[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Carthage as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-18-2002 by L.L. No. 3-2002[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed
former Art. I, Regulations and Charges for System, adopted 8-16-1982
by L.L. No. 4-1982, as amended, and renumbered former § 140-5
as 140-17.
Applications for water service shall be made
by the property owner or his authorized representative. The fee, as
set by resolution of the Board of Trustees from time to time, for
the tapping of the water main and for the extension of the service
pipe to the applicant's property line shall be paid at the time of
filing the application. All bills shall be in the name of the property
owner only.
A.Â
All water main extensions which are to become Village
of Carthage property, within the Village of Carthage, shall be designed
and inspected by the Village Water Department Superintendent. All
applicable costs and related fees shall be paid for by the applicant.
B.Â
All water main extensions which are to remain privately
owned and maintained, as in the formation of a water district such
as the Wilna District #1, shall be subject to the review of the Village
Water Department Superintendent and be approved by the Village of
Carthage, Jefferson County Health Department and/or New York State
Department of Health. All applicable requirements for design and installation
shall be maintained as if the system were to become publicly owned.
All applicable costs and related fees shall be paid for by the applicant
at the fees as set by resolution of the Beard of Trustees from time
to time.
C.Â
Pressure and leakage testing and chlorination shall
be performed and accepted in accordance with the requirements of the
Village of Carthage and Jefferson County Health Department.
D.Â
All taps and connections to the main will be made
by the Village for one-inch and smaller connections at the fees as
set by resolution of the Board of Trustees from time to time. All
taps for connections larger than one inch will be made by the customer
at his expense under Village supervision. All applicable costs and
related fees for work done by and/or supervised by the Village while
exposing the main and making a tap shall be paid by the applicant
at the fees as set by resolution of the Board of Trustees from time
to time.
E.Â
All taps and connections to new water mains or distribution
pipes shall be made simultaneously with the installation of said main
or distribution pipe either by the Village or by the installer at
his expense as authorized and under the supervision of the Village
Water Department. All water taps, corporation stops, laterals, curb
stops and valve boxes shall be of such size, design and material and
shall be installed in such manner as the Water Department Superintendent
of the Village of Carthage or his designee shall require. Standard
details of taps and corporation stops are available in the Water Department
office. The installer of laterals shall mark the location of each
curb stop with a sawed timber not less than two inches by four inches
extending from the elevation of the curb stop to a distance two feet
above finished grade. All such laterals shall be chlorinated in accordance
with the requirements of the New York State Department of Health.
All service connections to the main, including
the portion installed by the customer from his property line to his
premises, shall be not smaller than three-fourths-inch Type K copper
tubing with soldered joints or compression fittings, up to and including
two-inch connections. Connections of over two inches shall be of ductile
iron, Class 52. All service pipes/mains within state and/or county
highways, from the corporation stop at the main tap to and including
the house service connection with the premises being served, shall
be owned and maintained by the Village of Carthage.
A.Â
New water service will only be provided though a meter.
The installation of the meter will be at a site approved of by the
Village.
B.Â
In general, there will be one water meter per customer.
A separate water meter will be required for each detached single-family
dwelling and for each attached single-family dwelling (townhouse).
Only one meter is to be installed for each mobile home park.
C.Â
The Village will furnish all meters up to but not
including one inch. Larger sizes will be provided and installed by
the customer at the customer's expense and shall be of a size, type
and make approved by the Village.
D.Â
The Village will maintain, repair and test, when necessary,
all meters installed by the Village. On meters one inch or larger,
all replacement, repairs and testing shall be done by or at the expense
of the customer. In case of any questions as to maintenance, repairs
or testing, the decision of the Village of Carthage will be final.
If the Village of Carthage Water Department believes that the meter
is reading inaccurately, it can require that the meter be tested.
If, after having the one-inch-or-larger meter tested, it shows the
reading to be inaccurate, a new meter shall be installed by the customer
at his/her expense.
E.Â
If a meter furnished by the Village has to be replaced
for any cause which, in the judgment of the Superintendent of Water,
was the result of any violation of these rules or any act or omission
by the customer, the customer will be charged a fee as set by resolution
of the Board of Trustees, from time to time, for the replacement of
a three-fourths-inch meter.
A.Â
The customer shall install a shutoff valve on the
street side of the meter and leave sufficient space for the meter.
Meter connections have male threads, and plumbing must be so as to
receive the meter. A thirteen-inch space in a horizontal dimension
shall be provided for a three-quarter-inch meter. The Village will
maintain all meters, up to a three-quarter-inch size, insofar as ordinary
wear and tear are concerned. However, in case of damage by freezing,
hot water or external damage, the customer shall be liable for the
cost of replacement. The Village recommends the installation of suitable
equipment properly located and installed to prevent backflow of hot
water which may cause damage to the meter or damage to the customer's
plumbing, Standard details for meter pits are available in the office
of the Water Department.
B.Â
No person shall remove or tamper with a water meter
installed or authorized by the Village without authorization by the
Village or cause the flow of water from the main to the meter to bypass
the meter. There shall be no plumbing fixtures, water softeners, etc.,
tied into the supply line before the meter, with the exception of
one hand valve to facilitate the replacement of a meter.
A.Â
The customer
shall provide a place suitable to the Village for the location of
the meter (and remote reading device, when and if required by the
Village). Meters (and remote reading devices) shall be accessible
for inspection and reading by the Village's authorized representative
at any reasonable hour.
B.Â
The Village may establish from time to time by resolution a fee for
any special reading of meters other than quarterly readings.
[Added 10-20-2015 by L.L.
No. 3-2015]
A.Â
The Village reserves the right to remove and test
its meters as deemed necessary by the Carthage Water Superintendent.
B.Â
For water meters one inch and over, the owner, with
authorization from the Village of Carthage, may remove the meter under
Village supervision and have it tested at a Village-approved facility
at his own expense.
A.Â
The reading of a duly installed meter showing the
amount of water consumed shall be used for all billing purposes, except
where it appears that the meter has ceased to register or has registered
inaccurately.
B.Â
In cases where it is found that a meter has ceased
to register or has registered inaccurately and the percentage of inaccuracy
cannot be determined by reasonable test, an estimated bill for the
billing period may be rendered the customer. This estimated bill will
be based upon the amount of water consumed in the corresponding period
in prior years, except where it appears that there has been a change
in the occupancy of the premises or in the use of water, in which
case an equitable adjustment shall be made.
The customer shall notify the Village, in writing,
of any change in ownership. No changes on addresses of bills will
be made by the Village unless due notice has been given the Village
prior to the mailing of a bill.
A.Â
Meter readings. Meters will be read on or about the
first day of March, June, September and December. Water bills will
be mailed on or about the first day of April, July, October and January.
The Village reserves the right to bill large water volume consumers
on a more frequent basis.
B.Â
Payment of bills. All water bills are due and payable
when prepared. All bills are payable without penalty up to and including
the 30th day after the date of the bill. Payment must be received
at the Village Clerk's office. Any payment received after the 30th
day from the date of the bill is assessed a penalty of 10%. The date
of a check does not enter into the criteria, of determination of penalty.
If the 30th day of the billing month falls on a weekend or legal holiday,
when the Village Clerk's office is closed, payment without penalty
shall be extended to the next business day. Failure to pay water bills
within 60 days of rendering a bill may be cause for termination of
water service. No partial payments will be accepted.
[Amended 10-20-2015 by L.L. No. 3-2015]
C.Â
The Village reserves the right to relevy any unpaid
water fees onto the Village tax bill for such property when next issued.
D.Â
In addition to any other penalties established hereunder, there shall
be an additional nonpayment fee of $50 for bills that are not paid
prior to the shutoff date.
[Added 10-20-2015 by L.L.
No. 3-2015]
A.Â
Any customer
(owner) may discontinue water service or may have discontinued service
restored by giving the Village written notice of discontinuance or
restoration. Discontinuance may be accomplished either by closing
the shutoff valve or by disconnecting and removing the meter; the
method is at the option of the customer unless the Superintendent
of Water requires disconnection for safety reasons. All water billing
shall cease once the service has been discontinued.
B.Â
The Village Board may establish from time to time by resolution a
fee for discontinue service and a fee to recontinue service.
[Added 10-20-2015 by L.L.
No. 3-2015]
The Village undertakes to use reasonable care
and diligence to provide a constant supply of water at a reasonable
pressure but reserves the right, at any time, after due notice (unless
an emergency occurs), to shut off the water in its mains for the purpose
of making repairs and extensions.
A.Â
Water service may be discontinued for any of the following
reasons:
(1)Â
The use of water other than that represented in the
application or through branch connections on the street side of the
meter or place reserved therefor.
(2)Â
The willful waste of water through improper and imperfect
pipes or by an other means.
(3)Â
The molesting of any service pipe, seal or meter or
any other appliance owned or authorized by the Village.
(4)Â
The cross-connecting of pipes carrying water supplied
by the Village with any apparatus which may endanger the quality of
the water supply.
(5)Â
The refusal of reasonable access to the property for
the purpose of inspecting or for reading or repairing testing or removal
of a meter.
B.Â
The Village Board may establish from time to time by resolution a
fee for discontinuing service for violation of the rules and a further
fee for recontinuing.
[Amended 10-20-2015 by L.L. No. 3-2015]
A.Â
No person shall open or interfere with or draw water
form any fire hydrant without permission from the Superintendent of
Water of the Village of Carthage or from the Fire Chief in the event
of a fire or fire drill. Violation of this subsection will incur a
fine not to exceed $250 per occurrence.
B.Â
Anyone who wishes to take water from a fire hydrant
on a temporary basis may apply for a use permit from the Superintendent
of Water. The water will be metered, and the current water fee will
be charged accordingly.
C.Â
No person shall park any automobile, trailer, etc.,
or plow snow or place any materials, including trees, shrubs, fences,
etc., so as to obstruct any fire hydrant for service, repair, maintenance
or usage of said hydrant. There is a fine of $50 for each occurrence;
repeat offenders may be fined $250.
There may be times when, in the opinion of the
Village, it may be necessary to restrict the use of this service to
definite periods or to prohibit it entirely. In this event, all customers
will be notified by public notice pursuant to Village local law.
No lawn sprinkler and/or irrigation systems
shall be placed without permit approval from the Superintendent of
Water.
A.Â
Prior to issuance of said permit, the applicant shall
furnish to the Superintendent of Water a layout of the proposed system
showing the location of the connection to the house services and all
branch piping, sprinkler heads, cross-connection control devices,
backflow preventors, etc.
B.Â
Inspection. Prior to any backfilling over the system,
the Superintendent of Water or his designee shall inspect the completed
system. Any deficiencies noted in the inspection shall be corrected
and reinspected as noted.
[Adopted 9-14-1970]
After September 14, 1970, no new water service
will be provided for properties situated outside the corporation limits
of the Village of Carthage. Village personnel will not be authorized
to repair any private water lines outside the corporation limits.