Town of East Bloomfield, NY Article I Water Use

[Adopted 1-29-1968]

§ 131-1 Application for service.

Written application for water service must be made at the Town Clerk's office by the property owner or his authorized agent. The owner will be held responsible for all charges for water supplied in said premises but upon request the bills will be sent to the tenant of the premises to which water is supplied.

§ 131-2 Installation of water services.

A. From existing mains:

(1) All work from main to property line to be completed by Town of East Bloomfield Water Department or its agent.

(2) All services from property line to home to be completed by registered plumber only. All plumbers to be licensed by Town of East Bloomfield Water Commission.

(3) The cost of each water service shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board[1] and paid in advance at the Town Clerk's office. The service shall consist of tapping the main, furnishing and installing corporation cook, appropriate copper tubing from main to the property line of the premises and curb cock, box and rod. (NOTE: The Town Board reserves the right to change, alter or modify the aforementioned schedule of rates at any time and without notice.)[2]

[1] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices.

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

(4) The minimum size pipe serving up to and including three families shall be 3/4 inch; from four to six families, one inch; from seven to 12 families, two inches; or in unusual cases as determined by the Town Engineer and/or Water Commission. Connections to district water mains for extension of service outside water district boundary lines will not be permitted.

(5) Upon receiving written approval from the Town Board, a property owner may be authorized to install his own service and meter unit. (This applies to special cases where larger than one-inch services are required). However, all work will be subject to inspection and approval of completed works by the Town Engineer and/or Water Superintendent and the property owner will be required to deposit with the Town Clerk a certified check for an amount set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board[3] to pay for all necessary administration costs in connection with completing same.[4]

[3] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices.

[4] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

B. New subdivisions.

(1) In all developments approved for water service by the Town of East Bloomfield, the developer will be responsible for installing the main distribution lines and individual services from said mains to property lines according to the town utility specifications, subject to inspection, testing and approval by the Town Engineer. New developments will normally require water district extension, which must be approved by the Town and Village of East Bloomfield, as well as the State of New York.

(2) Prior to receiving a building permit, the developer must apply for water service, in writing, at the Town Clerk's office and pay for the required water meter which will be installed by the Water Commission after the main lines have been approved along with service line from the main to the building. Fees to be paid to Town Clerk at time of meter application shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.[5]

[5] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices.

(3) In new subdivisions on existing streets where appropriate water mains are in existence, the developer and/or his representative will apply for water service prior to building permit issuance according to requirements set forth for services from existing system.

(4) No unmetered household connections to the town water system will be allowed. Violations of the above requirements will be subject to maximum penalties of $150 per violation, as determined by the Town Water Commission.

§ 131-3 Meters.

A. All water service shall be metered, and no more than one meter may be installed on any one service, unless specifically approved by Town Water Commission.

B. The meter cost is included in service cost, but shall not be installed until a line is laid from the property line to the building and inspected by the Town Water Superintendent. The owner shall provide proper pipe so as to allow for correct installation of the meter.

C. The property owner shall provide a convenient accessible place for the location of the meter that will protect it from freezing, and it shall be kept free and clear of any encumbrances that would interfere with reading the meter. Failure to comply with this rule will be cause for discontinuing the service.

D. The general repairs and maintenance of meters will be done by the Town Water Department without charge. However, if a meter is damaged by freezing, hot water, steam, fire or other causes due to negligence of the owner or occupant of the premises, then the cost of repairing the meter will be a charge against the property owner. The town shall be sole judge of cause of damage, and their decision shall be final.

E. Meters must only be removed or reset by the Town of East Bloomfield Water Department.

F. The Town Water Commission reserves the right to discontinue the water service at any time if it should be found that the meter has been tampered with, connections have been made to the pipes to divert the water from passing through the meter or any other act or failure to comply with above rules, regulations and requirements which would indicate that it was done for the purpose of defrauding the Town Water Districts.

§ 131-4 Curb stops and boxes.

The location of curb stops and boxes shall be ascertained by the owner and occupant of tile premises and must be maintained in a workable and accessible condition at all times. It shall be kept in plain view and at sidewalk or ground level so as not to be hazardous to pedestrians.

§ 131-5 Maintenance and repair of water services.

A. The three-quarter-inch line from the property line to inside of building shall be laid by owner's registered plumber. This line shall also be maintained by owner. In case of break in this line, repairs shall be made within 24 hours or service will be shut off.

B. The line shall be Type K copper, 3/4 inch and one section if the distance is 100 feet or under.

C. For longer services, both size and type of material shall be subject to approval of Town of East Bloomfield Water Commission.

D. The service from the main to the property line shall be maintained by the Town Water Department.

§ 131-6 Discontinuing service; temporary.

A. Owners will be permitted to discontinue the use of water from service at any time, but no deduction in the minimum rate will be allowed for any time less than the full quarter during which the service is discontinued. The fee for disconnecting shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices; amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

B. Consumers vacating premises having water service must promptly notify the Town Clerk in order to have service discontinued, water shut off and meter read, and such consumers and the owners of the premises will be held responsible for the water rent until such notice is given, and no water will be furnished such consumer in a new location until said water rent has been paid.

§ 131-7 Billing.

A. The Town Water Department will endeavor to read meters of residential and small commercial users at regular intervals of three months. Meters of large commercial and industrial users will be read at regular monthly intervals. Bills will be rendered the first of each month.

B. In the event of an inability to read a meter or if the meter has stopped and failed to register or register the amount of water used, the bill will be estimated from the best available information, generally using an average of the three prior quarters.

C. All bills are due and payable within 15 days from the date rendered. A penalty of 10% will be added to the bill if not paid within the fifteen-day period. Failure to receive bill will not be accepted as an excuse to avoid paying the penalty.

D. No charge for water service will be less than the minimum charge contained in the rate schedule.

E. Bills for water used, installation and repairs of service pipes meters, etc., are a lien upon the property where the water was used and/or where the service pipes and meters were installed or repaired. December 1 of each year, all unpaid bills rendered prior to November 1 of said year will be placed on the Town Water District Tax Roll.

F. Meters may be removed at any time and tested, then either repaired or replaced by the Town Water Department at no charge to the owner unless damaged.

§ 131-8 Claims of excessive bills.

A. Water bills appearing to be excessive, whether brought to the attention of the Town Water Commission by the customer or detected by the meter reader or Town Clerk, will be investigated within three days after the complaint or detection. An inspector will make a check of the meter reading, and if an error has been made, the bill will be corrected at the office at once.

B. All meters are tested before they are installed. Meters are so designed and constructed that once equipped with the proper gear ratio, they do not and cannot overrun or register more water than the quantity that passes through them. Customers are required to pay for the water as indicated by the meter register.

C. The owner shall pay for all water that passes through the meter, regardless of leaks.

D. When the occupant or owner is negligent in having the plumbing properly installed and kept in repair, or it has been discovered that the water has been used for purposes not made known in the complaint or reported to the inspector, then no allowance will be made of a bill claimed to be excessive.

E. The Town Water Commission reserves the right to determine what would be considered an excessive water bill, and/or change its method of adjustment.

§ 131-9 Hydrants.

A. Fire hydrants are for use by the fire department and/or the Town Department of Public Works only.

B. Upon application made at the Town Clerk's office, permission may be granted to use a fire hydrant to obtain water, under supervision of a representative of the Water Department, upon payment of and amount set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board,[1] delivered to the Town Clerk at least 24 hours in advance to cover the cost of attaching the regulating valve, meter, supervision by Town Water Department personnel and water consumption at prevailing rates.[2]

[1] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices.

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

C. In the event that the cost for time expended and water consumed exceeds the minimum amount set by the town, the applicant will be charged for both water and supervision according to prevailing rates as determined by the Town Water Commission.[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

D. In case any damage to a hydrant is done by any person or his agent having a permit for taking water from said hydrant, the holder of the permit shall pay such damages and all costs that may be incurred by reason thereof on demand by the Town of East Bloomfield Water Commission.

E. In any cause, hydrants shall not be used without first obtaining a permit for such use from the Town Water Commission, which may require advance deposits as above set forth or as may be otherwise determined to be appropriate.

§ 131-10 Fire services.

A. Private fire service connections are subject to the same regulations are subject to the same regulations as those governing domestic and commercial service, excepting that no water shall be drawn from said service lines for any purpose other than extinguishing fires. The Town Water Commission reserves the right to require the applicant for fire service to install a detector meter on said service. The annual charge for unmetered fire service connection will be set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board[1] for each connection.[2]

[1] Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the town offices.

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

B. In cases of fire practice or other use of hydrants, excluding fires, the Commission will be notified in writing 24 hours in advance.

§ 131-11 Access to premises.

The owner or occupant of premises expressly authorizes and empowers the Town Water Department, its employees and agents, to enter the premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of inspecting meters, fixtures and appliances, and for reading meters and performing any other necessary acts in connection with the service.

§ 131-12 Continuity of service.

The Town Water Commission reserves the right to shut off or restrict the supply of water as follows:

A. Without notice whenever it may be found necessary in cases of emergency.

B. It shall not be held liable under any circumstances for the deficiency or failure of the supply of water or for any cause whatsoever, even though no notice thereof is given.

§ 131-13 Penalties for offenses. [1]

Any person violating any provision of these rules and regulations shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $250 or imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or both, and upon such conviction, any and all supply of water thereto furnished to him or to his property shall be shut off and discontinued until the fine is paid and the rules and regulations are obeyed.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).