[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-9-1993 by Ord. No. MC-2963]
All applications for permits for the introduction or increased use of water shall be made on forms furnished for that purpose by the Department of Finance and shall be signed by the owner or his duly authorized agent. Such permits shall be granted upon the condition and understanding that the City is empowered to shut off or discontinue water service or supply for any of the reasons set forth in this Part 1 or in any other provisions of this Code, and that if, for any cause, the supply of water should fail or be restricted or shut off, the City shall not be held responsible for any damages which may be claimed of the City as a result thereof.
All houses, dwellings and stores and improvements on land in the City requiring water from the City water main shall be equipped with a separate and individual water service line or pipe to be connected with the City water main in the street in front of or alongside such lands or premises. Such installation shall be at the expense of the property owner.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 1-23-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3269; 6-12-2018 by Ord. No. MC-5117]
A. 
In the event of a property owner discontinuing the use of any service pipe now or hereafter laid, he or his authorized agent shall first obtain a street opening permit from the Division of Capital Improvements and Project Management, pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 735, Streets and Sidewalks. Should the property owner fail to comply with the requirements of this section, having been served with notice, the City may perform the necessary work and cause the costs therefrom to be collected from the property owner. In addition, the property owner may be subject to the penalty provisions of § 840-43 of this Part 1.
B. 
Any residential, commercial, industrial property undergoing redevelopment or demolition shall have the water service line permanently abandoned at the water main in accordance with Subsection A (above), and the provisions of the Land Use Ordinance of the City of Camden.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 870, Zoning and Land Use.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766]
A. 
No plumber or other person shall introduce a ferrule into any water main or form any connection or communication whatever with any such main without first obtaining a permit therefor from the Department of Administration. Such permit shall be in addition to and not in lieu of the street opening permit required under Article VI (§ 735-22 et seq.) of Chapter 735 of this Code.
[Amended 12-9-1993 by Ord. No. MC-2963]
B. 
The permit shall set forth (among other things) the size of the ferrule to be used, and no such plumber or other person shall introduce or use a ferrule of a larger diameter than is specified in said permit. The Department of Public Works shall furnish the ferrule (of the size specified in the permit) and shall cause the opening into said water main to be drilled and said ferrule to be inserted therein. The permittee shall pay for the cost of the ferrule and for the insertion thereof in accordance with the schedule therefor as ascertained and prescribed by the Director of Public Works, except where the City has previously detached the ferrule for the purpose of making alterations to the water main.
[Amended 4-16-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4460]
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-9-1993 by Ord. No. MC-2963; 4-16-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4460]
Whenever an attachment of a water service line or pipe is required to be made into the water main, at least one day's notice shall be given to the Department of Public Works or the Department of Administration prior to breaking the ground for that purpose.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 4-16-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4460]
No plumber or other person shall open, close or in any way interfere with any of the public stopcocks or valve gates in the water main without first being duly authorized by the Department of Public Works.
[Amended 11-24-1999 by Ord. No. MC-3535; 2-14-2017 by Ord. No. MC-5028]
The property owner supplied with water from any of the City water mains shall be responsible for the maintenance of the water service lines and all appurtenances from the street curb to the property/premises serviced, including, but not limited to, the curb stops. The City shall maintain responsibility for all service lines that are on the street side of the curbline.
[Amended 2-14-2017 by Ord. No. MC-5028]
A. 
Curb stops or curb cocks used on water service lines or pipes shall be for the exclusive use of the City, and no person, except authorized officers or employees of the City or duly authorized licensed plumbers, shall interfere in any way with them.
B. 
The curb stops shall be connected with the service pipe within the sidewalk at or near the curbline.
C. 
All curb stops shall be enclosed and protected by an iron service extension valve box of a design approved by the Department of Public Works, and said valve box, as well as the water service pipe, shall be kept in repair by the owner of the property.
D. 
Said valve box shall not be disturbed or displaced by any person so that the valve stem cannot be reached by a key, nor shall any person cover a valve box or manhole with dirt, paving or other material.
E. 
Any person who shall violate any provision of this Subsection D shall, under the direction of the Department of Public Works, immediately replace the valve box and remove the obstruction. This requirement shall be in addition to and not in lieu of the penalty provisions of § 840-41 of this Part 1.
F. 
Any expense incurred by the Department of Public Works in turning off the water on account of leakage or nonpayment of water rents or charges or in repairing the curb stops or valve boxes or meter pits shall be reimbursed by the property owner before the water is turned on again. Under no circumstances shall a duly licensed plumber part with the possession of a key for the turning on or off of water except to an authorized employee of the Department of Public Works.
G. 
The owner of the premises shall keep meter pits, curb stops, and valves in good condition so that such meter pits, curb stops, and valves are fully accessible for servicing. No landscaping or other obstructions shall prohibit access to meter pits, curb stops, and valves.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 1-23-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3269]
No person shall make any opening or excavation in any paved street for the purpose of making a connection or repair to any water pipe without first obtaining a permit therefor. Such permit shall be in addition to the street opening permit required under Article VI (§ 735-22 et seq.) of Chapter 735 of this Code.
A. 
No person shall, at any time, obstruct the free access to any water meter, curb stop, curb box, valve, fire hydrant or other fixtures connected with or to the City water supply system by placing, causing or permitting thereon or within 10 feet thereof stone, brick, lumber, dirt or any other material.
B. 
The Department of Public Works may give written notice to remove such obstruction, and upon failure to comply with the notice, the City shall cause removal thereof and shall be entitled to collect the costs of such removal from the violator. The collection of such costs shall be in addition to the penalty imposed under § 840-43 of this Part 1.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 1-23-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3269; 4-16-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4460]
[Added 8-8-2023 by Ord. No. MC-5462A]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CITY
The City of Camden.
CONTRACTOR
A licensed vendor that contracts with the City of Camden to replace lead service lines.
DEPARTMENT
The City of Camden's Department of Code Enforcement.
DWELLING
A building or structure or part thereof containing one or more dwelling units. This chapter shall also apply to buildings and structures that are not used for residential purposes.
DWELLING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms or any thereof located within a building and forming a single habitable unit with facilities which are used or designed to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, eating or bathing.
LEAD SAFE
Any condition that does not allow access or exposure to lead, in any form, to the extent that adverse human health effects are possible.
LEAD SERVICE LINE
The waterline made of lead or lead materials on private property that leads to the structure or building that is connected to the main City of Camden waterline.
OCCUPANT
A person or persons in actual possession of and living in the building or dwelling unit.
OWNER
Any person who has legal title to any dwelling, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; or, who has equitable title and is either in actual possession or collects rents therefrom; or who is executor, executrix, trustee, guardian, or receiver of the estate or the owner, or as mortgagee or as vendee in possession wither by virtue of a court order or by agreement or voluntary surrender of the premises by the person holding legal title, or as collector of rents has charge, care or control of any dwelling or rooming house.
B. 
Lead service lines prohibited. Pursuant to and in accordance with N.J.S.A. 58:12A-40 et seq., it is hereby established that the existence of lead or lead material service lines is prohibited in the City of Camden.
C. 
Mandatory replacement of lead service line; exclusion from requirement; proof required.
(1) 
A property owner and/or occupant may be excluded from the mandatory replacement of its lead service line by providing the Department with written proof from a licensed and certified plumber that it does not have a lead service line on its property and/or that the lead service line was previously removed and replaced.
(2) 
The owner of any dwelling, building or structure serviced by a lead service line is required to replace the lead service line on their property. The owner and/or occupant may undertake the replacement of the lead service line on their own provided such replacement is completed within six months of the effective date of this section. An extension of time may be granted by the Director of the Department where the owner and/or occupant can demonstrate, to the Department, that a good faith effort has been made to comply with this section.
(3) 
The owner and/or occupant of any dwelling, building or structure shall replace their lead service line by any of the following methods:
(a) 
Signing up for the lead service line replacement program offered by the City of Camden and allowing contractors to access the property to conduct the replacement. The contractor will provide the owner and/or occupant with a right of entry form for completion. The right of entry form will provide the contractor with access to the property to verify the existence of a lead service line and replace said line; or
(b) 
Replacing the lead service line on their own and at their own expense, subject to the timing restrictions set forth in this Subsection C. An owner and/or occupant is required to provide the Department with proof that the lead service line has been replaced. Proof must include, at a minimum, a permit issued by the Department to a licensed plumber authorized to do the work; an invoice from the contractor who completed the work; a copy of the estimate along with any report of the work completed; and an inspection report verifying the removal.
D. 
Authorization to access property. Notwithstanding Subsection C above, if an owner of the dwelling, building or structure does not sign up for the lead service line replacement program or does not replace its lead service line prior to the time frame set forth in Subsection C (or within the time frame provided for in an extension) or is inaccessible or otherwise denies access to the property to enable the replacement of the line, then the following procedures shall apply:
(1) 
The City shall secure entrance to the property from the owner or current occupant of the dwelling, building or structure, and the City shall incur no liability from the owner. The contractor, to the best of its ability, will provide the owner and/or occupant with a right of entry form for completion. The right of entry form, which may be completed by an occupant who is not an owner of the property, will provide the contractor with access to the property to verify the existence of a lead service line and replace said line. The City shall restore the property to its original condition or as close as possible to its original condition;
(2) 
If access is granted by the occupant of the dwelling, building or structure, then the occupant shall be held harmless and no liability shall incur to the City or occupant due to the replacement of the lead service line by the City of Camden; and
(3) 
If access is denied by the current occupant or owner, the City shall commence procedures, including filing a court action, to conduct the replacement of the lead service line.
E. 
Penalty. Noncompliance with the provisions of this section by any person or corporation, and officers of any corporation, shall be punishable by a daily fine of at least $250 but not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days or by a period of community service not to exceed 90 days.