[2016 Code]
In this chapter:
CROSS-CONNECTION
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.
CURB BOX
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.
DEDUCT METER
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.
LATERAL MAIN
Means a pipe running from a water main to a curb box.
SERVICE PIPE
Means a pipe running from a curb box to a water meter.
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.