[CC 1974 §27-128; Ord. No. 798 §IV, 5-17-1972]
Any private water lines or authorized additions thereto constructed
or installed pursuant to this Article shall be installed and maintained
in accordance with specifications of the City and under the supervision
and control of the City, but wholly without expense to the City.
[CC 1974 §27-129; Ord. No. 798 §IX, 5-17-1972; Ord. No. 809 §1, 7-5-1972]
Before the City Clerk shall issue any permit for a privately
owned water line extending from the City limits to the premises outside
of the City, the owner of the privately owned water line shall enter
into a written contract with the City, that if and when such territory
is annexed to and becomes a part of the City, that the privately owned
water line together with an easement of ingress and egress thereto
and any equipment used in connection therewith and owned by the grantee
shall upon the final date of such annexation be and become the property
of the City. The owner of the private line shall be compensated by
payment of a sum of money by the City to said owner, not to exceed
one hundred dollars ($100.00), the exact sum to be determined by a
Board of Arbitration composed of one (1) member selected by the City,
one (1) member selected by the owner, and one (1) member selected
by the two (2) members so selected, whose decision and award shall
be final. The Board of Arbitration shall be used only if the City
and the owner cannot agree between themselves as to the proper amount
of compensation to be paid for the conveyance of said line to the
City.
[CC 1974 §27-130; Ord. No. 798 §IV, 5-17-1972]
All water sold to consumers outside the City shall be registered
through a compound water meter to be owned and installed by the City
at the point of connection between the City water main and the private
line at the City limits.
[CC 1974 §27-131; Ord. No. 798 §IV, 5-17-1972]
Where water is to be used by several parties from one (1) connection
with the City main, the City shall contract with only one (1) of the
parties who own or manage the private line, who shall be liable to
the City for any failure on the part of the others to comply with
the provisions of this Chapter and the rules of the Water Department.
The City shall have the right to shut off all water from said private
line in case of violation by any of the parties. The City Clerk shall
open an account with one (1) customer only, and shall collect from
him/her the entire bill for all water passing through the compound
meter, and shall in no way recognize or deal with any other consumer
on the line.
[CC 1974 §27-133; Ord. No. 798 §V, 5-17-1972]
A.
After
the installation of a compound water meter at the City limits as provided
in this Article, the City at that time shall fix the number of taps
on the privately owned water main, and there shall be no more or additional
taps added on the private line without the consent of the City Council.
B.
Before
installation of any compound water meter the owner or proprietor of
the private water line shall file with the City Clerk a sworn statement
containing the following:
1.
He/she is the owner or proprietor of the line.
2.
Any repair, replacement or additions to or maintenance done on the
line which will in anyway affect the flow or volume or capacity of
the flow of water through the line will be done only after permission
is obtained by the owner from the City Council.
3.
The number of taps now on the line or the number to be later added.
4.
The repair, replacement or maintenance to be done in the future will
be at the sole expense of the owner or users of water on the line.
C.
A cash
deposit equal to an average of three (3) months anticipated water
bills shall accompany the application by the owner before any permit
shall issue, said amount to be determined by the City Clerk.
[CC 1974 §27-134; Ord. No. 798 §VII, 5-17-1972]
If water bills based on a compound meter are not paid within thirty (30) days from the delinquency date, the City Clerk shall be authorized to deduct such unpaid bill from the cash deposit required by Section 700.260 and the water turned off until the full amount of the cash bond has been returned to its principal amount. The water shall remain turned off if there is any deficiency in the cash bond until such deficiency has been paid in full and a new cash bond deposited.
[CC 1974 §27-135; Ord. No. 798 §VIII, 5-17-1972]
Any authorized employee or official of the City shall have the
right, at reasonable hours, to enter upon the premises of any consumer
of water for the purpose of examining the condition of pipes and fixtures.
When he/she finds that the water is improperly used or wasted, on
refusal or neglect of the consumer to remedy or repair the cause of
the improper use or waste, or failure to use water in a proper manner,
the authorized City employee or official shall shut off the water
at the compound meter and keep it shut off until satisfactory assurance
is given that the defects are remedied and that the water will be
properly used. The City has the right to shut off water from the mains
at the compound meter connection for a reasonable time for repairs,
extensions or other proper purposes, or to conserve water or for any
unavoidable reason, and has the right to suspend or limit the use
of water for human health or sanitary purposes, whenever in the opinion
of the City Council the condition of the water supply or an emergency
may require it.
[CC 1974 §27-136; Ord. No. 798 §VIII, 5-17-1972; Ord. No. 1235 §§2 — 4, 1-2-1985]
A.
No
unauthorized person shall tamper with or turn on or off any water
meter, valve or connection to the City main for any purpose whatsoever.
Any person who without specific authority from the City that tampers
with, turns on or turns off any water meter, valve or connection to
the City water main shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. Further,
such person shall pay for the repair or replacement of any part of
such water meter, valve or connection to the City main which is damaged
by said actions.
B.
The
City specifically authorizes plumbers and/or individuals who are installing,
removing, replacing, fixing, repairing, maintaining or otherwise working
in, upon and/or about private water lines to turn on and/or off private
water meters, valves or connections. This authorization shall not
include the right, authority or ability to in any manner turn on or
off or otherwise tamper with City water mains and their appurtenances
except by a separate express authorization from the City. This authorization
shall not include the right, authority or ability to turn on water
or otherwise tamper with water meter, valves or connections once turned
off by the City for any purpose without the separate express authorization
of the City.
C.
If
water is turned on any water meter, valve or connection to a City
main for any purpose whatsoever after it has been turned off by a
representative of the City or if any lock or other device placed on
such meter, valve or connection by a representative of the City is
damaged or broken, such turning on of the water or breakage or damage
to such lock or device shall constitute prima facie evidence of knowledge
and intent to divert, use and receive on the part of the persons having
control of said water meter and/or possession of the premises and
shall constitute prima facie evidence of the intention on the part
of such person or persons in possession of the premises and/or in
control of the water meter valve to tamper with said water meter,
valve or connection and shall bring such person prima facie within
the prohibition of this Section and in violation thereof. Further,
that upon demonstration by the City that a meter, valve or connection
has been turned off by a representative of the City and that the meter,
valve or connection shows that water has been passed through said
meter, valve or connection since said meter, valve or connection was
turned off by the City, then such evidence shall constitute prima
facie evidence on the part of the owner and/or person in possession
of the premises of knowledge, intent and actual diversion, use and
receipt of water and tampering with said meter, valve or connection
and shall bring such owner and/or person in possession of the premises
prima facie within the prohibitions of this Section and in violation
thereof.
D.
Violation
of this Section shall be deemed a misdemeanor and punishable pursuant
to the Richmond Code of Ordinances. The range of punishment shall
be a fine of from one dollar ($1.00) to five hundred dollars ($500.00),
one (1) day to six (6) months' imprisonment, or both such fine and
imprisonment.
[CC 1974 §27-137; Ord. No. 1669 §1, 6-23-1999; Ord. No. 2266 §I, 9-11-2012]
A.
Private
fire connections for sprinkler systems or other fire protection devices
shall be installed and maintained at the entire cost and expense of
the owner of the premises. Said services shall be used exclusively
for the extinguishment of fire and will not be metered.
B.
All
materials for such private fire connections must be approved by the
City Administrator or his/her authorized representative, and the service
must be provided with suitable valves, including backflow device,
outside the building under the exclusive control of the Water Department.
C.
All
sprinkler pipes and other fire connection pipes shall be so placed
as to be readily inspected. If concealed or arranged with other pipes
so as not to be readily inspected or if any unauthorized connections
are made or are in existence, a meter shall be installed at the expense
of the customer.
D.
No
private fire connections shall be made on water mains of less than
six (6) inches in diameter.
E.
The
City Water Department does not assume liability as an insurer of property
or persons and the installation of a private fire connection does
not guarantee, provide or entitle the owner that any special service,
pressure, capacity or facility will be provided or maintained. All
private fire service shall be subject to the ordinances and changing
conditions of the City as the same exist day to day.
F.
The
cost for water lost on any private fire connection line or any appurtenant
fixtures due to leaks, tampering, or unauthorized usage shall be the
responsibility of and billed to the owner of the premises in accordance
with the City's adopted water rates based on the amount of water lost.
The amount of water lost on any private fire connection line that
is unmetered where connected to the City's water main shall be determined
by the Water Department based on the number of excess gallons pumped
from the City's water plant for the time period of the leak or water
loss. The number of excess gallons shall be calculated by subtracting
the total gallons of water pumped from the City's water plant for
said time period minus the historic average gallons pumped for the
time period in question that the leak or water loss was ongoing from
the time detected until repairs are completed.
