This chapter may be known and cited as the "Town
of Seneca Falls Water System Rules and Regulations" and shall apply
to the Town of Seneca Falls.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise,
the meanings of the words and terms used in this chapter shall be
as follows:
ANSI
The latest revised standards of the American National Standards
Institute.
ASTM
The latest revised standards of American Society for Testing
and Materials.
AWWA
The latest revised standards of the American waterworks Association.
BUILDER
Any person, firm or corporation who or which undertakes to
construct any building, either under contract or for resale.
CLERK
The person designated by the Town Board to perform the duties
herein conferred on the Clerk of the Departments of Water and Sewer.
DEVELOPER
Any person, firm or corporation who or which subdivides lands
for the purpose of constructing or causing to be constructed buildings
for which provisions are required to be made for water supply.
FAMILY
A single distinct household, consisting of one or more persons
who live in a single residence or live apart from the other occupants
of the same building.
HYDRANT
The valved standpipe, connected to the water main, for supplying
water for fire protection.
OWNER
Any person having title to real property.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation
or group.
PROPERTY LINE
The boundary line of a public highway, street, alley or easement
controlled by the Town of Seneca Falls or other public agency or body.
SUPERINTENDENT
The person designated by the Town Board to be in charge of
the water and sanitary sewer maintenance crews and who shall perform
the duties herein conferred.
SUPPLY LINE
A water line on the building side of the meter used for the
distribution of water to the building.
TOWN BOARD
The duly elected Town Board of the Town of Seneca Falls.
TOWN ENGINEER
The duly appointed Town Engineer of the Town of Seneca Falls,
New York, or a consulting professional engineer retained by the Town
of Seneca Falls.
WATER
Water collected from any well, spring, stream, pond or lake
which is treated and distributed to the public for human consumption.
WATER LINE
A pipe or conduit used for transporting water.
WATER MAIN
The water distribution line located in any public street
or easement of the Town of Seneca Falls or other public agency or
body within the water service area of the Town of Seneca Falls.
WATER SERVICE
The water line from the water main to supply a building.
WATER SYSTEM
All facilities for producing, pumping, storing and distributing
water.
The owner of any house, building or property
used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes,
situated within the Town of Seneca Falls water service area and abutting
on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located
or may in the future be located a water main of the Town of Seneca
Falls, is hereby required at his or her expense to install suitable
plumbing facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly
to the water main in accordance with the provisions of this chapter,
within 90 days after the date of official notice to do so, provided
that said public water main has been installed and is located within
100 feet of the property line.
No pipe or fixture connected with the water
mains of the Town of Seneca Falls shall be cross connected with pipes
or fixtures supplied with water from any other source. All water supplied
to any fixture or apparatus connected to a sanitary or storm sewer,
public or private, shall be supplied through an approved physical
break or cross-connection control device approved by the New York
State Department of Health.
At such times as the Town Board deems it in
the best interest of any inhabitants to the water service area, the
Clerk, on direction of the Town Board, shall shut off or limit the
amount of water furnished to consumers within such area. In an emergency,
the Clerk or Superintendent may direct that the water may be shut
off in the service area or any part thereof.
The Town, its agents, representatives and employees
shall not be liable for damage or loss of any kind to person or property
by reason of rust or discoloration of water supplied from or through
any water system, or by reason of a change in pressure or by reason
of shutting off the water supply from all or any part of any water
system, with or without notice to any person.
Any injury to water mains, water services, hydrants,
valves, valve boxes or other fixtures or appurtenances or any damage
resulting therefrom shall be paid by the person causing such damage
or injury.
No person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently
break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure,
appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the Town waterworks.
Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate
arrest under a charge of disorderly conduct.
A separate tap, water service and meter are
required for each building served with water, except that a group
of buildings owned by one person where all portions thereof are occupied
by persons for similar purposes may be served by one water service
and meter. No person owning or occupying any premises shall allow
neighboring premises to be supplied with water from such owned or
occupied premises by any means whatsoever. The penalty for illegal
connections shall be as determined by the Town Board.
A. Where public water is not available under the provisions of §
285-9, a private system shall be provided complying with the requirements of the New York State Department of Health.
B. A private water source, such as wells, springs or
cisterns, may be used in areas served by public water for nondomestic
use, provided that said water is not discharged into the public sewer.
No owner or tenant of any premises supplied
with water by the waterworks will be allowed to supply water to other
persons or families, or leave his or her faucet or fixtures in such
shape or position that other parties may obtain water therefrom. If
found so doing, the supply will be discontinued and the supply will
not be restored until all sums due for water have been paid, along
with the additional sum of $50 as a penalty; and except where special
permission is granted by the Town Board, each consumer must be supplied
by an independent service pipe from the main. In case two or more
parties are supplied with water from the same service, if either of
said parties fails to pay the water rent when due or to comply with
any rules of the Town Board, the Superintendent shall turn off the
water from such pipe until the water rent is paid and the rules strictly
complied with.
Taps at sinks, wash basins, water closets, baths,
urinals, sprinklers and other uses must be kept closed when not in
actual use, and must not be allowed to leak. If a street washer, sprinkler
or hose is found out of order, leaking or used for any purpose other
than permitted, the water supply will be cut off without previous
notice. Water will not be furnished where there are defective or leaky
fixtures. When discovered, the water supply may be withdrawn unless
repaired immediately and at the expense of the consumer. All unnecessary
waste must be prevented by the consumer.
No yard fountain or jet shall be used for a
longer period than six hours in any one day and then only for a period
not exceeding six months in any one year, without permission of the
Town Board. All applications for such permission must be in writing
and shall fix the hour of the day and the length of time in each year
during which such fountain or jet will be operated. If said fountain
or jet is operated at any different time from that specified in the
application and permit, water will be shut off to the premises.
The Clerk personally, and any person delegated
by him or her for that purpose, bearing proper identification, may
at all reasonable hours have free access to all parts of the premises
to which water is delivered, for the purpose of inspection and examination
of fixtures, and all persons using water must at all times, frankly
and without concealment, answer all questions put to them relating
to its consumption.
Any owner or duly authorized agent wishing to
discontinue the water service to premises temporarily vacant must
give written notice thereof at the office of the Town Clerk and order
the same turned off; otherwise, charges will be continued until such
notice is given. For shutting off and turning on water, a charge will
be made as set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board to
cover the cost of each operation.
All persons desiring to use water for building
purposes must make application in writing at the office of the Town
Clerk for permission to use water for that purpose, and such application
shall state accurately the quantity of brick or stone to be laid or
the quantity of plastering to be done and, if for some other purpose,
the approximate amount of water to be used. Before such permission
for such use of water is granted, the water rental therefor shall
be paid.
Steam boilers taking water from the waterworks
will be required to have tanks that will contain an ample supply of
water for 10 hours in case the water is shut off for any purpose.
The Town Board will not be responsible for any accidents or damages
should such be sustained by a violation of this rule. All houses and
boilers shall be fitted with suitable check valves to prevent accidents
from collapse or damage in case the water is suddenly drained off
from the main pipe.
Stand pipes or pipes for the automatic suppression
of fires in a building, which fixtures are intended only for such
use, will be permitted to be attached to the Town water supply system.
All such pipes must be provided with a suitable valve outside of the
building, which shall be under the exclusive control of the Town.
Also in the case of standpipes, a valve must be provided and placed
at the bottom of the standpipe and at each hose opening, which valve
shall be sealed by the Town Water Department. In case such seals shall
be broken for the extinguishment of any fire, the party breaking the
seal shall immediately thereafter notify the Clerk or Superintendent
and the valve shall be resealed.
The Town Supervisor and his or her representatives
reserve the right to restrict or prohibit the use of water for sprinkling
purposes or other nonessential purposes at such times and for such
periods as he or she deems necessary or proper; and all directives
by the Town Supervisor or his or her duly authorized representative
relative to the curtailment or prohibition of the use of water for
sprinkling or other nonessential purposes shall be complied with.