[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hempstead 2-17-1981 by L.L. No. 5-1981. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 50.
Fire protection — See Ch. 65.
Health and sanitation — See Ch. 74.
Housing — See Ch. 78.
Plumbing — See Ch. 100.
All construction of water pipes and fixtures shall conform to the Plumbing Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 100, Plumbing.
Upon authorization by the owner of the premises, his lessee or authorized agent, prior to the installation of any pipes or fixtures or the commencement of any work in regard to water service, an application for water service shall be made to the Village Clerk by a plumber licensed by the Village. The application shall set forth a description of the number of taps and fixtures in the premises to be served with water, the location of the property, the kind of business, if any, to be conducted in the premises and such other information as may be required. The application shall be accompanied by the fee required by the Plumbing Code.
Upon authorization by the owner of the premises, his lessee or authorized agent, a plumber licensed by the Village shall make all excavations, lay all pipes and shall be responsible to make all repairs and replacements from the tap to the mains in the streets at the expense of the owner and shall be responsible for any and all damages resulting to any person or property from defects in the installation; and such installation, excavation and piping shall be in conformity with the Plumbing Code.
A. 
Generally. Taps will be made in accordance with the Plumbing Code. Taps shall be made at the discretion of the Superintendent of Public Works by either the Department of Public Works or a plumbing contractor licensed by the Village of Hempstead, approved by the Board of Trustees. Taps will be made at places as indicated by the Superintendent of Public Works. The licensed plumber who files the original application for water service shall give not less than 48 hours' notice to the Superintendent of Public Works that the system is ready for tapping. It shall be the duty of the owner of the premises to notify the Superintendent of Public Works, in writing, upon the abandonment of any water connection.
[Amended 3-18-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
B. 
Fees. At the time of giving notice of the water connection, the applicant shall pay to the Village Clerk such fees for tapping as may be fixed by the Board of Trustees.
C. 
New tap to replace existing line. No new taps shall be made to the water main to connect with a service intended to replace any existing service line unless such existing service line is properly disconnected at its tap to the water main.
D. 
Inspections. Before connecting any service line, the premises shall be subject to inspection by the Superintendent of Public Works and Superintendent of Building Department.
[Amended 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013]
Except for hydrants, standpipes and automatic fire protection sprinkler systems, any water supplied by the Village shall be measured by a water meter equipped with a wireless transmitter unit, which shall be installed and maintained upon the premises wherein the water is consumed at the expense of the owner or occupant, except as otherwise set forth in this chapter. Said meter shall be of a type and kind to be approved by the Village and shall be installed pursuant to the Plumbing Code and shall be readily accessible for reading and testing.
A. 
Replacement and installation of meters one inch in size or less; nonmultiple residence. Any water meter up to and including one inch in size, except that servicing a multiple-family dwelling as defined by § 78-1 of this Code, that is new installation or a replacement of a meter which is deemed obsolete or beyond repair by the Village may be replaced and installed by the Village at its expense. Such meter shall be and remain the property of the Village. In the event that the Village elects not to install or replace such a meter, the responsibility for installation or replacement shall be upon the property owner or occupant, who shall proceed with such installation or replacement within 60 days of notice from the Village.
[Amended 10-2-2007 by L.L. No. 7-2007]
B. 
Replacement and installation of meters two inches in size or larger.
[Amended 10-2-2007 by L.L. No. 7-2007]
(1) 
Any water meter two inches or larger or a water meter servicing a multiple-family dwelling, as defined by § 78-1 of this Code, shall be replaced and installed by the Village. The Village shall provide the meter and strainer, and the meter and strainer shall remain the property of the Village. The installation expense shall be charged to the property owner. Said cost shall be a lien upon the real property affected and the amount so assessed and levied shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes.
[Amended 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013]
(2) 
Any water meter two inches or larger or a water meter servicing a multiple-family dwelling, as defined by § 78-1 of this Code, that is a new installation or is a replacement of a meter which is deemed obsolete or beyond repair by the Village shall be replaced and installed by the property owner, but the Village shall provide the meter and strainer to the owner, which meter and strainer shall remain the property of the Village. The installation of any meter pursuant to this subsection shall be done only by a licensed plumber in accordance with the provisions of the Plumbing Code. The aforementioned installation must be inspected by the Village of Hempstead to ensure it is working in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications upon completion.
C. 
Meter installation. In the event that the Village is desirous of replacing any meter, it shall cause written notice to be served upon the property owner or occupant, advising of this intention.
D. 
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner or occupant to cause any repairs to be made to the plumbing system as may be indicated by the Village in its said notice or thereafter, at the expense of the property owner or occupant and within the time period set forth in said notice so that the plumbing system will be in such condition as to accept the meter in good and working order. Upon failure of the owner to make such repairs within the time period set forth in such notice, the Village may do or cause to have done such repairs and charge all costs to the owner of the premises.
[Amended 10-2-2007 by L.L. No. 7-2007]
E. 
It shall be the further responsibility of the property owner or occupant to permit the appropriate Village representatives access to the premises for the purposes set forth in this chapter. Denial of access may subject the property owner or occupant to a penalty in accordance with § 1-16 of the Village Code.
[Amended 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013]
All meters shall be subject to inspection and test by the Village at all reasonable times. The owner or occupant of the premises may apply to the Village to test a meter, and such test shall be made within a reasonable time, upon payment of a fee as determined by the Village. The Village reserves the right to refuse to make any test.
The property owner or occupant of any premises containing a Village-owned meter which shall be stolen or damaged as a result of the acts or omissions of said property owner or occupant or any invitee or third party shall be responsible, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, for the cost of repair of said meter or furnishing and installation of any replacement meter if same is necessary as determined by the Village.
A. 
Permit requirements. The installation of any water meter shall be by a licensed plumber, by written permit only, except for those which are installed and owned by the Village, This permit, in addition to showing the meter number, shall show the reading of the meter in gallons and the date of installation.
B. 
Inspection, approval. No water service shall be provided to any premises wherein a new meter is installed until installation of said meter shall have been certified by the Village to have been done in accordance with the provisions of the Code of the Village.
[Amended 9-6-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with, alter, remove, reverse or break the seal on any water meter or appurtenant equipment supplying water to any premises from a water main or water service of the Village. Any unauthorized bypass opening and/or breaking of seals will be billed three times the current rate of water passed through the bypass meter.
[Amended 12-6-2011 by L.L. No. 9-2011]
All Village-owned meter and appurtenant equipment shall be protected at all times by the property owner or occupant of the premises by the exercise of due care. All meters, taps, plumbing and appurtenant equipment in any premises shall be subject to inspection by duly authorized representatives of the Village at any reasonable time. It shall be the duty of the property owner or occupant of the premises to give such inspectors access to the premises for such purpose, and such property owner or occupant shall locate or relocate, at his own expense, any water meter as directed by the Village if same is determined to be inaccessible for purposes of reading and testing. If a meter is missing from the premises, the owner will be billed three times the last water bill issued to the premises.
A. 
Duty of owner. Where any leak shall occur in service lines or in premises served with water, after notice from the Village the owner or occupant shall repair such leak, and upon failure of the owner to repair the same within 24 hours, the Village may make such repairs, and the expense of such repair and replacement shall be charged to the owner of the premises where such leak occurs.
B. 
Assessment of costs and expenses. Upon the Village making repairs as herein before provided, the cost of such repairs shall be a lien upon the real property affected and the amount so assessed and levied shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes.
Where water charges remain unpaid for a period of 60 days after they have become due, by order of the Board of Trustees water service may be shut off from the premises entirely, and service thereafter shall not be furnished to said premises until all water bills, penalties and interest shall have been fully paid. The Board of Trustees may direct that the service line be disconnected, and in that event there shall be added to such water bills and penalties the costs incurred by the Department of Public Works in effecting such disconnection.
[Amended 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013; 10-1-2013 by L.L. No. 10-2013]
The use of water in the course of construction of buildings, pavements, sidewalks and any use of water other than through private service lines shall require a hydrant rental meter and manifold from the Building Department of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead, pursuant to § 135-17 herein, subject to the approval of the water plant. The water plant may require the installation of a wet tap in accordance with Village Code § 100-10B, instead of hydrant use. If a wet tap is required, the water plant will require the applicant to fund a deposit based upon projected water usage and install a water meter. The amount of the deposit and the size and type of water meter will be determined by the water plant. However, any proposed building plan with a water service line two inches or greater shall not be permitted to use a hydrant rental meter and manifold. The rate for consumption will be at the water rate in place at the time of consumption.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 135-15, Lawn, garden sprinkling, was repealed 7-7-1987 by L.L. No. 3-1987. See now Ch. 136, Water Conservation.
Where sprinkler systems or fire hoses are installed in any building for fire-fighting purposes, not connected through a water meter, no person shall use or tap such systems for any other purpose nor use any water through the pipes to such systems except for testing equipment under the supervision of the Superintendent of Public Works.
A. 
Use restricted. No person except a member of the Fire Department or of the Department of Public Works in the performance of his duty shall turn on, open or tamper with any fire hydrant without the written permission of the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works.
B. 
Valve and backflow prevention device required. When permits are filed for the use of water from hydrants, a rental hydrant meter manifold supplied from the Water Meter Department of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead shall be applied to the opening of the hydrant. A backflow prevention device secured through a plumbing permit shall be applied to the hydrant, and no water shall be used from such hydrant except with such valve and backflow device. Deposit and rental fees shall be four times the filing fee for the cost of the hydrant meter manifold set forth in Code § 100-10.
[Amended 8-6-1985 by L.L. No. 2-1985; 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013]
C. 
The permit and use of the hydrant meter manifold supplied from the Water Meter Department of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead will expire when the water bill reflects an expense of water consumption on the hydrant meter manifold which equates to 75% of the money deposited pursuant to § 135-17B herein. Prior to continuing the permit and use of the hydrant meter manifold, the water bill which equates to 75% of the money deposited pursuant to § 135-17B must be paid.
[Added 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013[1]]
[1]
Editor’s Note: This local law also provided for the redesignation of former Subsection C as Subsection E.
D. 
A hydrant meter manifold supplied by the Water Meter Department of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead will consist of a hydrant valve, meter, an approved backflow device, hydrant wrench, and stand. All are to be returned and in good working order prior to returning deposits.
[Added 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013]
E. 
Use of wrench prohibited. Where permission is granted to use water from hydrants as hereinabove provided, no stillson or pipe wrench shall be used upon the valve of such hydrant or applied to any part thereof.
[Added 11-7-1984 by L.L. No. 9-1984]
A. 
The Superintendent of the Building Department shall have the right of entry to inspect or cause to be inspected the plumbing in every building or premises using the Village water supply as frequently as, in his judgment, may be necessary or as required by the New York State Health Department to determine whether the plumbing has been installed and maintained in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of contamination by backflow or back pressure into the public water supply. The Superintendent shall notify or cause to be notified in writing the owner or authorized agent of the owner of any such building or premises to correct, within a reasonable time set by the Superintendent, any plumbing, installed or existing, contrary to or in violation of this regulation and which, in his judgment, may, therefore, permit the pollution of the Village water supply or otherwise adversely affect the public health or water quality.
B. 
The specific requirements shall be those of the State of New York Health Department, State Sanitary Code, any guidelines set forth by the New York State Health Department or any regulating agency having jurisdiction, as well as the Village of Hempstead.
C. 
All devices for backflow control shall be as approved by the New York State Health Department.
D. 
Installation, inspections and maintenance of all devices shall be at the expense of the property owner.
E. 
Installation of all devices shall be done by a plumber licensed by the incorporated Village of Hempstead upon payment of a permit fee according to the following schedule:
(1) 
Up to one-inch device: $25.
(2) 
One-and-one-half- to three-inch device: $50.
(3) 
Four-inch and over device: $100.
(4) 
All commercial buildings must have at least a double check valve installed on the service line.
[Added 9-6-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
F. 
Penalties for a violation. Upon a finding, by the Superintendent, of a violation of this regulation, the owner or authorized agent shall be required to pay a penalty for noncompliance pursuant to Subsections (1) and (2) of this subsection. The Superintendent shall then set a reasonable time for the owner to have the violation removed or protected by installation of an approved backflow prevention device. Upon failure of the owner to have the defect corrected by the end of the specified time interval, the Superintendent may cause the water service to the building or premises to be terminated or recommend such additional action as he may deem appropriate, including but not limited to code violation penalties as set forth in Subsection (1) of this subsection.
[Amended 12-17-2002 by L.L. No. 8-2002; 5-7-2013 by L.L. No. 4-2013; 7-7-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2020]
(1) 
Code violation penalty for failure to have backflow devices tested annually will be fined as follows:
(a) 
One-inch device, residential: $400.
(b) 
Up to two-inch, nonresidential: $650.
(c) 
Two-and-a-half-inch device and above, nonresidential: $1,500.
(2) 
An annual backflow test must be completed, and the expense of the test is the responsibility of the building owner or occupant. The Village of Hempstead Water Meter Department or a private entity can test the backflow device. If the Village of Hempstead Water Meter Department conducts the test, the cost for the test will be determined by the Village Board by resolution.
G. 
Violation remedies. The Water Department, under the direction of the Superintendent, reserves the right to discontinue water service at the main or at the customer-owned curb stop in the event that the property owner fails to make required adjustments in plumbing to comply with these regulations.
H. 
Actual cost incurred, which should include but not be limited to the disconnection of the water service, or damage caused by the operating of privately owned valves will be charged against the property owner.
I. 
Reconnection to the public water supply will not be allowed until proper adjustments have been made and all bills and penalties have been paid.
J. 
Fire sprinkler and standpipe systems. The Superintendent shall determine, after inspection, the extent of backflow prevention required on all fire sprinkler and standpipe systems.
K. 
Fire sprinkler systems in areas that are subject to freezing temperatures and which utilize any type of antifreeze solution shall be fitted with a reduced pressure backflow prevention device.
L. 
Water service lines to any structure shall not be subject to back pressure of any type, including but not limited to the adding pressure by compressor, pump or kinetic energy device to clear the service pipe of residue, debris or other blockage.