[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Town Council
of the Borough of Chambersburg 6-27-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-12.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded
former Ch. 292, Water, adopted 7-24-1991 by Ord. No. 91-6, as amended
1-10-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-3.
For the purpose of this chapter the following
words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them:
The interval of time between two successive bills; under
normal conditions it will be approximately 30 days.
The Mayor and Town Council of the Borough of Chambersburg,
commonly known as the "Borough of Chambersburg," and/or its duly authorized
representatives acting on its behalf.
A separate building, group of buildings or room or group
of rooms on a parcel of land held in separate ownership wherein a
commercial or industrial activity is carried on by any person. It
shall not necessarily include an office room, or suite of rooms in
a building, accommodating a number of separate offices, except that
to the extent that such offices are set apart from each other and
provided with separate toilet facilities for employees, each shall
constitute a separate establishment. The determination of the Borough
as to what constitutes a separate establishment shall be final.
A separate dwelling, apartment, room or group of rooms used
for separate dwelling purposes and equipped for the preparation of
food. In all cases the determination of the Borough as to what constitutes
a separate dwelling unit shall be final.
Any individual, firm, corporation, association or company.
Ten cubic feet of water.
Any person, as defined above, owning any property served
with water from the water system of the Borough. The user may designate
that any person occupying his property receive the bills for water
service to that property.
A.
All buildings within the Borough so situated that
water service is available shall connect to the Borough water system.
B.
Where such service is temporarily not available, the
Water Department, in conjunction with the Plumbing Inspector, the
Building Inspector and the Health Officer, shall design and enforce
regulations consistent with state standards for on-site water systems.
The rates charged by the Borough of Chambersburg
for water furnished by it to the public shall be those set forth hereinafter.
A.
The following usage, service and minimum charges shall
be made for water furnished for general use within the Borough to
each separate dwelling unit or commercial or industrial establishment,
as the same are hereinbefore defined, situated within the corporate
limits of the Borough of Chambersburg:
[Amended 12-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-11; 12-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-16; 12-16-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-15; 11-22-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-12; 12-12-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-16; 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-25]
|
Amount
|
Usage Charge
| |
|---|---|---|
|
First 20,000 cubic feet per unit (10 cubic feet)
|
$0.25
| |
|
All over 20,000 cubic feet per unit (10 cubic
feet)
|
$0.22
| |
|
Readiness-To-Serve Charge Per Month
| ||
|
Size of Meter
(inches)
|
Amount
| |
|---|---|---|
|
5/8
|
$5.95
| |
|
3/4
|
$5.95
| |
|
1
|
$14.98
| |
|
1 1/2
|
$31.98
| |
|
2
|
$73.66
| |
|
3
|
$117.55
| |
|
4
|
$240.71
| |
|
6
|
$449.08
| |
|
8
|
$785.88
| |
B.
The bill rendered to each user shall be the sum of
the usage charge based upon metered water use and the applicable readiness-to-serve
charge based upon the size of the water meter in use.
C.
Bills for service rendered to separate parcels of
land shall not be combined for the purpose of obtaining quantity rates.
D.
Minimum charges. The minimum charges for water used
within the Borough for ordinary domestic, commercial or industrial
use shall be the readiness-to-serve charge set forth above for each
service connection, based upon the nominal size of the water meter
serving the property. Where more than one separate dwelling unit or
commercial or industrial establishment is served by a single meter,
a separate charge at the rate established for a five-eighths-inch
meter shall be made for each such dwelling unit or establishment;
but the minimum charge for the property shall be not less than that
determined by the size of the meter serving the property.
E.
These minimum charges shall not apply to private fire
service connections.
Any water service furnished to the public outside
of the corporate limits of the Borough of Chambersburg shall be furnished
under the rates, regulations and rules governing that service as set
forth in the tariff as now and hereafter approved by the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A.
No licensed master plumber shall, after the adoption
of this chapter, install a water service line to a commercial or industrial
establishment without an approved reduced-pressure-type backflow preventer.
The backflow preventer must be installed in the water service line
near the water meter. The type of backflow preventer and the location
of the installation must be approved by the Borough's Plumbing Inspector
prior to installation.
B.
Any existing commercial or industrial establishments
that are determined by the Borough's Plumbing Inspector to have the
potential of a backflow of a liquid or substance into the Borough's
potable water system that could cause contamination of the system
must install a reduced-pressure-type backflow preventer in their existing
water service line at a location approved by the Plumbing Inspector.
C.
Failure to install a backflow preventer when required
by the Borough's Plumbing Inspector will be cause for the immediate
termination of the water service.
No person shall purchase water from the Borough
and resell the same in any manner except as follows:
B.
Resale of water for transportation by tank vehicle
shall be only in accordance with the following terms:
(1)
Any person purchasing water from the Borough for resale
by transportation by tank vehicle shall first obtain approval from
the Superintendent of the Water Department and shall, unless notified
by the Superintendent of the Water Department that this service is
terminated, be valid from year to year. The Borough shall have no
responsibility for the manner in which water sold under the terms
of this subsection is handled or transported, and the licensee under
each such license shall release and save harmless the Borough from
any claims for injury or damage on account of the character or quality
of the water furnished by licensee.
(2)
All water sold in the manner set forth above shall
be from the Borough Utility Service Center or metered through a separate
meter which shall be purchased and installed by the owner.
(3)
All water measured by the meter required above shall
be paid for in accordance with the schedule of rates set forth below:
[Amended 12-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-11; 12-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-16; 12-16-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-15; 11-22-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-12; 12-12-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-16; 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-25]
|
Amount
|
Usage Charge
|
|---|---|
|
Per unit (10 cubic feet)
|
$0.47
|
|
Readiness-To-Serve Charge Per Month
|
|
Size of Meter
(inches)
|
Amount
|
|---|---|
|
5/8
|
$16.72
|
|
3/4
|
$16.72
|
|
1
|
$42.06
|
|
1 1/2
|
$89.81
|
|
2
|
$206.85
|
|
3
|
$330.13
|
|
4
|
$675.99
|
|
6
|
$1,261.16
|
C.
The bill rendered to each user shall be the sum of
the usage charge based upon metered water use and the applicable readiness-to-serve
charge based upon the size of the water meter in use. No readiness-to-serve
charge based on meter size will be charged for water purchased from
the Borough Utilities Service Center.
D.
Minimum charge. The minimum charge for water furnished
from the Borough system for resale shall be the readiness-to-serve
charge set forth above for each service connection, based upon the
nominal size of the water meter used for this purpose.
A.
Under such regulations as the Borough Water Department
may establish, the Borough will furnish water to private fire protection
systems within the Borough. This service shall be rendered through
a separate connection, with suitable special meter, valves and detection
devices, on condition that no water be supplied through such equipment
for any purposes other than for fire-fighting purposes or for testing
the equipment. No usage charge shall be made for water used under
these conditions. The Borough shall assume no responsibility for the
maintenance or upkeep or satisfactory operation of any fire protection
equipment. For each such private fire protection service connection,
a monthly charge shall be paid in accordance with the schedule:
|
Size of Connection
(inches)
|
Amount
|
|---|---|
|
4 or smaller, per month
|
$6.80
|
|
6
|
$17.03
|
|
8
|
$27.23
|
|
10
|
$40.82
|
|
12
|
$56.70
|
B.
The size of any such connection shall be determined
by the nominal diameter of the pipe serving the fire protection system
from the water main of the Borough.
C.
At premises where, at the time of the adoption of
this chapter, more than one water service connection was installed,
and which were available for fire-fighting use and for general use,
the Water Department may determine, for billing purposes, which such
connection shall be considered a fire service connection and which
a general service connection. Appropriate service charges shall be
determined from the total metered use of water through all such connections.
No combined fire service and general service connections shall hereafter
be installed.
D.
Private fire protection service furnished to the public
outside of the corporate limits of the Borough of Chambersburg shall
be furnished under the rates, regulations and rules governing that
service as set forth in the tariff as now and hereafter approved by
the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
Any water service furnished to the public outside
of the corporate limits of the Borough of Chambersburg shall be furnished
under the rates, regulations and rules governing that service as set
forth in the tariff as now and hereafter approved by the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A.
In accordance with the terms of the permit issued
to the Borough by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania providing for a
supply of water to the Borough, the Borough shall have the authority,
in the event of any emergency effecting the adequacy of the supply
of water to the domestic users of the Borough water system or the
fire-fighting capacity of the system, either actual or imminent, to
require any or all users to curtail or discontinue the use of water,
and such curtailment or discontinuance shall remain in effect for
the duration of such emergency. Verbal or other notice by the Borough
to the user or his agent, or public advertisement in a newspaper circulated
locally, shall be deemed to be sufficient for the purposes of this
chapter.
B.
Any such curtailment may apply to all use of water
for car washing, lawn and garden sprinkling and, if the degree of
the emergency shall warrant, include any or all uses.
Temporary and special water service connections
may be made under terms established by the Water Department, not inconsistent
herewith, subject in each case, upon appeal, to review by the Town
Council.
A.
Ownership of facilities and responsibility therefore. Upon the request of the owner of any property within the corporate limits of the Borough abutting upon a street wherein a water main exists or reasonably adjacent thereto, or upon the approval of a request for service under the terms of § 292-9 thereof, the Borough will make a connection to the main for said owner at his expense.
(1)
All piping from the water main to the property served,
including the curb stop and the meter setting, shall be installed
for the owner at his expense by a plumber licensed by the Borough
of Chambersburg, and the section of the service line from the curb
stop to the property served shall remain the property of the owner
and shall be maintained by the owner. If the owner will not make repairs
to this section of the service line as required, the Borough will
make the necessary repairs and bill all costs incurred to the owner.
(2)
The Borough shall maintain the service line between
the water main and the curb stop. A water meter shall be installed
in such piping, located in a suitable protective pit directly opposite
the point at which the connection is made to the main, or the meter
can be located inside the building, if the meter is equipped with
an outside remote reading device which conforms to Borough standards.
Each new water meter shall be furnished by the Borough at the expense
of the property owner, and the Borough will credit the property owner
the amount equivalent to the cost of a plain standard five-eighths-inch
by three-fourths-inch water meter.
(3)
The Borough shall have the right to remove any such
water meter for testing or for maintenance and may furnish in its
place another meter substantially the equal thereto as the need for
such replacement may occur, without incurring liability therefor to
the owner.
(4)
The Borough shall inspect, test, adjust, maintain
and/or replace such meters at its own expense, except that any meter
damaged in service through the negligent act or omission of the property
owner or his tenant or agent shall be repaired or replaced by the
Borough at the expense of the property owner. Meter damage resulting
from freezing or backflow of hot water shall be considered to be the
result of negligence on the part of the owner or tenant.
(5)
Where water meters are presently installed inside
buildings, the Borough may at its option, require the installation
of a meter with an approved outside remote reading device. In such
cases the Borough will contribute an amount equal to the cost of necessary
materials and all of the labor expense incurred by the installation.
B.
Violations. The violation of any of the provisions
of these rates or regulations of the Water Department shall be cause
for the termination of water service to the property or persons in
violation.
[Amended 2-26-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-04]
Terms and conditions of service, including, but not limited
to: establishing service, billing for service, interest and penalties,
payment requirements, and termination of service shall be in accordance
with the Utility Service Manual, as may be revised from time to time
by the Mayor and Town Council, and shall be available for public inspection
at the Utility Offices at Borough Hall, the Utilities Service Center
at 80 South Franklin Street, and online at www.chambersburgpa.gov.
[Amended 2-26-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-04]
A.
Where, as a result of equipment malfunction, estimated billing, billing
error, or other circumstances, water service is rendered, but not
billed, the unbilled water service may be retroactively charged to
the customer, provided that the services at issue were rendered within
the last three years. The charges for service shall be determined
in accordance with the Utility Service Manual adopted by Town Council
from time to time.
B.
Town Council shall have the right to establish, from time to time,
by resolution, rules, regulations, provisions, terms or standards
under which water service shall be rendered, which shall be supplemental
to the standards set forth in the Utility Service Manual.
The penalty added after the due date will be
2.5%.
The rates established by this chapter shall
become effective with all water service bills rendered on or after
July 1, 2001.
