[2016 Code]
In this chapter:
Means any physical connection or arrangement between two
otherwise separate systems, one of which contains potable water from
the city water system and the other water from a private source, water
of unknown or questionable safety, or steam, gases or chemicals, whereby
there may be a flow from one system to the other, the direction of
flow depending on the pressure differential between the two systems.
Means a covered durable box or standpipe supported independently
of the lateral main and service pipe, located within the public right
of way and containing a valve connected to a lateral main and a service
pipe.
Means a water meter whose consumption reading is subtracted
from the account's primary consumption during a billing period in
order to allow a credit for sewer charges.
Means a pipe running from a water main to a curb box.
Means a pipe running from a curb box to a water meter.
Means a device connected to a service pipe and used by the
water utility to measure the volume of city water supplied to a premises.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
The director of public works and persons under his or her direction
may enter, at reasonable hours, any premises supplied with city water
for the purposes of inspecting and examining water service equipment.
[8-20-1996; 4-15-1997; 5-4-1999; 2016 Code; 6-5-2018]
(A)
Installation and maintenance of service pipes. Each separate building
shall be served by a separate service pipe. Under this section each
residential unit in a building housing two residential units shall
be considered a separate building. The water utility shall have the
power to determine what constitutes a building. Service pipes may
be installed by the property owner or the water utility. Following
installation, service pipes shall be maintained by the property owner.
(B)
Installation and maintenance of curb boxes and water meters. Each
service pipe shall connect a single curb box with a single water meter
unless the curb box contains multiple shutoff valves, in which case
each service pipe shall connect a single valve with a single water
meter. Curb boxes and water meters shall be installed and maintained
by the water utility.
(C)
Cost. The cost of the construction and correction of service pipes
with the water main shall be set by the water utility.
(D)
Service pipe specifications. All service pipes from the building
to the water main must be placed at least six feet below the surface
after the street is brought to grade.
(E)
Property owner responsibility. The property owner shall keep the
curb boxes free and accessible at all times. The property owner shall
be responsible for the cost of removing obstructions from the service
pipes and curb boxes.
(F)
Water utility authority. The water utility shall have the authority
to prescribe the kind of service connections or other attachments
to any water main and shall have the power to prescribe the kind of
pipe to be used for water service, and piping from the curb box to
the water meter must be of such kind and nature as approved by the
water utility.
(G)
Underground work. The laying of water mains, the construction of
service laterals for water service and any necessary underground work
may be done directly by the city without submitting the same for bids.
(H)
Improvements. Whenever the council shall determine to pave or improve
any street in which water mains have not been laid, it shall be the
duty of the city clerk to notify the board of public works of such
determination, and the board of public works shall then determine
whether or not a water main shall be laid before the street improvement.
(I)
Payment before service. No water service shall be supplied until
charges assessed by the water utility to the property owner have been
paid.
(J)
Outside connections restricted. No property shall be supplied with
city water unless such property is located within the corporate boundaries
of the city, or a contract for service is approved by the council
and executed with the city.
(K)
Fire suppression system connections. For those properties that are
required to have a fire suppression system, such properties shall
be required to have two separate connections to the City's water main.
One connection shall be a direct connection from the City's water
main to the fire suppression system which shall be solely dedicated
for use by the fire suppression system and not for domestic use. The
second connection shall be from the City's water main to the property
for domestic use. Both connections shall contain separate shut-off
valves to be located within the City's right-of-way. No water meter
shall be required for the fire suppression system line connection.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code; 2-17-2020]
(A)
Cross-connections prohibited. No person shall establish or permit
to be established or maintain or permit to be maintained any cross-connection.
No interconnection shall be established whereby potable water from
a private, auxiliary or emergency water supply other than the regular
public water supply of the city may enter the supply or distribution
system of the city, unless such private, auxiliary or emergency water
supply and the method of connection and use of such supply shall have
been approved by the water utility and by the Wisconsin department
of natural resources under section NR 811.09(2) of the Wisconsin administrative
code.
(B)
Inspections: It shall be the duty of the city to cause inspections
to be made of all properties served by the public water system where
cross-connections with the public water system are considered possible.
The frequency of inspections and re-inspections based on potential
health hazards involved shall be as established by the plumbing inspector
and as approved by the Wisconsin department of natural resources.
The owner of the real property shall be responsible to reimburse the
city for all costs associated with such inspections done on the owner's
real property and the owner shall be billed and required to pay within
30 days of mailing the billing invoice detailing such charges. If
the amount due is not paid within 30 days from the date of mailing,
all delinquent charges shall bear interest and penalties of 1.5 percent
per month for every month or portion of a month in which such charges
are delinquent. The city may specially assess any delinquent charges
against the real property which shall then constitute a lien on the
real property for the amount of the assessment. The city shall designate
a new fund so that all receipts and expenditures associated with such
inspections do not pass through the city's general fund.
(C)
Right of entry. Upon presentation of credentials, the plumbing inspector
shall have the right to request entry at any reasonable time to examine
any property served by a connection to the public water system of
the city for cross-connections. If entry is refused, such representative
shall obtain a special inspection warrant under section 66.0119 of
the Wisconsin statutes. The owner, lessee or occupant of any property
so served shall furnish to the inspection agency any pertinent information
regarding the piping system or systems on such property.
(D)
Discontinuance of water service. The water utility may discontinue
water service to any property where any connection exists in violation
of this section, and may take such precautionary measures considered
necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water
system. Water service shall be discontinued only after reasonable
notice and opportunity to be heard under chapter 68 of the Wisconsin
statutes, except as otherwise provided in this section. Water service
to such property shall not be restored until the connection has been
eliminated in compliance with the provisions of this section.
(E)
Immediate discontinuance of water service. If it is determined by
the water utility that a cross-connection or an emergency endangers
public health, safety or welfare and requires immediate action, and
a written finding to that effect is filed with the city clerk and
delivered to the customer's premises, service may be immediately discontinued.
The customer shall have an opportunity for hearing under chapter 68
of the Wisconsin statutes, within 10 days of such emergency discontinuance.
[12-17-1996; 2016 Code]
All structures within the city served with city water shall
be served by a remote reader for any water meter or deduct meter located
in the structure. Installation of the remote reader required by this
section shall be made by an authorized city employee, a licensed plumber
or a licensed electrician.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
(A)
The schedule of rates for water service shall be recommended by the
board of public works, after approval by the public service commission,
to the council. The council shall approve the rates for water service
by resolution.
(B)
Surplus revenue from the water utility shall be applied in such manner
as the finance and taxation committee shall determine.
[7-6-2004; 6-17-2008; 2016 Code; 4-4-2022]
(A)
Billing frequency. The services provided for by this chapter shall
be billed each calendar quarter and the water utility billing procedures
shall apply to such bills.
(B)
Water utility billing procedures. Bills shall be prepared by the
water utility and shall be directed to the owner of each parcel of
real property, or to the tenant if the procedures of section 66.0809(5)
are followed, from which the liability for payment arose. Bills shall
include an itemized list of the services billed, a total amount due
and a date, 20 days following issuance of the bill, by which payment
in full is due (the "due date"). A late payment charge of 3% computed
upon any balance remaining unpaid following the due date for charges
first appearing on the bill to which such due date applies, shall
be added to the bill. The treasurer shall collect the bills and any
late payment charges. The procedures set forth in section 66.0809
of the Wisconsin Statutes for the collection of unpaid utility charges
and penalties shall apply to collection of unpaid charges appearing
on the bill, including late payment charges. The procedures set forth
in this subsection apply whenever reference is made in this code to
"water utility billing procedures."
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
(A)
No person, unless authorized, shall open or tamper with any fire
hydrant, draw water from any fire hydrant or obstruct access to any
fire hydrant, gate, stopcock box or other connection with the city
water distribution system.
(B)
No person shall injure, deface or impair the operation of the city
water distribution system.
(C)
No person, unless authorized, shall make any attachments or connections
with the city water distribution system.
(D)
No person shall sell or give away water from his or her premises
without the permission of the director of public works. The board
of public works shall determine what constitutes the selling or giving
away of water.
(E)
No person shall take away water from any public source without first
obtaining the permission of the director of public works.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
The occupant or owner of the premises must make a written request
for the discontinuance of water service with the water utility. Such
request shall include the reason for discontinuance of service.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
The water utility shall add approximately one and not more than
1 1/2 parts of fluoride to every million parts of water being
distributed by the water utility.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code; 6-5-2018]
To prevent unused or improper construction of wells from serving
as a passage for contaminated surface or near surface waters or other
materials to reach the usable ground water, these existing wells must
be properly filled and sealed. Except as stated in Subsection (E)
below, there shall be no new private wells allowed after the passage
of this section.
(A)
Applicability. Except as stated in Subsection (E) below, all private
wells located on any premises which is served by the public water
system of the city shall be properly filled. Only those wells for
which a current well operation permit has been granted by the director
of public works may be exempted from this requirement, subject to
the conditions of maintenance and operation. The City Clerk shall
provide notice to the owner for those current private wells that have
a valid well operation permit that their well operation permit is
not transferable and that future new owners will not be entitled to
use such private wells. The City Clerk shall also record such notice
with the register of deeds for each current well operation permit
holder's property.
(B)
Well operation permits. Upon payment of a fee set by resolution of
the council, a permit may be granted to a well owner to operate a
well for a period not to exceed one year, the term of each permit
to begin on November 1 and to expire on October 31 of the following
year, if the following requirements are met:
(1)
The well and pump installation meet the requirements of chapter
NR 812.42 of the Wisconsin administrative code, and a well constructor's
report is on file with the department of natural resources, or certification
of the acceptability of the well has been granted by the private water
supply section of the department of natural resources.
(2)
The well has a history of producing safe water and produces
bacteriologically safe water as evidenced by three samples two weeks
apart. Initial samplings will be done by and paid for by the water
utility. "Initial samplings" as used in this subsection means those
samples necessary to establish a history of producing safe water.
The permit holder shall do and pay for all samplings necessary beyond
the initial samplings.
(3)
The proposed use of the well can be justified as being necessary
in addition to water provided by the public water system.
(4)
No physical connection shall exist between the piping of the
public water system and the private well.
(C)
Methods. Wells to be abandoned shall be filled according to the procedures
outlined in chapter NR 812 of the Wisconsin administrative code. The
pump and piping must be removed and the well checked for obstructions
before plugging. Any obstruction or liner must be removed.
(D)
Reports and inspection. A well abandonment report must be submitted
by the well owner to the department of natural resources on forms
provided by the agency (available at the office of the director of
public works). The report shall be submitted immediately upon completion
of the filling of the well. The filling must be observed by a representative
of the city.
(E)
Private wells exceptions. The prohibition against private wells shall
not apply to private wells to be located at the Monroe Municipal Airport
or private wells for commercial properties. However, all such private
wells located at the Monroe Municipal Airport and commercial properties
shall be required to obtain well operation permits and be subject
to the conditions of maintenance and operation as stated in this chapter.
[8-20-1996; 2016 Code]
A person who violates any provision of this chapter shall upon
conviction be subject to a Class 1 forfeiture. A separate offense
exists each calendar day during which a violation occurs or continues.
