[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007[1]]
See §§ 48-1 and 48-2 for the definition of words, terms and phrases used in this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 14-007, adopted 10-27-2014, amended Art. II in its entirety to read as set out herein. Former Art. II pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Code 1975, § 37-13 — 37-25; Code 1992, § 31-26 — 31-44.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
(a) 
The City water system shall be and remain under the management, supervision and control of the City Manager, who may employ or designate such person in such capacity as he or she deems advisable to carry out the efficient management and operation of the system. The City Manager may make such rules, orders or regulations as he or she deems advisable and necessary to ensure the efficient management and operation of the system, subject, however, to the rights, powers and duties in respect thereto which are reserved by law to the City Council.
(b) 
The City Manager may make and issue rules and regulations concerning the City water distribution system, connections thereto, meter installations and maintenance, connection and meter installation fees, hydrants and water mains and the appurtenances thereto, not inconsistent with this article. Such rules and regulations shall be effective upon approval by the City Council. The rules and regulations in effect shall continue until changed in accordance with this section.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
The City Manager may restrict the use of water for lawn sprinkling or other uses as he or she deems necessary to cover emergency or special conditions.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
(a) 
Application for service connections shall be made to the Department on forms prescribed and furnished by it. The Department may refuse to authorize a larger service connection than is reasonably required by the premises served.
(b) 
All premises using water shall be metered, except that the Director, with the approval of the City Manager, may authorize service on estimated rate charges, where it is not practical to install a meter.
(c) 
Water connections and meters shall be installed in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department and upon payment of the required connection fee. All meters and water connections shall be the property of the City. Connection fees shall not be less than the cost of materials, installation and overhead attributable to such connection.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
The following shall apply in the installation of water connections:
(1) 
The City shall install the water connection and that part of the service connection from the water main to and including the curb stop and curb stop box if the service connection is one inch or three-fourths of an inch in size. Larger sizes shall be installed by a licensed contractor, under the City's supervision, using parts approved by the City and in accordance with the adopted plumbing code.
(2) 
The service connection from the water connection at the water main to the point of use shall be the responsibility of the property owner, including that portion of the service connection which may be in the public right-of-way and under a roadway. The property owner shall keep the curb stop box visible and in good repair, free from dirt, stones and other substances, and shall do nothing to interfere with the ability of City employees to operate the curb stop.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
No person, other than an authorized employee of the Department, shall turn on or off any service connection; except that a licensed plumber may turn on the service connection for testing his or her work, in which case the service connection shall be immediately turned off upon completion. The property owner of a premises where an unauthorized turn on occurs shall be charged a fee. The fee for such turn on shall be set by resolution of the City Council from time to time.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
Meters shall be set in an accessible location and in a manner satisfactory to the Director. Where the premises contains no basement or cellar, the meter shall be installed outside in a meter pit, the location of which shall be approved by the Director. Where it is necessary to set the meter in a pit, such pit shall be built at the expense of the owner, as directed by the Director.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
The Department shall have the right to shut off the service connection to any premises where the Department is not able to obtain access to the meter. Any authorized employee of the Department shall, at all reasonable hours, have the right to enter the premises where such meters are installed for the purpose of reading, testing, removing or inspecting the meters, and no person shall hinder, obstruct or interfere with such employee in the lawful discharge of his or her duties in relation to the care and maintenance of such meters.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
No person shall willfully or carelessly break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the City water and water distribution systems.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
No person shall damage, disturb, tamper with, disconnect, or break or injure the seal of, cause to be bypassed or partially bypassed, or change the location of any water meter without the approval of the Director.
Any damage to a meter resulting from carelessness of the owner, agent or tenant from neglect to properly secure and protect the meter, as well as any damage which may be caused because of freezing, shall be paid by the property owner to the City. The fee for such damage shall be set by resolution of the City Council from time to time.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
No person shall open or use any fire hydrant connected with the City water distribution system, unless duly authorized by the City.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
A connection with the City water system shall comply with existing laws, ordinances and rules, including:
(1) 
The State Plumbing Act, Public Act No. 733 of 2002 (MCL 338.3511 et seq.).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The State Plumbing Act was repealed by 2016 PA 407. See now the Skilled Trades Regulation Act, MCLA § 339.5101 et seq.
(2) 
The cross-connection rules of the State Department of Environmental Quality, Mich. Admin. Code R 325.11401 through R 325.11407.
(3) 
City ordinances and rules providing acceptable protection against cross-connections, including applicable sections of the building code and plumbing code.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
(a) 
A user of the City water system shall obtain written approval by the Director of any proposed corrective action or backflow prevention device before using or installing it.
(b) 
The total time allowed for completion of the necessary corrections shall be contingent upon the degree of hazard involved and shall include the time required to obtain and install equipment. If a cross-connection has not been removed, after a reasonable period of time, the Department shall physically separate the City water system from the on-site piping system in such a manner that the two systems cannot again be connected by any unauthorized person.
(c) 
All testable backflow prevention devices shall be tested for proper working condition initially upon installation and at an interval specified in the City cross-connection control program, as approved by the state regulating authority, thereafter.
(d) 
Testing of backflow prevention devices must be performed by a licensed and registered master or journeyman plumber also certified by the state regulating authority to test and repair such devices.
(e) 
An approved test report form must be completed by a certified plumber and submitted to the Director.
(f) 
Should testing indicate that a backflow prevention device is not in proper working condition, repairs must be made immediately by a certified master or journeyman plumber.
[10-27-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
(a) 
When a secondary water supply is used in addition to the City water system, exposed public water and secondary water piping shall be identified by distinguishing colors or tags and so maintained that each pipe may be traced readily in its entirety. Secondary water supplies, nonflowing fire protection systems, or sections of a water supply system subject to potential contamination shall be isolated with the use of an approved backflow prevention device, as approved by the Director.
(b) 
A private water storage tank supplied from a public water supply system shall be deemed a secondary water supply unless it is designed and approved for potable water usage.