These rules and regulations are a part of the
contract of every consumer within the limits of the Borough of Carlisle,
and every such consumer, by the taking of water, agrees to be bound
thereby.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 8-9-2001 by Ord. No.
1955, approved 8-13-2001]
A. No structure or building which is equipped with plumbing
fixtures and utilized for human occupancy or habitation shall be connected
to a private well. There is excluded from this prohibition any structure
or building so equipped, which building or structure is both existing
and serviced by a private well upon the effective date of this section,
and all lot lines of the tract upon which such structure or building
is erected are more than 300 feet from the nearest public water supply
system. Every structure equipped with plumbing fixtures and utilized
for human occupancy or habitation shall be provided with a potable
supply of cold water in the amounts and at the pressures specified
in this chapter. Hot water shall be provided for permanent residences
and hot or tempered water shall be provided for structures in which
people are employed. The following are exempt from this mandatory
connection requirement under the specified circumstances:
(1) Other uses not for human consumption. Owners may have
their own supply of water for uses other than human consumption or
agricultural purposes, such as geothermal systems, lawn watering and
car washing, provided, further, that such separate supply shall not
be interconnected with the public water facilities and shall not be
available for human consumption or agricultural use.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
B. Any property owner introducing a service line or lines
from the Borough's main into his or her premises or an extension or
alteration to any existing service pipe or fixture, shall first make
a written application on the form furnished by the Borough, stating
fully the purpose for which the new service or extension is desired.
The application shall be signed by the owner of the premises, or his
or her duly authorized agent, which application shall, together with
the rules and regulations of the Borough promulgated in this chapter,
regulate and control the service of water to such premises.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005; 2-14-2019 by Ord. No.
2325, approved 2-14-2019]
Any owner of property desiring a supply of water shall make
application to the Borough, which application shall be properly approved
by the Borough or its duly authorized agent before the water will
be turned on. The owner making application (the "applicant") will
be considered the consumer under this contract and will be responsible
for all water bills and the proper observance of the rules and regulations
of the Borough.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 2-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2325, approved 2-14-2019]
No owner of any premises supplied with water
by this Borough shall be allowed to supply any other person, family
or premises with water except by special written permit from the Borough.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
A. Each and every property within the Borough shall be
connected to the public water system when available. The public water
system shall be considered available to a structure or building when
any lot line of the tract upon which such structure or building is
erected is within 300 feet of the main or system. When the public
system is available, but not adjacent to the property to be served,
it shall be extended, at the owner's expense, in accordance with established
criteria, through the entire frontage of the property being served.
B. The Borough may order and the property owner shall
install water service, within 60 days after notice to the owner thereof
from the Borough to make connection to the public water system when
available. Every property and/or consumer shall be connected to the
public water system with a distinct and separate service line and
curb stop.
C. When the public water system is available, all plumbing
fixtures that provide water for drinking, bathing or culinary purposes
or for the processing of food, medical or pharmaceutical products
shall be connected to the public system. Water service not furnished
by the Borough may not be connected or cross-connected with the Borough
facilities except upon written permission of the Borough and only
if backflow preventers have been installed in compliance with any
other applicable Borough Code requirements.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
It shall be the responsibility of each applicant
for a new water service line hookup to:
A. Pay the appropriate fees, including but not limited
to the tap-on kit fee.
B. Secure all necessary permits, including but not limited
to a street or highway occupancy permit.
C. Do or cause to be done the necessary excavation and
backfilling to accomplish the work.
D. Install or cause to be installed all service line
pipe from the corporation cock at the main into the premises.
E. Install or cause to be installed the curb stop and
service box just inside the curb or, in the absence of curb, at the
property line or as otherwise directed by the Borough Engineer.
F. Keep or cause to be kept the curb box raised to finished
grade, straight and free of dirt, gravel, cement or other debris to
allow access to the curb stop.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
A. The property owner or applicant shall at his own expense
dig and fill the trench and furnish and install the service line from
the curb stop to the premises to be supplied. Consumer's service line
shall be constructed of material specified in the Borough's Plumbing
Code and shall be at a location approved by the Borough Engineer
and shall be equipped, at an accessible point within the premises,
with a stop-and-waste cock of a pattern and material approved by the
Borough.
B. Consumer's service line shall not:
(1) Occupy the same trench with or be placed within 18
inches of any sewer pipe or any facility of any other public utility.
(2) Be placed within three feet of any open excavation
or vault.
(3) Pass through any premises other than those served
by such consumer's service line.
(4) Be laid at a depth of less than four feet below the
surface of the ground.
C. A watertight seal shall be maintained at the point
the supply line passes through the foundation or structural wall of
a building that is being served.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
The property owner upon proper application and
payment of all fees for water service shall contact the Public Works
Department to schedule a date and time when the Borough will install
the required water tap.
[Amended 3-14-1986 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 3-10-2005 by Ord. No.
2032, approved 3-10-2005]
A. It shall be the responsibility of the Borough, following
installation of a water service line by a property owner, to maintain
that portion of the service line pipe from the corporation cock at
the main to and including the inlet connection of the curb stop.
B. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner
to maintain that portion of the service line including the curb valve,
outlet connection of the curb valve and service pipe into the property
serviced. The property owner is also responsible to keep or cause
to be kept the curb box raised to grade, straight and free from dirt,
gravel, cement or other debris, to allow Borough access to the curb
stop at all times.
C. At any time when deemed applicable by the Borough
especially when work is being performed by the Borough, obsolete or
deteriorated service line shall be removed at the owner's expense
and replaced with a line to be constructed of materials specified
in the Borough's Plumbing Code.
[Amended 12-14-1978 by Ord. No. 1308,
approved 12-14-1978; 3-10-1988 by Ord. No. 1576, approved 3-10-1988]
Under no circumstances shall any person not
authorized by the Borough open, close or tamper with the stopcocks
or valves or fire hydrants in any public waterline. Any person who
shall violate this provision shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject
to a fine not to exceed $600 for each such violation, plus costs,
and, in default thereof, to imprisonment for a period not to exceed
30 days. In addition to said penalties, the Borough may collect by
all lawful means any expenses which it has incurred as a result thereof.
[Amended 6-30-1975 by Ord. No. 1191, approved 6-30-1975]
A. In case two or more consumers are supplied with water
from the same service pipe, a distinct and separate stop-and-waste
cock and curb stop will be provided for each consumer.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
B. When two or more consumers are supplied through a
single service, any violation of these rules by either or any of said
consumers shall be deemed a violation as to all, and the Borough may
take such action as may be taken against a single consumer, except
that such action shall not be taken until the innocent consumer who
is not in violation of these rules has been given reasonable opportunity
to attach his pipes to a separately controlled service connection.
C. In cases where two or more separately owned buildings
are supplied through a single service and/or where one owner has a
single service serving two or more buildings, the Borough, at its
discretion, may order the owners) to install separate service lines
to each building. Any such order shall be in writing and the owner
shall have up to one year for the work to be done. The provisions
of this subsection shall not apply where Council may find it in the
best interest of the Borough to require the immediate separation of
services as part of any subdivision plan approval.
[Added 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
A. Meter readings.
(1) The Borough will read its meters at regular intervals
as determined from time to time by the Borough Manager and will render
bills for the measured consumption on that basis.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005; 5-8-2008 by Ord. No.
2103, approved 5-10-2008]
(2) In no event shall actual readings of a meter by the
Borough be postponed for more than a period of eight months, and it
shall be the responsibility of the owner to make the meter available
for reading at reasonable business hours so as to enable the Borough
to avoid such a contingency. Should the owner fail to do so, he or
she shall be required to provide a remote reading device or external
meter, at his or her expense, in a place accessible at all times to
the Borough; in default of such provision by the owner, the Borough
may refuse to provide further water service.
[Added 4-14-1977 by Ord. No. 1251, approved 4-14-1977]
B. Bills for metered water service will be according
to consumption indicated by the meter registration. In the absence
of known reliable meter registration due to failure of the meter to
properly function or to other reasonable cause, the bill will be according
to estimated consumption on the basis of meter registration during
similar preceding periods.
C. Bills for private fire protection will be rendered on an annual basis and will be based upon the size of the connecting pipeline from the Borough system, as defined in §
251-1B.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 3-10-2005 by Ord. No.
2032, approved 3-10-2005]
D. Bills for flat-rate service will be rendered on an
annual basis.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
E. It is the responsibility of the property owner for
all charges incurred for water service.
[Added 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
F. The Borough may mail or deliver the bills and notices to consumer at his or her address given in the application and service contract, and the Borough shall not otherwise be responsible for the delivery thereof. The Borough may allow a property manager or property management company (as those terms are defined in §
197-12) to be mailed or delivered bills for water service in the name of the owner provided the owner provides the completed form and documents noted in §
197-13 for approval by the Borough. This same procedure may be used for the issuance of stormwater management fee bills at the request of the owner.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005; 8-8-2019 by Ord. No. 2341; approved 8-8-2019]
Any consumer, upon receipt of a bill, having
reason to doubt its accuracy, may bring or mail the bill, within 10
days of billing, to the Borough for investigation.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985; 3-10-2005 by Ord. No.
2032, approved 3-10-2005]
All bills for service are due and payable at
the Borough offices as of the date indicated on the consumer's bill.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
All requests for water service shall be granted
on the basis of one meter of record for each curb stop installed on
the outside of a building. In the case of multiple-unit buildings
in which it is impractical to provide a separate curb stop for each
unit, one meter of record may be granted by the Borough, provided
that the owner of said building agrees to be billed for all water
registered by the meter of record.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
A. Ownership of meters. Each consumer shall initially
purchase from the Borough the meter required for his service. The
consumer shall grant to the Borough the right of access to the meter
for reading, inspection, tests and repairs.
B. Damage to meters; access thereto; right of Borough
to repair or replace. The consumer shall be responsible for damage
to the meter caused by frost, hot water or negligence on the part
of the consumer. The Borough shall be responsible for damage to the
meter due to other causes. The Borough shall have the right to repair
or replace the meter, in its discretion. Any meters replaced at Borough
expense shall become the property of the Borough.
C. Location of meters. The Borough shall determine the
location of all meters. If placed within the building, the consumer
shall provide free of charge and expense an easily accessible place
in the cellar near the entrance of service pipes to the cellar, with
a stop-and-waste cock at the inlet side of the meter and a stop-and-waste
cock at the outlet side of the meter; if the Borough decides that
the meter is to be placed outside of a building, it shall be placed
in a meter box with a suitable stop-and-waste valve, all of which
shall be furnished and installed by the consumer with the approval
of the Borough as to type of equipment.
D. Water meters three inches or greater in size. All
water meters three inches or greater in size shall be installed and
maintained to comply with the following regulations:
[Added 5-13-1999 by Ord. No. 1893, approved 6-3-1999]
(1) All new meters installed after the effective date
of this subsection shall be equipped with screens and test plugs.
(2) All meters shall be installed to provide adequate
clearance for the installation of a test plug downstream of the meter.
For all meters presently in service which are not equipped with test
plugs, the Borough shall have the right to install one by tapping
the service line. In those instances where service is shut off during
the time period the tap is being made, a minimum tapping distance
clearance of two feet shall be provided. Where service is not to be
interrupted during the installation of such tap, a minimum tapping
distance clearance of five feet shall be provided.
(3) All service lines shall be installed to provide a
straight portion of line having a length not less than five times
the meter's diameter immediately upstream of the meter, and a straight
portion of line having a length not less than three feet in length
immediately downstream of the meter.
(4) Each meter installation shall have a working valve
upstream of the meter and downstream of the meter test plug. The owner
shall maintain each of said valves in good working order at all times,
so that flow to the meter and test plug may be mechanically stopped
for testing purposes.
(5) Any customer desiring to have water service continue
during Borough testing procedures must provide a bypass route at the
customer's expense. Flow through the bypass shall be controlled by
means of valves acceptable to, and sealed by, the Borough, which valves
shall be maintained by the customer in good working order. It shall
be a violation of this Subsection for any person, other than authorized
Borough personnel, to tamper with a bypass valve.
(6) For all meter installations made after the effective
date of this subsection, the type (compound or turbo) and size of
the proposed meter shall be approved by the Borough, which approval
shall be in its sole discretion.
(7) The Borough retains the right to conduct routine tests
of all meters on an annual basis and at such other times as the Borough
determines that a meter may not be reading accurately.
E. No connections or outlets permitted between main and
meter. No connections or outlets shall be permitted on any service
pipe supplying any premises between the street main and the meter.
All water used shall pass through the meter.
F. Accuracy of newly installed meters. Each water meter,
whenever installed, shall have been tested for accuracy by the Borough
or by the manufacturer and certified by such manufacturer as meeting
the American Water Works Association's standards of accuracy within
one year previous to its installation. It shall be inspected by the
Borough for proper connections, mechanical condition and suitability
of location within 60 days after installation.
G. Accuracy and testing standards. Water meter standards
for registration accuracy and testing, used by the Borough, shall
meet the standards periodically established for each by the American
Water Works Association (hereafter referred to as "AWWA").
H. Meter test records. Whenever a water meter is tested,
the original test record shall be kept indicating the information
necessary for identifying the meter, the reason for making the test,
the reading of the meter before being disturbed and the accuracy of
the meter, together with all data taken at the time of the test. This
record shall be sufficiently complete to permit the convenient checking
of the methods employed and the calculations made. A record shall
also be kept, preferably numerically arranged, indicating the date
of meter purchase when purchased after July 1, 1914, the name of the
manufacturer, its size, its identification, its various places of
installation, with dates of installation and removal, and the dates
and general results of all tests.
I. When meter tests required. The Borough shall make a test of the accuracy of registration of any water meter upon request of the consumer for whom such meter shall be furnished. When a consumer desires personally or by a representative to witness the testing of a meter, such consumer may require the seal of the meter to be broken in his or her presence or that of his or her representative. If the meter tested upon such request shall be found to be accurate within the limits specified in Subsection
G, the fee specified in Subsection
J of this section shall be due to the Borough; but if not so found, then the cost thereof shall be borne by the Borough. A report of such test shall be made to the consumer.
J. Fees for testing meters established. A separate fee
is hereby established to recover costs incurred by the Borough each
time a test is run to determine the accuracy of a meter-reading device.
Borough Council shall set from time to time separate feels) to cover
the cost of testing water meters of various sizes.
A. If, upon test of the accuracy of registration of any
water meter, the meter is found to be operating out of the range of
acceptable AWWA limits of accuracy, then an adjustment of bills may
be made as follows:
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
(1) Fast meters. In cases where a meter is found to be
registering fast, the Borough shall refund to the consumer the overcharge,
based upon the corrected meter reading for a period equal to 1/2 the
time elapsed since the last previous test, but not to exceed three
months. If the period of registration error can be definitely fixed,
the overcharge shall be computed for such period. If the meter has
not been tested in accordance with this chapter, the period for which
it has been in service beyond the regular test period shall be added
to the three months in computing the refund.
(2) Slow meters. In cases where a meter is found to be
registering slow, the Borough may render a bill for the estimated
water consumed, but not covered by bills previously rendered, beginning
only with the most recent billing cycle. If the period of the registration
error can be definitely fixed, the charge may be computed for such
period.
B. Nonregistering meters. If a meter is found not to
have registered for any period, the Borough shall compute the water
used by taking the average of the water used for the nearest meter-reading
period immediately preceding and the meter-reading period immediately
following the date when the meter was found to be not registering,
which amount shall be assumed to be the amount of water used by the
consumer during the billing period in which the meter was found not
to have registered. Exceptions will be made to this rule only where
the facts clearly show that the stated method does not give the correct
consumption for the period.
C. A meter shall not be considered accessible if it cannot
be conveniently repaired, if it cannot be approached by way of a safe
walkway, if the approach thereto and meter area are not sufficiently
lighted or if the meter area is not free of obstructions to a meter
reading. In the event that a meter is not accessible, the Borough
may require the owner to relocate the meter or to provide a remote
reading device, at the Borough's option and at the owner's expense.
[Added 4-14-1977 by Ord. No. 1251, approved 4-14-1977]
A. The officers and agents of the Borough shall have
the right at all reasonable times to enter the premises where water
shall, have been introduced, for any purpose connected with the use
of the water and the interests of the Borough.
B. It shall be the duty of consumers to maintain the
pipes, hydrants, spigots and other water outlets in good repair so
that water may not be wasted unnecessarily.
C. No trough or other vessel of capacity greater than
20 gallons shall be used at any hydrant to contain water unless by
special permission of the Borough Council.
D. Any fraudulent misrepresentation in regard to the
use of water or the number of fixtures or any willful or negligent
waste of water shall be deemed a cause of discontinuance of service
after due notice.
A. An exclusive fire protection service line shall be
required for automatic sprinklers or other automatic fire protection
devices now or hereafter installed and connected to the Borough water
system. All costs incurred to install the separate fire service line
shall be paid by the owner of the building connected.
[Added 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
B. Such private fire protection service as may be afforded
to a metered consumer through his service line for general service
will not be the subject of private fire protection service charges.
Private fire protection service to a metered consumer provided in
excess of the above shall be through a separate service line used
solely for such purposes and subject to the fire protection service
rate.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
C. The Borough may install and maintain a meter on said
fire service line at a place suitable and acceptable to the Borough.
The site or place in which the meter is installed, including the cost
of the meter and shutoff valves, shall be at the expense of the consumer.
D. All water passing through the fire service line or
meter on the private fire protection service line, except water used
in the extinguishing of fires, for which no charge shall be made,
and except water used for testing of fire protection equipment (provided
that said test shall not exceed 15 minutes of water flow unless the
Borough agrees to a longer period), for which no charge shall be made,
if prior notice is given to the Borough so that the meter may be read
promptly, shall be subject to consumption charges equal to those set
forth in the schedule of metered rates.
E. No connection or cross-connection shall be made between
consumer's private fire protection service facilities and any point
of opening communicating with the Borough's facilities, other than
the Borough's private fire protection service line, or to any other
independent source of water supply, without written approval of the
Borough.
F. Private fire hydrants shall not be installed and located
except with the written consent of the Borough.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
No abatement of charges shall be allowed for vacancy of premises except from the date that notice has been given to the Borough that the premises are unoccupied, in which event the Borough will shut off the water and no charge for water will be made during the period of such vacancy. The fee described in §
120-23D will apply when service is reconnected.
Water service may be discontinued by the Borough
after five days' notice to the consumer for any of the following reasons:
A. Use of water by a consumer or with his or her consent
for any purpose or at any location or property other than that described
in the application.
B. Failure of a consumer to maintain and repair his or
her service line between the curb and the meter.
C. Waste of water by the consumer or with his or her
consent.
D. Failure of a consumer to pay a bill for water service pursuant to the terms of §
251-1A(2).
F. Violation by a consumer or with his or her consent
of any of these rules and regulations.
A consumer desiring the discontinuance of water
service shall give notice to the Borough Office.
The Borough may, without notice if any emergency
reasonably requires it, discontinue water service in order to make
necessary repairs or connections or to meet any other emergency. The
Borough will give notice of discontinuance of service if it is reasonably
possible to do so.
[Amended 3-14-1985 by Ord. No. 1475, approved 3-14-1985]
A fee, payable in advance, shall be paid to the Borough for turning on water in restoration of service after discontinuance for any of the reasons specified in §
251-27 of this chapter. Said fee(s) shall be set from time to time by Borough Council and shall be based on the actual cost incurred to restore water service.
A. The installation of all waterlines within any proposed development shall be the responsibility of the developer and/or owner in accordance with Chapter
226, Subdivision and Land Development, and with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
B. When it becomes necessary to extend waterlines in
areas of the Borough where land development and subdivision plan security
is no longer held by the Borough to tie together existing waterlines
in order to provide service to already existing residences, the cost
of extending said lines shall be borne by the owners of property benefited
by the new availability of water service. In such cases the Borough
may elect to do the work and to assess a front-foot fee, to be determined
by dividing the total cost of the project by the total curb length
of all properties abutting the street in which the new line has been
installed. The Borough may collect such fee and assess such interest
in the same manner as other municipal claims are collectible under
law.
C. All plans requiring the extension of Borough waterlines
shall be approved and signed by the Borough Engineer.
A. The owners of all property located within the limits
of Carlisle shall be liable for the payment of all bills for water
supplied at any property owned by them regardless of who may occupy
said property or of the fact that the charge was entered on the books
of the Borough against a person other than the owner.
[Amended 2-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2325, approved 2-14-2019]
B. Should any bill for water rent remain unpaid for 45
days after the same shall become due and payable, the Borough of Carlisle
is hereby authorized to file a municipal lien against said property.
Said municipal lien shall be indexed in the municipal lien docket
in the office of the Prothonotary of Cumberland County.
[Amended 3-10-2005 by Ord. No. 2032, approved 3-10-2005]
[Amended 6-30-1975 by Ord. No. 1191, approved 6-30-1975]
A. The Borough shall not be liable for any damage or injury to any person or property caused by the discontinuance of water service for any of the reasons enumerated in §
251-29 of this article or for the purpose of making necessary repairs and connections to meet any emergency, or caused by the failure of consumers to maintain consumer's service line or caused by water escaping from consumer's line or caused by the total or partial failure of water service or pressure for any cause, whether within or beyond the control of the Borough. The Borough shall be under no liability for damage or injury by fire to any person or property caused by the total or partial failure of water service or pressure for any cause, whether within or beyond the control of the Borough.
B. No agent or employee of the Borough shall have authority
to bind it by any promise, agreement or representation not provided
for in these rules and regulations.
All charges and penalties provided for in this
article shall be recoverable by the Borough Solicitor as other debts
due the Borough are by law recoverable.