No person, corporation, or other entity, except the Water Superintendent
of the Village of Valatie, New York, or those acting under his/her
direct supervision or with his/her permission, or the Chief, assistants
or officers of the Niverville Fire Department, is permitted to open
any fireplug or hydrant or to draw water therefrom. However, any fire-fighting
company may draw water from the hydrants in the event of an emergency
for fire-fighting purposes. All training and nonemergency use must
be coordinated with the Water Superintendent of the Village of Valatie,
with notice in advance to the Water Superintendent. In each case,
however, the Fire Chief of the fire-fighting company that draws the
water will be responsible for the proper use of the fire hydrants,
and in no event shall an inexperienced or incompetent person be permitted
to manipulate or control them in any way.
A violation of this article is hereby declared to be an offense
punishable by a fine not exceeding $100 for the first offense, a minimum
fine of $300 for the second offense, and a minimum fine of $1,000
for the third offense. In addition, in the event that the water is
drawn from a fire hydrant and the amount drawn can be reasonably ascertained,
the violator shall be charged five times the highest usage rate per
thousand gallons charged by the Village of Valatie. Violations of
this article shall be deemed misdemeanors, and for such purpose only,
all provisions of law relating to misdemeanors shall apply to such
violations.