A.
All existing unmetered service connections to any public water supply
shall be metered. The cost of the water meter and installation thereof
shall be borne by the owner or owners of the land upon which such
connection is made.
B.
Where public water is desired or where there is an existing unmetered
connection to any public water supply, application must be made to
the Division of Water and Sewers on a proper application signed by
the owner of the premises on forms furnished by the Division, which
application shall specify the size of the service connection and meter
desired, the property to be served, the legal owner or owners thereof
and the purpose for which the water is to be used. A sketch plat drawn
to scale, showing the location of the proposed installation or extension,
shall also be submitted. Prior to any such connection, the adequacy
and feasibility of the same shall be determined by the Division.
C.
If, within 30 days after the adoption of this chapter, the owner of any properties affected thereby shall neglect to make application as provided in Subsection B, the governing body may cause installation of a water meter to be made under the direction and supervision of the proper officer of the municipality.
D.
In making any such meter installation, the Lincoln Park Division of Water and Sewers shall have the right of access to the owner's premises at reasonable hours and at reasonable times for the purpose of installing water meters. Any denial, refusal or obstruction by any owner or his agent, servant, employee or tenant to permit the installation as herein provided shall be deemed to be a violation of this chapter. Reasonable hours are as stated in § 461-8.
E.
When any such meter installation shall be made, the rates and charges as stipulated in Article IV of this chapter shall be due and payable to the Borough of Lincoln Park in accordance with the terms of payment in § 461-35. Unpaid statements shall be filed with the officer of the municipality charged with the duty of collecting taxes. Such officer shall record the meter and installation charge in the same book in which he records the sidewalk and other assessments.[1]
F.
Every such meter and meter installation charge shall bear interest
at the legal rate.
A.
All agreements covering water service shall continue in force from
year to year, unless notice, in writing, is given by either party
to terminate the service.
B.
Water service charges shall begin when the service is turned on and shall continue until written notice has been given of a change or transfer of ownership. When such change or transfer has taken place, the new owner shall sign a new application and shall be required to have a remote register installed, at the homeowner's expense, as shown in § 461-31. Water may be turned off from any premises temporarily without affecting the agreement for service.
C.
When a person takes possession of any premises and uses water through
an active service connection without application to the Department
of Public Works and Utilities for water service, the owner shall be
held liable for all water delivered from the date of the last recorded
meter reading. If the meter is inoperative, the quantity of water
consumed shall be estimated.
No water may be used by the applicant for any purpose or upon
any premises not stated or described in the application. The owner
will be liable for the amount of water used in conformity with the
schedule of rates of the Department of Public Works and Utilities.
A.
The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of the
service line between the curb stop and the meter. The property owner
shall keep said service line in good repair and shall protect it from
damage due to frost or other causes. He shall be held liable for damage
or loss of water resulting from failure to do so. All leaks in the
service line shall be reported promptly to the Department of Public
Works and Utilities and repaired by the property owner. If repairs
are not so made, the water shall be shut off by said Department and
not turned on again until the line is put in serviceable condition
and all charges for damage or loss of water have been paid.
B.
No person shall, at any time, obstruct free access to any water meter,
curb stop, curb box, valve, hydrant or other equipment of the water
distribution system, nor shall any person change the location of an
existing meter rendering it inaccessible. Should any such obstructions
be found, said persons shall remove the same within 10 days, subject
to the inspection and approval of the Department of Public Works and
Utilities.
A ball valve shall be placed on the service line on the street
side of and near the meter and a ball valve shall be placed on the
other side of the meter. A backflow preventer shall be placed after
the valve and the meter when required. An approved pressure-reducing
valve shall be installed after the meter on the consumer side of the
service. Cross-connections are prohibited, except when and where they
are approved by the Department of Public Works and Utilities and suitable
protective devices are installed and tested and maintained to ensure
proper operation on a continuing basis in accordance with the standards
of the National Plumbing Code.
Any necessary maintenance, repairs, replacement or changes in
piping, valves or connections on the house side of the curb box, including
all material and labor, shall be made by the property owner at his
own expense, subject to inspection and approval by the Division of
Water and Sewers.
Excessive or unnecessary use or waste of water, whether caused
by carelessness or by defective or leaky plumbing or fixtures, is
strictly prohibited, even where the service is metered. When the Department
of Public Works and Utilities has prohibited excessive or unnecessary
use or waste of water or has determined that certain uses of water
for the filling of swimming pools or sprinkling of lawns should be
prohibited because of short supply and this rule or order has been
violated, the Department may turn off the water at any time.
[Amended 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. 11-19, effective 10-28-2019; 8-17-2020 by Ord. No. 9-20, effective 9-7-2020]
When water has been turned off by the Department of Public Works
and Utilities for any reason, no person shall turn it on again without
the permission of the Department, and the water shall be turned on
only by an authorized person designated by the Department. When this
rule is violated, the Department of Public Works and Utilities may
turn the water off at the curb stop, in which case the owner shall
pay a fee of $250 and pay any outstanding water use charges in advance
before the water is again turned on for the property.
A.
Service under an application shall be discontinued if any account
for water service shall be in arrears for two quarters and if the
same shall not be settled within 10 days after the date of the next
succeeding quarter.
B.
Service under an application may also be discontinued for any of
the following reasons:
(1)
For the use of water for any other property or purpose than that
described in the application.
(2)
For the willful waste of water through improper or imperfect pipes, fixtures or otherwise and for violation of § 461-15.
(3)
For failure to maintain in good working order the connections, service
lines or fixtures owned by the applicant.
(4)
For tampering with any service pipe, meter, curb stop or seal or
any other appliance of the Department.
(5)
In case of vacancy of the premises.
(6)
For nonpayment for water service or any other charges accruing under
the application.
(7)
For refusal of reasonable access to property for the purpose of installation
of any meter or inspection or for reading, caring for or removing
meters.
(8)
For failure to decrease or limit the use of water when requested
by the Department of Public Works and Utilities or in accordance with
a proclamation of emergency issued by the Mayor and Council.
C.
Service shall be renewed under a proper application when the conditions
under which such service was discontinued are corrected and upon the
payment of a charge of $50 in addition to all proper charges provided
in the schedule of rates and charges of the Department due from the
applicant, including, but not limited to, the amount of water lost
or wasted.
[Amended 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. 11-19, effective 10-28-2019; 8-17-2020 by Ord. No. 9-20, effective 9-7-2020]
All water mains of the Department of Public Works and Utilities
are under the exclusive control of the Borough and its authorized
agents or representatives, and all other persons are forbidden to
disturb, tap, change, obstruct access to or interfere with them in
any way. No person, except an employee of the Department of Public
Works and Utilities, shall turn water on or off at the curb stop,
unless an emergency exists. In such cases, said Department shall be
advised immediately of the action taken.
All complaints with regard to the character of service furnished
or the reading of meters or of the bills rendered or any other complaints
shall be made to the Borough in writing.
The Department's jurisdiction and responsibility ends at the
curb stop, and the Department will in no case be liable for damages
caused by water running from open or faulty fixtures or from broken
or damaged pipes beyond the Department's curb stop.
No more than one service connection shall be installed for a
customer, except under special conditions. The servicing of multiple-dwelling
units is considered a special condition and must receive prior review
and approval of the Borough Engineer. A service connection shall not
be used to supply adjoining property of the same or different owner
or to supply property of the same owner across a street or alley.
A.
A temporary service connection may be installed by the customer upon
application for a tap, payment for the tapping fee and meter installation
fee and a deposit of two quarters' minimum bill for the requested
service connection size.
B.
Water for building construction.
(1)
Persons desiring the use of water for new building construction shall
make application as set forth in preceding sections.
(2)
Water for building construction shall not be taken from fire hydrants
within the Borough without written approval first obtained from the
Department of Public Works and Utilities for the following charges:[1]
(a)
The builder shall pay a flat fee of $300 for a calendar year
or any part thereof.
(b)
The builder may install a meter on a hydrant as approved by
the Department. If the Department supplies the meter, there shall
be a minimum water charge of $100 with a deposit of $100 payable in
advance for the meter and fittings. The deposit will be refunded or
credited against the metered water charges upon return of the meter
and fittings.
[Amended 8-17-2020 by Ord. No. 9-20, effective 9-7-2020]
(3)
The flat fee does not apply for any other use other than for building
construction. Any other use must be metered.
All permits for the use of water shall be granted upon the express
condition that if, for any cause, the supply of water should fail
or be restricted, regulated or discontinued, the Borough shall not
be held responsible for any damages which shall be claimed from the
Borough for any such causes.
All applicants for service connection of water shall be required
to accept such conditions of pressure and service as are provided
by the distributing system at the location of the proposed service
connection and to hold the Department harmless for any damages arising
out of low-pressure or high-pressure conditions or interruption of
service.
A.
Water mains and water main extensions shall be laid only in public
streets or in cases where there has been compliance with the requirements
of this Code relating to roads.
B.
All pipes shall be laid and connected under the supervision of the
Department of Public Works and Utilities and the Borough Engineer,
and the owner or applicant shall purchase and pay for all trenching,
backfilling, pipes, valves, hydrants and fittings.
C.
Water mains shall be extended and connected only after application
has been made to the Department and permission has been granted by
the Borough Council.
D.
All fees and deposits pertaining to service lines to individual buildings
shall be applicable where water mains are extended and shall be borne
by the owner or applicant.
E.
Materials, facilities, equipment and supplies shall be in accordance
with the following specifications:
(1)
Cast-iron fittings. American Standard Association A21.10-1952, "American
Standard for Short Body Cast Iron Fittings, 3 inch to 12 inch, for
250 PSI Water Pressure Plus Water Hammer." Type of bell end shall
be as follows: cast-iron pipe-ring tite.
(2)
Gate valves. American Water Works Association C500-61, Standard for
Gate Valves for Ordinary Water Works Service. Valves shall be as manufactured
by Mueller Co., or approved equal and shall be compatible to the type
of pipe used.
(3)
Fire hydrants. American Water Works Association C502-54, Standard
for Fire Hydrants for Ordinary Water Works Service. Fire hydrants
shall be as manufactured by Mueller Co., Type A-24012 or approved
equal.
(4)
Ductile-iron water pipe.
(a)
Specifications. All pipes and appurtenances shall meet the requirements
of ANSI/AWWA C104/A21.4-80 and be of Class 52 cement-lined ductile-iron
pipe.
(b)
Installation.
[1]
Trenching shall be done under the supervision of the Borough
Engineer and shall be a minimum of two feet wide and a minimum of
five feet below the grade of the road when rough graded. It shall
be clean and shall be free from cave-ins and shall be located at the
direction of the Borough Engineer and in accordance with AWWA C600-64.
[2]
All pipe, before being lowered, shall be inspected by the Borough
Engineer, whose acceptance or rejection of the same shall be final.
[3]
All new extensions shall be tested under the direction of the
Borough Engineer before backfilling. Backfilling may be done after
authorization by the Borough Engineer with fill that is to be free
of large stones which might damage pipe.
[4]
All new extensions shall be disinfected per AWWA C601-68 and
tested per AWWA C600-64 before being placed in service. All tests
shall be witnessed and approved by the Engineer.
[5]
All contracts of the Department of Public Works and Utilities
on behalf of the Borough shall contain the additional specification
that only manufactured products of the United States, if available,
may be used in such work.
