The water mains and supply pipes of the department
shall be under the exclusive control of the Mayor and Council and
its authorized agents and employees. No other person shall disturb,
tap, change, obstruct access to or otherwise interfere with them in
any way.
Construction specifications. Service lines must
be constructed according to Borough specifications. The service line
and all valves and appurtenances used in supplying water from the
water main to the owner's premises must be supplied by the owner,
conform to Borough specifications, and must be inspected by the authorized
representative of the Borough before restoration of the ground surrounding
the installation. Special attention is directed to the fact that all
permits, easements and notifications of the planned construction of
the service line to the water system of the Borough, must be carried
out at the owner's own time and expense. This includes the securing
of a road opening permit from local, state or county agencies, where
applicable, and any work, excavation, traffic controls and restoration
shall conform to any ordinances, laws, rules and regulations which
may be imposed by such agencies for this work. Water taps will be
performed by a qualified contractor or licensed plumber with approval
from the Borough. The Borough inspector or an authorized representative
must be present for final inspection. The meter will be installed
immediately.
Upon proper notice at least 48 hours in advance,
the Borough will inspect the installation of the corporation valve
on the water main to allow the owner or contractor to connect the
service line.
Supply and service pipes and all other pipes
or fixtures placed underground must be placed at least four feet below
the surface or finished grade of the ground to ensure against freezing.
Curb stop valves and valve boxes shall be provided and installed by
the owner and shall not be located in sidewalks and driveways. Such
valves and valve boxes shall be installed to a point two feet behind
the property line, edge of pavement or curb, as determined by the
Borough. Such valve shall be under the exclusive control of the Borough
for shutting off or turning on water. Any damage or obstruction of
the valve or valve box shall be reported immediately to the Borough.
Meters shall be placed in pits when so directed
by the Borough, and the design shall be subject to the approval of
the Borough. Water pits shall be at least four by four by four feet,
adequately drained and properly constructed, to permit ready access
to the meter and to protect it against freezing and cave-ins.
When directed by the Borough, existing installations
not in conformity with the provisions of this chapter shall be changed
as follows:
A. An owner served by a meter not equipped with the required valves shall be required to install them as provided by §
192-9 of this chapter. There should not be more than one connection on a service line.
B. Where a single-service line furnishes water successively
to one or more owners or where such a line has been tapped so that
other service lines are taken from it to serve one or more owners,
or where both conditions exist, a meter to be known as a "master meter"
shall be installed (unless a suitably located meter which can be used
for this purpose is already in place) by the Borough on the initial
service line or beyond the junction of the tap or taps, or on both,
as directed by the Borough, which may also require all owners to install
at their own expense individual meters on their premises paying an
adjusted tapping fee in each case.
C. The water shall be turned off at the curb if changes directed by the Borough as set forth in Subsections
A and
B are not complied with within a reasonable time.
If individual meters are installed at all services
the master meter shall be used to determine the total water consumption.
Master meters will be used for billing. If a discrepancy between the
reading of the master meter and the total of the amounts registered
by the individual meters is sufficient to indicate a leak on the lines
served, the Borough may order the difference prorated equally or adjusted
between the owners and added to the readings of their individual meters.
If the owners decline to install individual meters, the readings registered
by the master meter shall be prorated equally among them. If one or
more individual meters are installed, the excess shall be prorated
between and charged to each owner having an individual meter in the
proportion that the amount registered by his meter bears to the total
amount of water used shall be charged to the unmetered services if
there be more than one as the Borough may direct. Each service shall
pay at least the minimum charge for water unless the amount used exceeds
the minimum, in which case, the prescribed rates shall apply.
If the owners fail to agree on the installation
of a master meter and the individual meters as required and to pay
for the total amount of water used as registered on the master meter,
the water shall be shut off and the Borough is authorized to send
its employees onto the property of the owner and permanently disconnect
the water supply from the Borough system. If the owners desire at
a later date to have the service reinstalled, application for a new
tap accompanied by the prescribed tapping fees shall be made, under
terms to be prescribed by the Borough.
The fees shall be as established in Chapter
127, Fees.
All above ground or underground automatic or
manual lawn watering systems that are supplied water from the Chester
Water System must comply with the following conditions concerning
its use:
A. The systems may only be operated from 5:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m.
B. Residences with even house numbers may only operate
the system on even calendar days and residences with odd house numbers
may only operate the system on odd calendar days.
C. Newly installed sod lawns may be watered more frequently
but only after obtaining written permission from the licensed water
operator of the Borough water system which shall specifically set
forth the additional time the system may be operated.
D. This section shall be void during an emergency water ban as provided in Article
IV.