This chapter is intended to regulate water services, municipal
water, and private wells within the incorporated limits of the City
and to protect and preserve the surface waters and groundwater aquifers
lying under and adjacent to the City.
Water rates and regulations will be as established by the State
Public Service Commission and the rates and regulations so ordered
are adopted as the rates and regulations of the City and incorporated
in this chapter as part hereof. Any further changes in rates and regulations
ordered from time to time by the Public Service Commission are adopted
by the City and incorporated in this chapter as a part hereof.
All water services, charges and special assessments shall be
a lien on the lot, part of a lot or real estate on which service is
supplied or available for service. All charges accrued during the
preceding year not paid by October 15 of the following year shall
be certified to the City Clerk and placed upon the real estate tax
roll for collection as provided by state statutes.
There may be levied from time to time special assessments against
certain properties benefited by public work or improvements to the
Water Utility.
[Amended 8-22-1989 by Ord. No. 660]
A. The owner of each parcel of land presently occupied and serviced
or capable of being serviced by such water system shall be hooked
up to the water system within 30 days after notification by the Committee.
If unoccupied, hookup shall be before occupancy. Such mandatory hookup
shall apply to all buildings located within the City capable of being
served, if said property is tested and is not served by a private
well which tests "safe" according to standards of the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources and the Waukesha County Health Department, and
to all new construction. To assure preservation of public health,
comfort and safety, the City does require buildings used for human
habitation and located adjacent to a water main, or in a block through
which the water system is extended, to be connected with said system
in the manner prescribed in this subsection. If any person fails to
comply for more than 10 days after notice in writing, the City may
impose a penalty or may cause connection to be made, and the expense
thereof shall be assessed as a special tax against the property. The
owner may, within 30 days after the completion of the work, file a
written option with the City Clerk stating that he or she cannot pay
the amount in one sum and asking that it be levied in not to exceed
five equal annual installments, and the amount shall be so collected
with interest at a rate not to exceed 15% per year from the completion
of the work, the unpaid balance to be a special tax lien. All such
costs may, at the City's option, be placed on the tax roll as
a special charge pursuant to § 66.0627, Wis. Stats.
[Amended 12-23-2010 by Ord. No. 1336]
B. The owner of each parcel of land required to hook up under Subsection
A which is not hooked up to such water system shall be subject to a forfeiture for such violation. In addition to such forfeiture, he shall pay the City Treasurer upon billing therefor an amount equal to 95% of the minimum quarterly charge for water service of the required size to be collected in the event of nonpayment as a special assessment on the real estate tax bill.
All water services within the City from the street main to the
curb stop, including all controls between the same, shall be maintained
by the Utility without expense to the property owner, except when
damaged as a result of negligence or carelessness of the property
owner, tenant or owner's agent, where they shall be repaired
at the property owner's expense. All water services from the
point of maintenance by the system to and throughout the premises
shall be maintained free of defective conditions by and at the expense
of the property owner or occupant. If the property owner does not
repair a leak between the curb stop and building within 24 hours,
the water shall be shut off until the repair is made.
No person shall willfully pollute or otherwise injure any water
supplied by the system in any tunnel, aqueduct, reservoir, pipe, etc.;
willfully injure or cause damage to the system, building, machinery
or fixture pertaining thereto; willfully and without authority of
the Public Works and Safety Committee impede or divert the flow of
water in any tunnel, aqueduct, pipe, etc., belonging to such system;
or willfully and without authority of such Committee bore into or
otherwise cause to leak any tunnel, aqueduct, reservoir, pipe, etc.,
used in the system to hold, convey or distribute water.