This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Water Service Ordinance of the City of Glen Cove, New York."
A.
It is the intent of the City of Glen Cove to continue
to furnish an adequate supply of pure and wholesome water to the residences,
business and industrial establishments in the City of Glen Cove and
its immediate vicinity; and also to supply sufficient water with sufficient
pressure in its water supply system to adequately protect the buildings
in the city from damage or destruction by fire and to permit the residents
of the city to have the protected rate of the fire rating organizations
on their fire insurance for both their buildings and personal property.
B.
This chapter is therefore enacted in order that the
water supply system be properly maintained, improved and extended
primarily for the benefit of the water users and taxpayers within
the city limits.
As used in this chapter, unless the context
or subject matter otherwise requires:
The Director of Public Works of the City of Glen Cove or
his or her authorized deputy, agent or representative.
Those which convey water from the service pipe to the plumbing
fixtures.
Pipe from the water main to the building served.
This chapter shall be applicable to all property
and water users within the city, and the terms of this chapter shall
be applicable to all water users outside of the city as terms of a
contract in accordance with which water is to be supplied to such
outside users.
The rules and regulations set forth in this
chapter shall be considered a part of the contract of any person who
obtains water from the city, and every such person shall be considered
as having expressed his or her consent to be bound thereby.
All persons desiring a water supply from the
city must first make a written application to the Department of Public
Works stating fully the several and various uses for which the water
is to be used. Such application must be signed by the owner of the
premises or his or her duly authorized agent, whereupon a permit to
perform the work and no other will be issued. When the work is completed
to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works or an authorized
representative and in compliance with all the rules and regulations
and on payment of the water rates and all other expense due the city
at the Comptroller's office, the water shall be turned on at the premises.
A.
B.
Responsibility of applicant. The applicant for new
water service or replacement (except normal repairs) from the main
to the applicant's property line shall, at his or her own expense,
employ a competent plumber or waterworks contractor to perform such
work, which plumber or contractor shall abide by all rules and regulations
of the Director of Public Works.
C.
Tapping of water mains. All tapping of water mains
shall be done by the employees or authorized agents of the Department
of Public Works. Tapping shall not be performed on holidays, Sundays
or Saturdays, or after 2:30 p.m. on any normal workday, and will be
done only after twenty-four-hour notice and as soon thereafter as
the Department schedule permits.
The Director shall have the authority to establish
and from time to time, amend or modify specifications, rules and regulations
pertaining to the material, installation, use and repair of water
service which shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this
chapter. The violation of any such rules and regulations shall constitute
a violation of this chapter.
[Amended 11-28-1989]
Once a water service has been accepted and approved by the city, the owner shall be responsible for maintaining water service repair from the main to the meter with the exception of curb stop which shall be the responsibility of the city. In the event of a leak in a water service pipe which is the responsibility of the owner to repair, the owner of the building served by such water service pipe shall repair the same within two days' written notice from the Department of Public Works or any reasonable extension granted by the Department. In the event that the owner of the building so served by such water service pipe shall fail to correct such leak within the time specified by the Department of Public Works, the city shall either triple the water bill or repair such leak and bill the owner thereof for the cost of such repair, together with an additional charge of 50% for supervision and administration. Should the owner fail to reimburse the city for the cost of such repair, including the fifty-percent surcharge, or pay the increased water bill, the same shall be filed as a lien against such property and such lien shall be subject to sale as provided for in § C9-15 of the Glen Cove City Charter.
The city undertakes to use reasonable care and
diligence to provide a constant supply of water through its mains
to consumers, but reserves the right at any time without notice to
shut off the water in its mains for the purpose of repairs or extensions,
or for any other similar purpose, and the city shall not be liable
for the deficiency or failure in the supply of water for any cause
whatsoever or for any damage caused thereby or by the bursting or
breaking of any mains or service pipes or any accident to the waterworks,
but it is the intention of the city when practicable to give suitable
notice of such shutting off to the consumer, and no deduction from
water bill will be made in consequence thereof.
A.
When water shall be supplied to more than one party
through a single tap, the bill for the water supply will be made to
the owner of the premises, and in case of nonpayment the water may
be shut off, notwithstanding one or more of the parties may have paid
their proportion to such owner or any other person.
B.
Whenever two or more parties are supplied by the same
service pipe, the failure of any one of the number to pay the water
rents when due or comply with any rule shall authorize the city to
turn the water off from such pipe until the rates, terms and conditions
are complied with.
It is understood and agreed that the Director
of Public Works or any other employee of the city so authorized may
enter the premises of any consumer at any reasonable time to examine
the pipes and fixtures, the quantity of water used and the manner
of its use. In case of fraudulent representation on the part of any
consumer or unnecessary waste of water, all payments made will be
forfeited and the water supply shut off.
In case of making repairs or constructing any
new work, the city reserves the right to shut off the water from any
consumer without notice and keep it shut off as long as may be necessary.
The city reserves the right to limit the amount
of water furnished to any consumer when circumstances warrant such
action, although no limit may be stated in the application or permit
for such use, or the city may entirely cut off the use for any manufacturing
purpose or any use for supplying power at any time by giving reasonable
notice to the consumer of such intended action.
The owner of the premises to which water is
supplied shall be chargeable with all water taken from the city mains,
and if leaks occur in the service lines between the curb stop and
the meter, the Director of Public Works may estimate the amount of
the water lost by such leaks and charge the same to the owner of the
premises.
A.
Notice. Any property owner wishing to discontinue
use of water supply from the waterworks must give notice thereof at
the city water office.
B.
C.
Nonpayment or violations. When water is turned off
for nonpayment of rents or for violation of any rule or regulation,
it shall not be turned on again until the party in default shall pay
all water rents due and the amount of all penalties which may be imposed
by the regulations set forth in this chapter. In addition, a turn-on
charge as set forth from time to time by the City Council,[3] shall be added.[4]
No contractor shall take water from the city
without a builder's permit for every separate job. When any person
desires to use the city water on any premises for building purposes
of any description, the owner of such premises or his or her agent
having such premises in charge must, before using city water for such
purpose, make a regular application at the water office for permission
therefor, and shall pay for the same at regular city rates.
No person shall use the city water for flushing
sewer, settling earth in ditches or any similar purpose without permission
from the Director of Public Works and paying for the same in advance.
A.
Fire hydrants. No person shall obstruct, injure or
in any way interfere with any fire hydrant in the city, or lay or
pile or allow to be thrown or piled any snow, ice, dirt or other material
upon, along or in front of the same. No person except members of the
Fire Department in the discharge of their duty shall open or unfasten
any such hydrant or gate, valve, stop or blowcock unless by order
of the Director of Public Works. Surface hydrants provided for street
sprinkling or cleaning purposes shall be opened or used only by persons
duly authorized by the Director of Public Works.
B.
Stop valves, stopcocks or gate valves. It shall be
unlawful for any person unless duly authorized to open, close, turn
or interfere with any stop valve, stopcock or gate valve belonging
to the city.
C.
Injury to city water supply. The malicious, willful,
careless or negligent destruction of, or injury to any of the works
or property in any way connected with the water supply of the city
is hereby prohibited.
D.
Street mains. No person, except the Director of Public
Works or those acting under his or her direction, shall open or close
any valve or gate in the street mains or molest or interfere with
the same in any manner whatsoever.
E.
Water laterals. No person, except the Director of
Public Works, or those acting under his or her direction or authorization,
shall add to or interfere with any connection or in any way interfere
with the water line between any curb cock and water meter.
A.
Use required; damage to meters. No water service shall
be given to any person, except through a meter. After the meter is
attached, any damage which such meter may sustain resulting from the
carelessness of the owner, agent or tenant or from the neglect of
any of them properly to secure and protect the same, or any damage
that may result from allowing the meter to become frozen or to be
injured by hot water or steam setting back from a boiler, or for any
other cause, shall be paid by the owner on demand and in case such
payment is not so made, the water may be shut off from the premises
without notice, and will not be turned on again until all charges
are paid, and the amount of such charges shall be a lien against the
property.
B.
Failure to register. If a meter becomes damaged and
fails to register, the consumer will be charged at the average consumption
as shown by the meter when in order.
C.
Access. The owner and tenant shall provide ready and
convenient access to the meter so that it may be frequently read and
examined by the agents or employees of the city.
D.
Meter regulations; testing. Meters will be tested
upon application of the consumer and the making of a deposit of $10.
If the meter shall test not more than 2% fast on full or half flow,
the deposit is to be forfeited to the city. If the meter tests more
than 2% fast, a proportionate allowance will be made on all bills
no more than six months old, and the deposit returned to the consumer.
E.
Resident consumers. All meters for properties located within the city will be listed under the name of the owner of the property, and all water used in connection with such property will be billed to the owner of the property except upon written request of the owner and a deposit made as hereinafter provided in § 270-23.
