent with sections 1812 and 1813.

5. Other Issues

Defendants contend the Metropolitan Water District's wheeling rate is so high that it will discourage rather than facilitate wheeling transfers by member agencies. Moreover, they assert, the rate violates the statutory requirement that in making its fair compensation determination, the Metropolitan Water District "act in a reasonable manner consistent with the requirements of law to facilitate the voluntary sale, lease, or exchange of water...." (§ 1813, italics added.) Defendants further argue the judgment must be upheld because the Metropolitan Water District improperly included certain specified costs in calculating the wheeling rate at issue. The Imperial Irrigation District contends the Metropolitan Water District has included system-wide replacement costs in its wheeling rate without regard to the statutory mandate that recoverable replacement costs are limited to those "attributable to the proposed use." (§ 1811, subd. (d).) Whether the Metropolitan Water District properly included specific costs in its wheeling rate calculation or has adopted a rate that violates the statutory mandate to facilitate wheeling, are questions that were not reached in the trial court. The second phase of the bifurcated trial was to be devoted to all issues other than whether as a matter of law the Wheeling Statutes precluded adoption of a fixed rate that included system-wide costs. The second phase of the trial never occurred. The trial court, on remand, in compliance with section 1813, is free to consider the parties' contentions beyond those identified as at issue in the first phase of the bifurcated trial. We leave these issues in the good hands of the trial court. We have, with respect, disagreed with certain of the trial court's legal conclusions; but we have no doubt as to its readiness and ability to promptly and fairly resolve the phase two issues on remand in full compliance with section 1813.

B. Attorney's Fees and Costs

The parties have also appealed from the trial court's post- judgment order variously awarding and denying costs and attorney's fees. Our reversal of the judgment in favor of defendants requires we vacate the attorney fee and cost award in their favor. Accordingly, the post-judgment order will be reversed. (Casey v. Overhead Door Corp. (1999) 74 Cal.App.4th 112, 124, 87 Cal.Rptr.2d 603 ["Since we reverse the judgment upon which the fees and costs were awarded, we must also reverse the judgment for fees and costs. [Citation.]"]; Southern Pacific Transportation Co. v. Mendez Trucking, Inc. (1998) 66 Cal.App.4th 691, 696, 78 Cal.Rptr.2d 236 ["Since we reverse the judgment below, respondent is no longer the prevailing party, and thus not entitled to attorney fees pursuant to Civil Code section 1717."]; City of Vernon v. Board of Harbor Comrs. (1998) 63 Cal.App.4th 677, 693, 74 Cal.Rptr.2d 497 ["Accordingly, we hold that the court erred in ordering the issuance of a peremptory writ of mandate, and the award of attorneys' fees under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5 is therefore also reversed."]; Department of Industrial Relations v. UI Video Stores, Inc. (1997) 55 Cal.App.4th 1084, 1096-1097, 64 Cal.Rptr.2d 457 ["Because it is based on the judgment favoring Blockbuster, the award of attorney fees and costs to Blockbuster must be reversed along with the judgment."]; Silveira v. Las Gallinas Sanitary Dist. (1997) 54 Cal.App.4th 980, 984, 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 244 ["Because we will reverse the judgment vacating the negative declaration and requiring an EIR, the Silveiras did not prevail under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5 and are not entitled to attorneys' fees."]; Department of Industrial Relations v. Nielsen Construction Co. (1996) 51 Cal.App.4th 1016, 1031, 59 Cal.Rptr.2d 785 ["In light of our reversal of the summary judgment, the order awarding attorney fees is also reversed."]; Cutujian v. Benedict Hills Estates Assn. (1996) 41 Cal.App.4th 1379, 1390, 49 Cal.Rptr.2d 166 ["In view of our reversal of the judgment, the order awarding attorney fees must also be reversed."].)

The judgment is reversed. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is to recover its costs on appeal, jointly and severally, from the San Diego County Water Authority, the Imperial Irrigation District, the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, the Quechan Indian Tribe, Cadiz Inc. (previously Cadiz Land Company, Inc.), and the Center for Public Interest Law. The post-judgment attorney's fees and costs order is reversed. The matter is remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Godoy Perez, J., and Weisman, J., Concur.