[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of Pocomoke City 8-26-1968 as Ch. 49 of the 1968 Code.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
Every consumer of water from the water supply, treatment and
distribution system of the City of Pocomoke City shall and is hereby
required to have installed by the City of Pocomoke City a water meter
in the consumer line.
A.
Charges enumerated.
[Amended 2-1-1971 by Ord.
No. 220, approved 2-2-1971]
(1)
The City Council shall establish connection charges, to be paid in
advance by the consumer going on City mains, as follows:
[Amended 8-13-1973 by Ord. No. 232]
(b)
For installation involving commercial, industrial or multiple-family
uses, the connection fee shall be determined by the City Manager based
upon the costs to the City.
(c)
There shall be a street opening charge in the amount as shall
be determined by the Council by resolution.
[Amended 7-7-1980 by Ord.
No. 262, approved 7-7-1980]
(2)
All of the above charges shall be paid to the Water Department Clerk.
(3)
Each consumer shall be entitled to one free inspection of his or
her water meter in any twelve-month period. Any subsequent meter check
requested by the consumer within the next succeeding 12 months that
confirms the accuracy of the meter shall be charged to the consumer
at a rate as set forth in the Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule, adopted
by resolution of the City Council from time to time.[2]
[Added 5-17-1971 by Ord.
No. 222, approved 6-2-1971; amended 6-2-1997 by Ord. No. 349]
[2]
Editor's Note: The current Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule
is on file in the City Clerk's office.
B.
Discontinuance and resumption of service.
(1)
Water service may be discontinued by any consumer for any period
not less than one calendar month (from the first of one month to the
first of the following month or from the 15th of one month to the
15th of the following month) and for such additional months as requested
upon due notice to the Water Department Clerk, whereupon the Water
Department Clerk will direct the consumer's meter to be read
and the service discontinued, and the consumer shall be billed at
the next billing date for water metered. Upon the consumer's
request for the resumption of water service, the Water Department
Clerk will cause the meter to be read and the service turned on, and
the Water Department Clerk will, at the next billing date, charge
the consumer a fee, in an amount as set forth in the Fees, Charges
and Rates Schedule, adopted by resolution of the City Council from
time to time, for restoration of service.[3] Failure of the consumer to pay this fee shall place his
or her account delinquent, and service may be discontinued by the
City in the same manner as provided in this chapter as if said consumer
had become delinquent in payment of water metered and billed.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Ord.
No. 349]
[3]
Editor's Note: The current Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule
is on file in the City Clerk's office.
C.
Applications for water and sewer connection permits shall be addressed
to and be issued by the Water Department Clerk, and all consumers
of the City water system and/or sewer system shall be served without
discrimination but upon the express condition that if from any cause
the supply of water fails, the City shall not be held liable for any
damage which shall arise in consequence thereof.
D.
All consumer connections to the City water system shall always be
made by the City only.
E.
All connection charges, service charges and fees collected and provided
for in this section shall be credited to the City's General Water
Revenue Account.
F.
Service connections shall be from the main to the nearest property line, but said service line distance shall not exceed 100 feet. Beyond 100 feet the Council may, in its discretion, require additional service connection charges as established by it under § 226-2A herein.
G.
In the event that it is determined more practical to install a service
connection line across the property of any other person, firm or corporation,
the consumer desiring the services shall provide the City with an
easement of adequate width for the construction and maintenance of
said line.
H.
All service connection lines shall be and are hereby declared to
be part of the City's water system and shall always remain the
property of the City of Pocomoke City.
I.
Nothing herein shall prevent the City from removing any service connection
line for the purpose of relocating the same.
J.
The installation of the water meters in the service connection line on the property of the consumer or on the property of another, as provided in Subsection G herein above, shall in no way vest the title of the meter in the owner or owners of the property upon which said meter is installed.
K.
Turning on and turning off water supply.
(1)
No person, firm or corporation shall turn on the consumer's
supply of water after it has been turned off for any reason whatsoever
by the City of Pocomoke City.
(2)
Nothing herein shall prevent any person, firm or corporation, or
the authorized employee, contractor or subcontractor of the consumer,
from turning off said water supply for the purpose of repairs, extensions
or modifications of the consumer's plumbing and thereafter, when
completed, from turning the same back on.
[Amended 1-20-1969 by Ord. No. 208; 2-1-1971 by Ord. No. 220, approved 2-2-1971]
A.
Minimum water bill. Each water bill shall be rendered for an amount,
not less than the amount as shall be determined by the Council by
resolution, which will allow for the use or consumption of 3,000 gallons
of water. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all duly recognized and established
churches or houses of worship having and holding regularly conducted
weekly religious services shall be entitled to an exemption for all
water consumed up to the extent of 5,000 gallons per month but shall
pay all other applicable charges or bills.
[Amended 7-7-1980 by Ord.
No. 262, approved 7-7-1980]
B.
Meter rates.
[Amended 7-7-1980 by Ord.
No. 262, approved 7-7-1980]
(1)
The meter rates, as shall be determined by the Council by resolution,
shall be applicable to all quantities of water used or consumed in
excess of that allowed under the minimum bill.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Ord.
No. 349]
(2)
The above rates shall become effective upon the effective date of
the resolution, and the City Manager shall make such proration of
bills as shall be necessary to equitably put the new rates into full
force and effect.
C.
All meters shall be read on or about the first day of the month,
and each consumer shall pay the amount billed on or before the 10th
day of the following month.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Ord.
No. 349]
D.
All unpaid consumer accounts shall be delinquent at the close of
business on the 10th day of the month following the month the bill
is rendered, and the water service may be discontinued by the City
and shall not again be restored until all sums due the City have been
paid in full, plus an additional charge or fee, in the amount as shall
be determined by the Council by resolution, for restoring or turning
on the consumer service.
[Amended 7-7-1980 by Ord.
No. 262, approved 7-7-1980; 6-2-1997 by Ord. No.
349]
E.
Staggered meter reading and billing.
(1)
Nothing in this section shall prevent the Water Department Clerk, with the consent of the City Manager, from districting or zoning the City for the purpose of staggering the reading of meters and billing for water consumed. However, no meter shall be read or consumer billed for metered water for less than a month after districting or zoning is complete unless service has been discontinued by the consumer under § 226-2B.
(2)
In case of staggered meter reading and billing, the consumer shall pay the amount billed on or before the 30th day following the period for which billed. The provisions set forth in Subsections C and D above shall also apply to this subsection in every respect as if the provisions herein had therein been specifically provided for.
F.
All water bills or accounts shall be paid to the Water Department
Clerk of Pocomoke City during the business hours of the office. The
City Manager shall cause receipts to be issued for all sums paid on
water accounts. The City Manager is authorized to adjust water accounts
when, in his or her judgment, an error has been made in the consumer's
charges.
G.
All bills shall be sent to the property owner shown upon the City's
tax assessment books. All bills not paid by the last day of the month
following the month of billing shall draw interest thereafter until
paid at the rate of 1/2 of 1% per month, or fraction thereof, and
all such bills not so paid shall be added to the next annual tax bill
of each said owner, and the City Clerk shall not accept payment for
or receipt of said tax bill unless the amount so assessed against
said owner, with interest thereon, is included in the amount paid.
The property owner may request, in writing, that the bill be sent
to another person, and upon such request the Water Department Clerk
shall render all bills therefor to the person or persons designated
until advised, in writing, to the contrary, provided that the property
owner shall at all times be responsible for any such bill.
[Amended 5-17-1971 by Ord. No. 222, approved 6-2-1971]
A.
In the City and in all areas outside the City served by the City's
water system, private water wells shall be permitted for outside irrigation
purposes, refrigeration cooling purposes, the filling of swimming
pools and for no other purposes, subject to the provisions of this
chapter, and provided that under no circumstances shall the private,
untreated water system be connected to the City water system and that
any such well shall be limited to a depth of 30 feet below normal
ground level.
B.
A written permit shall be obtained from the City Manager of Pocomoke
City for each private well.
C.
The initial fee for a permit required for a private well shall be
in the amount as shall be determined by the Council by resolution,
and the permit shall be renewed annually after inspection of the facilities.
The annual permit renewal fee for each well shall be in the amount
as shall be determined by the Council by resolution.[1]
[Amended 7-7-1980 by Ord.
No. 262, approved 7-7-1980]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule
is on file in the City Clerk's office.
D.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section, the use or replacement of private wells for industrial purposes may be permitted only upon specific prior approval of the City Council after formal application thereto and hearing thereon at one or more regular meetings of the Council. Such Council approval shall be evidenced by a resolution adopted by the Council and spread upon its minutes. Such resolution shall set forth in precise terms the exact size, location, depth, use or uses and all other pertinent details with respect to the particular private well approval. Such resolution may also specify initial permit fees and annual permit renewal fees greater than those provided in Subsection C hereof.
[Added 1-20-1969 by Ord.
No. 208]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation in
Pocomoke City from the first day of May to and including the 30th
day of September in any year to use or operate a hose or sprinkling
system of any type whatsoever for the purpose of wetting, washing
or sprinkling lawns, pavements, streets or any other object or thing
outside a dwelling house or place of business except during the hours
of 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
daily.
[Added 1-20-1969 by Ord.
No. 20; amended 6-2-1997 by Ord. No. 349]
Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate the
provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty
of a municipal infraction and shall be subject to a fine as set forth
in the Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule, adopted by resolution of
the City Council from time to time.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current Fees, Charges and Rates Schedule
is on file in the City Clerk's office.
