For the purposes of this article, the word "consumer" shall mean each
separate family using water for domestic purposes or watering of livestock
or any person using water for business or other purposes, taking water by
the means of and through a single service pipe or through connecting service
lines from the water mains of the Town, including all persons purchasing water
from the Town.
All charges for the taking of water by a consumer shall be payable monthly
and shall be determined, with the exception of the minimum charge, by the
amount of water used during the preceding month.
With regard to the quantity of water used by any consumer, the quantity
recorded by the meter in question shall be conclusive both on the consumer
and on the Town Council, except when the meter has been found to be registering
inadequately or has ceased to register. In the latter case, the quantity of
water so used shall be determined by the average registration of the meter
when in order.
All statements for Town water service shall be computed by the Town
Treasurer on the basis of the rates set out in this article and shall be on
a monthly basis. Such statements shall be rendered to the family, property
owner, occupant or user as soon as practicable after monthly readings. This
statement shall be considered the correct assessment unless a correction is
requested of the Town Treasurer within 10 days after the statement is sent
out.
When water is supplied by the Town through a single service line on
which there is only one meter and such water is used by more than one segregated
unit in the building, the owner of the building shall be responsible for the
payment of the water bill.
Any user of water service having a complaint in connection with the assessment of charges under this article shall report the same to the Town Treasurer, as provided in § 418-24, who shall adjust the same or refer the complaint to the Town Council.
In the event a person whose duty it is to pay a statement for Town water service, rendered as provided in § 418-24, by such date as may be established by the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Town Council shall fail to do so, the Town Treasurer may cause the water to the premises in question to be turned off.
All water meters through which water is supplied to consumers shall
be furnished by the Town and shall remain the property of the Town.
There shall be a separate water meter for each residence or industrial
or commercial establishment or the minimum charges set forth in this article
shall be paid for each house or establishment served when a person has a meter
that serves two or more houses or establishments, and if in such situation
more than the minimum amount of water passes through such meter, the excess
shall be paid for at the rates established and provided in this article.
Each meter installed for the measurement of water supplied by the Town
shall be installed by the Town, or its appointed agent, at a location approved
by the Town or its agent.
Each meter installed for the measurement of water supplied by the Town
shall at all times be subject to control and inspection by the Town or its
agent, and where any meter is located on private property, building or premises,
the Town shall have the right to enter upon or on the same at all reasonable
hours for the purpose of inspection, repairing, replacing or removing such
meter or to take meter readings.
Any meter injured for any cause, directly or indirectly, attributable
to negligence of the owner or occupant shall be renewed or repaired at the
expense of such owner or occupant of the property in question.
No person, other than an authorized representative of the Town, shall
at any time remove, tamper with, undertake a repair or in any way interfere
with the meter connected to the Town system.
If at any time it is found that a meter installed for the measurement
of water supplied by the Town has been tampered with or for any reason fails
to register or shall be found defective on registering since the previous
reading, the water consumption for such period shall be estimated from other
similar readings and the average taken of such readings for the same period,
or from past readings or from a like installation.
A.
Consumers within Town. Water consumers within the Town shall
be charged rates to be fixed by the Town Council from time to time for the
use of water supplied from the Town's waterworks or for hook-on or connection
fees to the Town's system. A copy of a schedule of such rates shall be maintained
on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
B.
Consumers outside Town.
(1)
Water consumers outside the Town shall be charged rates
to be fixed by the Town Council from time to time for the use of water supplied
from the Town's waterworks or for hook-on or connection fees to the Town's
system. A copy of a schedule of such rates shall be maintained on file in
the office of the Town Clerk.
(2)
Water consumers outside of Town, and any water consumers
inside of the Town to which Town lines do not extend, may enter into a contract
with Town for the installation and maintenance of their own line, and for
the purchase of water from the Town, subject to rates and rules to be established
by the Town Council in each individual case.
C.
Schools and other public buildings. Schools and other public
buildings shall pay the same water rates to be fixed by the Town Council from
time to time for the use of water supplied from the Town's waterworks or for
hook-on or connection fees to the Town's system. A copy of a schedule of such
rates shall be maintained on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
D.
Water for sprinkler or fire protection system. Water consumers
using water to supply a sprinkler system or to provide other fire protection
service shall not be charged a minimum charge nor shall there be a minimum
charge made for extinguishing fires or for testing a sprinkler or other fire
protection service system.
