A. 
Service connection charges. The applicant shall pay a one-time service charge for each service unit in keeping with the Township rate schedule for various classes of users. Said connection charge shall be related to the cost of primary facility such as water supply, treatment, storage, booster stations and trunk lines. Connection charges shall be as follows:
[Amended 4-15-1987 by Ord. No. 1987-11; 7-19-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-12; 2-6-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-03]
(1) 
Dwelling units, including residential one-family, two-family or multiple-family dwelling units, garden or high-rise apartments, condominiums, townhouses or trailers per unit: $1,550, except that the connection fee for affordable housing units developed by nonprofit and for-profit developers shall be entitled to a 50% reduction in the fee pursuant to P.L. 2018, c. 74. Additionally, a previously connected affordable unit that was demolished or refurbished to allow for a new affordable housing unit and for which a connection fee was previously paid may be entitled to a credit for prior water and sewer connection fees provided that it meets the requirements of P.L. 2018, c. 74.
[Amended 12-6-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-25; 12-15-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-19; 2-1-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-01; 11-8-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-27; 9-18-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-21]
(2) 
All classes of users other than residential as described above, including but not limited to boarding homes, lodging homes and nursing homes, hotels and motels, shall pay a connection charge based upon their estimated daily average usage as determined by the Township Water and Sewer Engineer. The charge per gallon per day of usage shall be $8.39. In no case shall the connection charge be less than the charge of $1,550 for residential units.
[Amended 5-16-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-12; 12-15-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-19; 2-1-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-01; 11-8-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-27]
(3) 
All classes of users outlined in § 140-40A(2) which are required to relocate as a result of eminent domain/condemnation proceedings shall be entitled to a credit against water service connection fees in an amount equal to the connection fee they previously paid for the unit that was taken from them by eminent domain/condemnation proceedings or the amount estimated by the Water and Sewer Engineer that the user should have paid if the actual amount paid cannot be determined. In no event shall a user be entitled to a refund.
[Added 10-1-1997 by Ord. No. 1997-32]
B. 
Service lines.
(1) 
Size and kind. The Township reserves the right to determine the size and kind of service lines from the main to the curb stop or meter pit and from the curb stop or meter pit to the property to be served. Type K copper tubing or polyethylene (PE) pressure pipe/tubing SDR-9 250 psi being one inch to two inches for water services and Type K copper or C-900 polyvinylchloride (PVC) pressure pipe and fittings, four inches and greater for water distribution and transmission systems shall be permitted and shall comply with AWWA C901 and/or AWWA C906. For larger services, ductile iron pipe meeting American Water Works Association standards for Class 200 water pipe or C-900 polyvinylchloride (PVC) pressure pipe and fittings shall be used. The pipe from the main to the curbline shall be installed by the owner. For a single residential water service customer, the Township will provide the curb stop and curb box for up to a one-inch service and make the tap at direct cost to the owner. These costs are in no way related to the connection charges listed in the rate schedule. The service lateral, from the corporation valve on the water main to the house, shall be furnished and installed by the owner or a registered plumber and shall be laid in a straight line at right angles to the curb and shall be at least four feet below the surface of the ground when final grading of the property is complete. All work shall conform to the Township's standard design details as contained herein. The service lateral shall be inspected by the Township prior to backfilling the trench, and any construction not approved shall be immediately removed and reconstructed in an approved manner. The entire service lateral from the main to the house shall be maintained by the owner after original installation.
[Amended 9-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-24]
(2) 
Separate trench. No service pipe shall be laid in the same trench with a gas pipe, drain or sewer pipe or any other facility of any public service company, nor within three feet of any open excavation, vault, cesspool or septic tank, nor shall the location be in conflict with any sidewalk or driveway running at right angles to the front of the building.
(3) 
Renewal. Where the renewal of the service line from the main to the curb stop or meter pit or from the curb stop to the building is found to be necessary, the owner, unless approved by the Township, will renew the service in the same location as previously used.
C. 
Maintenance.
(1) 
All connections, service lines and fixtures furnished by the customer shall be maintained by him in good order, and meters owned by the Township and on the property of the customer shall be protected properly and cared for by the customer. All leaks in the service or any other pipe or fixture in or upon the premises supplied must be repaired immediately by the owner or occupant of the premises. The customer shall be responsible for notifying the Township of the party engaged by said customer to do any maintenance work on the customer's service line prior to work being commenced, and said party shall not backfill any trench until the work has been inspected and approved by the Township's representative. Any work not acceptable shall be immediately removed and replaced by work which is acceptable.
(2) 
The Township shall in no event be responsible for maintaining any portion of the service line owned by the customer or for damage done by water escaping therefrom or from lines or fixtures on the customer's property, and the customer shall at all times comply with applicable municipal regulations with respect thereto and make changes therein required by reason of changes of grade, relocation of mains or otherwise.
D. 
Property supplied by single service line.
(1) 
A service line from the curb stop or meter pit to a property shall not supply more than one property, as generally described and classified below, but any such property, upon proper application of the owner, may be supplied by two or more meters, each of which, for billing purposes, shall be considered as being one customer account, and provided that the supply to each such meter has an individual control at or near the curbline. Property supplied by a single service line shall be as follows:
(a) 
A dwelling house, either detached or one side of a double house or a house in a row of houses, provided that a garage, a conservatory and similar structures accessory to the life of one family shall be considered as a portion of the dwelling.
(b) 
An industrial or commercial or manufacturing establishment.
(c) 
A building separated from adjacent buildings by a party wall or party walls and comprising apartments, or stores or offices, or any combination thereof.
(d) 
A detached building comprising apartments, or stores or offices, or any combination thereof.
(2) 
Where two or more customers are now supplied through a single service line, any violation of the rules of the Township, with respect to either or any of said customers, shall be deemed a violation as to all, and unless said violation is corrected after reasonable notice, the Township may take such action as can be taken for a single customer, except that such action will not be taken until an innocent customer, who has not violated the Township's rules, has been given a reasonable opportunity to attach his pipe to a separately controlled service connection.
A supply of water for building or other special purpose, except on a lot or premises already supplied with a metered water connection, must be specially applied for. All applications for water for building purposes must be supplied through a meter at meter rates, must be signed by the owner or his duly authorized agent and shall be interpreted to mean that the water is to be used from a builder's hydrant and shall not be introduced into any of the house fixtures.
[Amended 7-19-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-12; 4-17-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-12; 8-15-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-18; 5-12-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-5; 6-1-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-15]
A. 
Specifications. All water meters will be according to the Township's specifications and will become the property of and under the control of the Township and will be accessible. Initial cost of the meter and installation will be borne by the owner of the property.
B. 
Water service to be metered. Each water service from a curb stop or meter pit to a property shall be metered. The Township reserves the right to determine the size and location of the meter.
C. 
Location. After the applicant has provided a readily accessible space for the meter, he will provide proper protection for the meter and have the plumbing arranged to receive the meter at a convenient point approved by the Township and so positioned as to meter and control the entire supply. The water meter shall be located at a point nearest the foundation of the building or where the water service enters the building. The distance between the meter and the entry point of the water service shall not be greater than that which is deemed appropriate by the Township. When a separate meter is installed for a sprinkler system, it shall be located before the main domestic meter. The sprinkler system piping shall be a T-connection to the main water line between where it enters the building and the main meter. This configuration ensures that the main water meter does not also register the water measured by the sprinkler meter. In cases where it is not practical to place the meter within a building, the customer shall build a brick, concrete or other approved meter box or manufactured pit inside the property line. The pit or meter box shall be fitted with a suitable and approved type of iron cover that will provide adequate access for removal or installation of the water meter. The Township shall approve the size and dimensions of the pit or box.
D. 
Valves. All water meters shall have a working shut-off valve on both the inlet and outlet side of the meter. This arrangement will allow the Township to replace or service the meter with the least amount of disturbance to the plumbing system in the property. It is the responsibility of the customer to keep the valves in working condition. Before the Township operates any shut-off valves, the customer shall be required to sign a waiver acknowledging the work to be done and the risk in operating a valve that may not be properly maintained by the customer. The customer has the right to operate their own valves if they choose not to sign the waiver for the Township. In each case, the valves that isolate the meter and the valve at the curb stop are the responsibility of the customer. When a check valve is installed on the water supply line, a safety pressure relief device must be inserted at some convenient point in the house piping to relieve excess pressure due to heating water.
E. 
Reinstallation costs. The customer shall pay a charge for the reinstallation or changing of a meter when removed because of damage in any way due to the negligence of the customer. The charge shall be equivalent to the cost of a new water meter of the same size. The customer is responsible to contract for and pay any and all costs involved in additional plumbing work necessary to allow the Township to properly install the new meter.
F. 
Payment for damages. Meters will be maintained by the Township so far as ordinary wear and tear are concerned, but damage resulting from freezing, hot water or external causes due to the negligence of the customer shall be paid for by the customer.
G. 
Minimum charges. Each meter is installed subject to a fixed minimum charge in accordance with the adopted rate schedule, for which certain quantities will be furnished without additional charge. The minimum charge shall be nonabatable for nonusers of water and noncumulative against subsequent consumption. In the case of fractional-period bills covering less than a quarter, minimum charges and allowances shall be prorated.
H. 
Notification of defective meter. The customer shall immediately notify the Township of injury to or a nonworking status of the meter as soon as known by the customer.
I. 
Disputed accounts. In the event of a disputed account involving the accuracy of a meter, the meter will be tested upon request of the customer in conformity with the provisions of these rules and regulations. If a test is performed on a disputed meter and the meter is found to have an error in registration of 4% or more, the bills will be increased or decreased correspondingly.
J. 
Testing. When a meter is removed for testing based upon the request of the customer, the following rules shall apply:
(1) 
The Township shall, upon a written request of the customer and, if he so desires, in his presence or that of the customer's authorized representative, make a test of the accuracy of his meter. When a customer desires, either personally or through a representative, to witness the testing of a meter, the customer may require the meter to be sealed in his presence before removal, which seal shall not be broken until the test is made in his presence. If the meter so tested shall be found to be accurate within the limits herein specified, a fee, as indicated in Subsection J(3) below, shall be paid to the Township by the customer requiring the test, but if not found accurate, then the cost thereof shall be borne by the Township. When making the request, the customer shall agree to the basis of payment herein specified. If the customer does not wish to be present for the meter test, the customer must sign a waiver of the right to observe the test.
(2) 
A report of the meter test shall be made available to the customer, and the Township shall keep a complete record of the test.
(3) 
Fees.
(a) 
The amount of the fee shall be $30 for each water service meter having an outlet not exceeding one inch.
(b) 
For water service meters having an outlet in excess of one inch, the test fee shall be based upon the actual cost to the Township of having the meter tested by an outside service, plus an administrative fee of $50.
(c) 
There shall be no fee where the meter is removed for testing as part of the Township's normal maintenance procedures.
K. 
Failure to provide access to water meter to Township employees: 1) In the event that the Township is denied access to a water meter and cannot collect register readings for a period of six months; or 2) in the event that the Township is denied access to a water meter thereby preventing replacement of the meter with a current model over a period of two months from the date a first notice is sent out by the Township, a notice shall be served upon the customer stating that the Township shall be provided access to the meter within 10 days of the date of the notice in order to install a new water meter of the type currently approved by the Township. If the customer fails to provide access to the meter with the appropriate internal plumbing necessary to complete a Township water meter installation, then the water service may be disconnected at the Township’s discretion for failure to provide
[Amended 4-5-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-8]
L. 
Plumbing deficiencies. Whenever the Township replaces a water meter, the plumbing within the customer's property shall be sufficient to allow the Township to perform the work without causing damage to the existing plumbing. If the Township determines, in its sole discretion, that the plumbing in the customer's property is inadequate, the customer shall have 30 calendar days after receipt of a written notice to have the plumbing corrected. Inadequacies can result from inoperable or leaking valves or corroded pipes and fittings. These examples are intended as illustrative and are not all encompassing for the purposes of this code.
M. 
Whenever the Township disconnects water services, all costs of the disconnection and reconnection shall be borne by the customer. These costs include, but are not limited to, excavating and repairs to streets, alleys or sidewalks.
[Amended 8-15-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-18; 9-17-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-17; 5-19-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10; 4-4-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-11; 6-4-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-13; 6-5-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-08]
A. 
Location. Extension of mains by applicants under § 140-37B(2)(a), requiring the installation of hydrants in accordance with the Township Water and Sewer Engineer's recommendation on spacing, shall be borne by the applicant.
B. 
Maintenance. All fire hydrants will be maintained by the Township.
C. 
Use. Only persons authorized by the Township shall take water from any public fire hydrant, except for purposes or for use of the Fire Department in case of fire. No public hydrant shall be used for sprinkling streets, flushing sewers, or gutters, or for any other than fire purposes, except with the written approval and consent of the Township. A permit for water usage shall be purchased in advance at the Municipal Building at a cost of $8.11 per 1,000 gallons. The permit will allow for a sixty-day usage period and will expire at the end of that period. The only hydrant in Florence Township that shall be utilized for obtaining water is located at the Florence Township Wastewater Treatment Facility at 1500 West Front Street. The permittee shall sign in at the Wastewater Treatment Plant for each hydrant usage. Hydrants in other areas of Florence Township may be used only with written consent from the Florence Township Water and Sewer Department.
[Amended 7-19-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-12]
For automatic sprinklers or other automatic fire service devices located inside a building or buildings, a separate service line will be required, to be used exclusively for fire service. At the option of the customer, fire hydrants located outside of buildings may be connected to the fire service line. Each such separate service line shall be subject to the charges at the rate of $2.25 per sprinkler head per year. The Township reserves the right to refuse approval for an application for automatic fire service where, in the judgment of the Township, such service is not practical.
[Amended 7-19-1989 by Ord. No. 1989-12]
Customers desiring to have their above- or below-ground swimming pools filled with water from a hydrant in the Township's water supply system must first apply for a permit from the Water and Sewer Department. Payment for the volume of water necessary to fill the pool must be paid in advance at the rate of $2.40 per 1,000 gallons. The customer may then make arrangements with the Florence Fire District to fill his swimming pool. Residents of Florence Township who are not customers of the Water and Sewer Department may follow the same procedure to have their swimming pools filled by the fire district.
[Added 4-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-11]
A. 
No person, firm or corporation shall perform a fire flow/pressure test, which requires the use of potable water, for any building in the Township without first applying to the Water Utility for a permit, paying the applicable fee and receiving permit approval to conduct the test. No testing shall be performed unless a representative of the Water Department is present.
B. 
Within four working days following the receipt of a complete permit application and payment of the associated fee, the Water Superintendent will issue the permit and schedule appropriate personnel to observe the test. All costs associated with the test shall be the responsibility of the permittee. The fee schedule shall be as follows:
(1) 
For water mains that are eight inches in diameter or larger: $1,000 per test.
(2) 
For water mains that are less than eight inches: $500 per test.
C. 
The fees set forth in Subsection B are based on a maximum test duration of two hours. Tests that exceed two hours duration will result in a bill being issued to the permittee based on $150/hour, or fraction thereof. Testing shall only be conducted Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 to 1:00 p.m. and shall not be permitted during the months of June, July or August, unless approved by the Director of Water and Sewer for special reasons.
D. 
Any person, firm or corporation that violates the provisions of this section will be subject to a fine in the amount of $2,000.