[Amended 6-25-2008 by Ord. No. 06-2008; 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 20-2010; 2-23-2011 by Ord. No. 03-2011]
A. 
Each unit shall be charged for water use in accordance with the schedule in Chapter 168, Article II.
(1) 
A "unit" shall mean a single-family residence, an apartment, a rented room with private bath facilities, a school or any building receiving water service not included in the above definition.
(2) 
Where there is more than one unit for one water meter, the applicable rate per unit shall be determined by dividing the total metered quarterly consumption by the number of units.
B. 
Second meters. All second meters shall be installed at the expense of the property owner and used for outside watering only, including but not limited to sprinkling systems, filling swimming pools, washing cars, etc., and shall be charged at normal rates with the following exception: During the regular quarterly reading, any second meter with a zero consumption between the previous and the current readings, shall not be charged a fee or minimum charge for the quarter.
C. 
The quarterly standby charge for sprinkler service, in addition to quarterly usage, shall be as provided in Chapter 168, Article II.
A. 
The owner of any house, tenement, building or lot shall be liable for the payment of the price, rent or service charge as heretofore or hereafter fixed by ordinance or ordinances of the Borough for the use of water facilities by such owner or by the occupier, and the price or rent so fixed and the other costs, expenses, interest and penalties shall be a lien upon the house, tenement, building or lot until paid and satisfied.
B. 
Additional charges for unpaid bills.
(1) 
In addition, should the water and/or sewer charges remain unpaid for 30 days after bills for the same have been rendered, there shall be added to such charges, as interest, a sum equal to 8% per annum on the first $1,500 and 18% per annum on any amount in excess of $1,500, the amounts to be calculated from the date the water and/or sewer charges were payable until the date of actual payment.
(2) 
In addition, should the water and/or sewer charges remain unpaid for 30 days after bills for the same have been rendered, the water may be shut off for the premises until all arrears, together with interest, have been paid in full.
C. 
The Water Department shall assess an estimated quarterly charge to the owner of any house, tenement, building or lot in the event that:
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
(1) 
The water meter is not read, or cannot be read by an employee or agent of the Water Department;
(2) 
The officials of the Water Department and/or the Business Administrator deem it proper to assess an estimated quarterly charge.
D. 
The assessment herein prescribed estimated quarterly charge shall be based upon the water usage of the corresponding quarter of the year preceding the imposition of the estimated quarterly charge.
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
E. 
All ratepayers shall be notified of an estimated bill, or any change in the normal billing procedures, in writing, on their quarterly billing statement.
[Added 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
F. 
Any change in normal billing procedure, such as the issuance of an estimated quarterly bill, shall be presented to the Mayor and Council by the Business Administrator for review regarding the reason and necessity for the change to the billing procedure in any billing quarter where this may occur.
[Added 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
All stock meters 5/8 inch in size shall be furnished by the Borough at its cost to the property owner. All additional meters shall be furnished by the Borough, and charged to the property owner at its cost plus 10%.
It shall be the duty of the owner of each property having a service pipe connection with the water main, upon notice being mailed to the last known address of such owner by the Superintendent of the Water Department, to cause suitable water connections to be made forthwith. The meters shall be placed within the building or otherwise enclosed in a place convenient for reading and inspection, shall be protected from damage by frost or other cause and shall be kept free from obstruction. The connection shall be made in accordance with the regulations of the Water Department, and a hard stop will be constructed on each side of the meter. All openings in the service pipe shall be on the outlet side of the meter. Should any owner refuse or neglect to have such meter connections made within 10 days after the mailing of the notice aforesaid or should he neglect or refuse to comply with the terms of this article, the Borough may refuse to sell and deliver water to such owner until the provisions of this section shall have been complied with, and the water may be turned off from the premises.
The Superintendent of the Water Department and his authorized employees shall have free and clear access at all reasonable hours to all meters for the purpose of reading, removing, repairing, testing and for any other lawful purpose.
The owner of the property within which any meter may be located shall be liable for any damage done or resulting to such meter, except for damage done by employees of the Water Department. In the event that the owner should refuse or neglect to pay such damage, the water may be shut off from the premises and not supplied until such damage shall be paid. Such damaged meter shall be repaired by the Water Department at the expense of the owners aforesaid. The cost of such repair shall be collected in the same manner as the water rent.
It shall be the duty of each property owner to keep in good repair and condition the street curb box and stopcock. Upon notice being mailed to the last known address of any owner by the Superintendent of the Water Department, such property owner shall forthwith make such repairs, resetting, raising or lowering of the street curb box and stopcocks as may be necessary under the direction of the Water Department. Upon the refusal or neglect of any such owner to comply with the requirements of this section within 30 days after mailing of the notice aforesaid, the Superintendent of the Water Department may cause the same to be done, and the cost of the work so done and of the material furnished shall be charged against the property upon which work was done and shall remain a lien and be collected in the same manner as the water rent, provided that where street or sidewalk grades or lines shall be changed after the water connection shall have been made, the expense of the first resetting shall be borne by the Borough.
Only employees of the Water Department shall make repairs on meters. Plumbers shall set and remove meters at the property owner's expense after first obtaining written permission from the Superintendent of the Water Department.
When any property shall be vacated between November 1 of any year and March 1 of the following year, the owner thereof shall give at least 24 hours' notice of the vacating of such premises to the Superintendent of the Water Department in order that the water may be turned off at the street curb, and upon the reoccupancy of such premises, the owner shall give at least 24 hours' notice thereof to the Superintendent in order that the water may be turned on; and for this service, when done by the Water Department, the owner of the premises shall pay such fee as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, to be collected in the same manner as the water rent.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The Superintendent of the Water Department may from time to time make reasonable regulations with respect to water sprinkling when the supply of water is or may become insufficient for domestic household use and, to enforce such regulations, may shut off water on the property when the occupant may refuse or neglect to comply therewith.
No person other than the Superintendent of the Water Department, or some person duly authorized by him or the Borough Council, shall be allowed to shut off or turn on the water in the public mains or to open the stopcocks which are under control of the Water Department, and all plumbers or persons engaged in making attachments thereto must leave the stopcocks closed until permission shall be granted by the Superintendent of the Water Department. The ferrule in the public main, the pipe, curb boxes, stopcock and the box attached thereto, and all like fixtures between the public main and the private pipes and fixtures, either on public or private property, shall be under the charge and subject to the directions of the Superintendent of the Water Department and shall be kept in good repair and condition at the expense of the owner or owners of the premises supplied, the expense to be collected in the same manner as the water rent.
No person except the Superintendent of the Water Department or other person authorized by him or the Borough Council shall open or close the stopcocks or valves in any public or private street main.
The Superintendent of the Water Department or other persons authorized by him or by the Borough Council shall, at all reasonable hours, have free and clear access to all parts of the premises to which water may be supplied for the purpose of inspection, examination of fixtures and for any other lawful purpose, and no person shall resist or refuse such free access to the Superintendent of the Water Department or other persons authorized by him or by the Borough Council.
All persons who may be supplied with water from any of the Borough mains shall keep their own service pipes, curb boxes, stopcocks and apparatus in good condition and repair and shall protect them from frost at their own expense and shall prevent all unnecessary waste of water.
The Borough shall in no way be liable for damage resulting by reason of the breakage of any service pipe, stopcock or other fixtures or for damages arising from shutting off water to repair mains and make private connection with the same; provided, however, that reasonable notice shall be given to persons using water for steam purposes.
In all cases where water shall be turned off for nonpayment of rent or for the violation of any provisions of this article or any of the rules and regulations relating to the use of water, it shall not be turned on again until all expenses incident to the turning off and turning on of the water, together with rent and interest thereon, or the fine which may be imposed shall be paid, and should the water be unlawfully turned on again without payment as herein provided, it shall be lawful for the Superintendent of the Water Department, the Borough Administrator or the Borough Council to cause the ferrule to be drawn, and it shall not be inserted again until all the arrears of rent or fines and penalties and all expenses in connection with the nonpayment or violation shall be paid.
In every case where the water shall be turned off for nonpayment of water rent or for violation of any of the provisions of this article or rules or regulations of the Water Department, such sum as is provided in Chapter 168, Article II, shall become due and payable as an expense in addition to other expenses herein provided for and shall be paid before the water shall be turned on again.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit the water to flow unnecessarily from the part of the private pipe or fixtures thereof, or permit any waste of water on his or her premises or on the premises occupied by him or her, either within the building or enclosures, or any street or alley.
In the event that the Superintendent of the Water Department, the Borough Administrator, or the Borough Council shall have reason to believe that there is actual or probable violation, evasion or disregard of the provisions of this article or of any of the rules and regulations relating to the distribution of water to any building or premises into or through which pipes for conducting a supply of water may be laid, it shall and may be lawful for the Superintendent of the Water Department or other persons duly authorized by him or the Borough Council to enter at all reasonable times such building or premises for the purpose of examination of the pipes of conduit or other fixtures to ascertain whether the same are in proper condition and repair or for cutting off pipes of communication or for shutting off the stopcocks or attaching ferrules when water rent remains unpaid as aforesaid. It shall be unlawful for any person to resist or oppose the making of such examinations as hereinabove set forth or the doing of such work as hereinabove set forth.
A. 
Where a service pipe has been laid on a premises, water shall not be taken therefrom to supply any other premises, notwithstanding that the ownership of both may be in one and the same person.
B. 
The Borough Council may, if it deems advisable, upon application, make appropriate provisions for supplying water to property in front of which no main exists.
No person shall be allowed to attach to, alter or extend any service pipe or make any alterations in any corporation cock or curb box, or do any other work for the purpose of increasing the facilities for obtaining water, except upon first securing a permit therefor from the Superintendent of the Water Department the Borough Administrator, or from the Borough Council.
No person, except firemen in the discharge of their duties or other person lawfully authorized to do so, shall open or in any other manner interfere with any fire hydrant.
Water taps will be made by authorized persons of the Water Department or, at the discretion of the Water Department, by a licensed plumber authorized in writing to make the tap. The fee for all water taps will be as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, for up to a one-inch water tap. In addition, an administrative fee as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, will be charged for inspection purposes, if the tap is not made by the Water Department. In all cases, the property owner shall provide all necessary street work.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).