[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of North East as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-12-1977 by Ord. No. 44]
A.
The operation and administration of the Water Department shall be
under the direction of a Water Department Superintendent and a Water
Department Assistant Superintendent, who shall serve by appointment
of the Board of Supervisors. The Water Department Superintendent may
be a Township Supervisor.
B.
It shall be the duty of the Water Department Superintendent or his
delegates to enforce the provisions of this article.
C.
The Water Department Superintendent shall maintain Water Department
accounts and records and establish Water Department escrow accounts
for water line project deposits.
D.
The Water Department Superintendent shall from time to time establish
and promulgate minimum water line connection fees and billing charges
and any general Water Department charges. The preceding shall be subject
to approval by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, and passage
as amendments hereto.
E.
The Township's delegate shall act as Secretary-Treasurer for the
Water Department in charge of accounts and records as established
by the Water Department Superintendent. The Secretary-Treasurer clerk/clerks
shall be covered by sufficient bond.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
A.
Petition.
(1)
The installation of a water line may be requested by petition of
the property owners in the area to be serviced. The petition shall,
in addition to its request, contain an agreement to pay the cost of
materials and labor, and provide all necessary rights-of-way for installation
thereof.
(2)
After receipt of the property owner's petition, the Superintendent
or Assistant Superintendent shall obtain specifications and a cost
estimate from the Township Engineer. The specifications shall show
placement of all lines, valves and fittings, and an estimate of the
gallonage requirements of the new system.
(3)
After preparation of the water line specifications, the Township
shall request permission from the Borough for the extension of the
water system.
(4)
A separate escrow account shall be maintained for each water line
petition or project, and a record shall be maintained showing deposits
and depositors.
(5)
No water line project initiated by petition shall be commenced until
the entire cost of the project shall have been paid by the property
owners and deposited to the project escrow account.
B.
Water district.
(1)
Whenever the taxpayers of any section of the Township whose property
valuation, as assessed for tax purposes within such section, shall
amount to 50% of the total property valuation as assessed for tax
purposes within the section shall, by petition, so request, the Supervisors
of the Township may constitute such section into a water district
or divide into several water districts. In every such case of division
into several districts, the Supervisors shall determine the proportion
of the cost of the water system which should equitably be charged
on each of the districts, and declare and establish such apportionment
by resolution. No district shall be charged with more than its due
proportion of the cost of the main pipe lines, pumping stations, etc.,
used jointly by more than one district.
(2)
The Township Supervisors shall provide for the payment of the cost
of water lines in such districts thereof by an assessment upon the
properties accommodated or benefited, or, pursuant to this article,
on each lot or piece of land in proportion to its frontage abutting
on the mains, allowing a reduction in the case of properties abutting
on more than one main. No assessment by frontage shall be made on
properties of such character as not to be lawfully subject to this
manner of assessment, and each abutting property owner shall be assessed
with not less than the whole amount of the benefit accruing to it
and legally assessable.
(3)
After the amount of the assessment charged upon the several properties
has been established, it shall be the duty of the Township Supervisors
to file municipal liens for assessments covered by this article within
the time and in the manner provided by law, the same to be subject
in all respects to the general law providing for the filing and recovery
of municipal liens. The amounts of all assessments shall be payable
to the Township Treasurer for the use of the Township. The supervisor
shall also make out bills for the amount charged against each property,
which shall be forthwith sent to all property owners affected residing
in the Township, and mailed to all such owners residing elsewhere
whose addresses are known.
(4)
The Supervisors may elect to permit a deferred payment by owners
of agricultural land until such time as either the land is subdivided
of otherwise developed or until such time as the owners of the land
begin use of the water line or until such time as an individual water
connection is made between the water main and the agricultural land.
In the event the land remains undeveloped and an individual water
service connection is made to the main, the Supervisors may elect
to defer payment on that portion of the land which is not served or
to which an individual water service connection has not been made.
C.
Upon completion of any water line constructed in accordance with Subsection A above and upon payment of the total cost of the water line project, the Board of Supervisors shall, upon recommendation of the Water Department Supervisors and by proper resolution, accept and declare the water line completed.
A.
All bills shall be payable upon presentation and due quarterly on
the 15th day of January; the 15th day of April; the 15th day of July;
and the 15th day of October for the preceding quarter. A 5% penalty
shall be added to all bills not paid on or before the due date, and
a 10% per annum interest charge shall be added to all bills not paid
on or before the due date, and for each subsequent month or fraction
thereof that the bill or bills shall remain unpaid.
[Amended 12-27-1988 by Ord. No. 88-005; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B.
There shall be a minimum Water Department billing charge, fire service
charge and sewer charge per quarter or fraction thereof for which
water service or an individual water service connection is provided.
Each such unit whose use exceeds the minimum charge shall pay a periodic
water rent as computed using current rates as approved by resolution.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
C.
Where two or more units are served by one meter, the total volume
shall be billed using current rates as approved by resolution.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
D.
Where two or more units are served by one meter through a privately owned and maintained water system, the owner of the system shall be billed for the total amount as computed in Subsection C above.
[Amended 3-11-1985 by Ord. No. 85-008; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
E.
A charge shall be made to the Water Department for Township equipment
used in the installation of water lines. This charge shall be payable
to the North East Township General Fund.
F.
There shall be no tenant accounts. All new accounts will be placed
in the name of and billed to the property owner. Meter deposits currently
being held shall not be refunded to the present tenant until the billing
account is changed and placed in the name of and billed to the property
owner.
G.
Charges and water rents are as passed by resolution of the Board
of Supervisors.
[Amended 12-20-1977 by Ord. No. 45; 3-11-1985 by Ord. No. 85-008; 12-30-1991 by Ord. No. 91-009; at time of adoption
of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
H.
For each unit connected to the water system of North East Township,
there shall be a readiness to serve fee assessed to each unit as set
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, which fee shall be paid
regardless of the volume of water used by the unit.
[Added 3-11-1985 by Ord.
No. 85-008; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch.
1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A.
For a period not to exceed five years for residential projects and
not to exceed 10 years for commercial and/or industrial projects,
the charge for any individual service connection to a water main,
during the prescribed period after its completion, shall be in accordance
with pro rata charges as set forth in the agreement between the Township
and the original subscribers, payable in advance. The term and method
of calculating the charge shall be as set forth in the agreement entered
into between the Township and the original subscribers and said amount
shall be in addition to the usual and customary charges then in effect
in the Township.
[Amended 3-5-1990 by Ord.
No. 90-002]
B.
Charges for any individual water service connection made after five
years of the completion date shall be in accordance with the minimum
general connection fee at the time the connection is made, payable
in advance.
C.
The Water Department Superintendent shall maintain, as an exhibit
hereto, a list of water line projects, their completion dates and
the pro rata charges for individual water service connections.
D.
There shall be a minimum of one service connection per dwelling and
there shall be a separate meter for each unit, residence, apartment
or store.
E.
Water shall be turned off and on by Township employees only, upon
application of owners to the North East Township. There shall be a
turn-on fee and shutoff fee as set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
[Amended 12-27-1988 by Ord. No. 88-005; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
F.
The Township will provide mainline and curb connections only. All
others are to be installed in accordance with Township specifications.
G.
Representatives of the Township shall be permitted to enter upon
land, buildings and premises for the purpose of meter reading and
inspection.
A.
All meters and outside reader materials shall be supplied by the
Township for a service fee to be determined individually, based upon
the time and the materials supplied, and shall be installed at a point
designated by the North East Township. Meters and readers shall only
be supplied after the plumbing shall have been completed and inspected
by the Township. All meters shall be sealed by the Township and any
broken seal shall be reported immediately.
B.
Repairs to meters supplied by the Township shall be made by the Township
for a service fee to be determined individually, based upon time and
materials applied. In the event the damage has been caused by frost
or other negligence of the owner, the entire cost of replacement shall
be borne by the owner.
C.
Outside readers are mandatory on all new or replacement installations.
All meters which are currently installed within dwellings or other
buildings shall be adapted by the Township to outside readers. Installation
shall be made as the Township work schedule permits.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
D.
Specifications for water lines and connections shall be in accordance
with the following minimums:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
(1)
Minimum standard pipe size used for mains with hydrants will be six-inch.
(2)
Meters must be placed inside dwellings, using outside meter readers,
in frost protective pits or otherwise protected from frost damage.
When placed in a pit, a meter must be placed within 18 inches to 24
inches of the top. Pits must have standard pressure regulators, to
be purchased at hardware stores.
(3)
All materials used in water service connections shall be in accordance
with Township specifications and must be purchased by individual consumers
from plumbing supply establishments. (This will include all materials
used in installation of lines and pits from curb to meter.)
(4)
It is recommended that pressure regulators are used. They shall be
placed between the meter and the dwelling outlets and appliances (the
house side of the meter). Backflow prevention/dual check valves shall
be used on all services.
(5)
Specifications:
(a)
Standard house meter set. All meters used shall be supplied
by North East Township. Meter installation shall be in the following
manner: valve, meter, backflow and pressure reducing valve. No solder
joints permitted before the meter. All new installation and repairs
must adhere to the "no lead" rules and regulations as defined in the
Safe Drinking Water Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 721.1 et seq.
(b)
Pipe. Type K copper tubing, soft, flanged joints, is required
to be used from curb stop to meter.
(d)
Pressure regulator shall be standard type.
(e)
All other materials used in installation of line from curb to
meter shall be standard type.
(f)
Materials used from meter to house and through house shall be
the option of owner.
North East Township is empowered to order curtailment or a suspension
of water use when, in the judgment of the Board of Supervisors, it
becomes necessary for supply conservation or to protect health and
safety.
In the event any payment hereunder shall remain unpaid for 30
days following any due date, the Supervisor may refer the account
to the Township Solicitor for filing of a municipal lien and recovery
of all amounts due to the Township with costs of suit and attorney
fees added, and shall be empowered, upon 10 days' notice, to suspend
service to any consumer and premises who shall fail to pay any water
charge or assessment when due.
[Adopted 7-1-1996 by Ord.
No. 1996-004]
All occupied structures located on Hillcrest Drive and Crestview
Drive, North East Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, shall connect
to the municipal water line to be installed in said streets within
90 days of receipt of written notice to connect, as issued by North
East Township.
If any property owner required to connect should fail to do
so within the time period allowed, said owner shall be subject to
a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each and every
day of noncompliance.
If any property owner required to connect should fail to do
so within the time period allowed, the Township, at its sole discretion,
may connect said occupied structure to the new water line, assess
any and all charges, including legal fees, and file a municipal lien
for the same.
