[HISTORY: Adopted 10-18-1999 by Ord. No. 97; amended 4-10-2000 by Ord. No. 106; 2-12-2001 by Ord. No. 123; 9-29-2003 by Ord. No. 215; 4-18-2005 by Ord. No. 265; 5-9-2005 by Ord. No. 272; 10-19-2005 by Ord. No. 295; 10-22-2007 by Ord. No. 425; 7-13-2009 by Ord. No. 489; 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 536; 9-13-2010 by Ord. No. 570; 11-14-2011 by Ord. No. 614; 12-17-2018 by Ord. No. 841; 2-10-2020 by Ord. No. 886.] Amendments after 5-13-2020 are noted off of the specific articles, sections or subsections affected.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
All properties located within the City which are improved with any structure used or designed to be used for human habitation, employment, business, recreation or other use of water by humans, where there is access to the main line of the City's water distribution system within one hundred (100) feet of the property line, shall be required to connect to said system. Unless prior written agreement is reached with City, the owner of the property shall be responsible for installing any and all lines required to connect to the main line of the City's water distribution system. Where the City's water distribution system is not available, all properties located within the City which are improved with any structure used or designed to be used for human habitation, employment, business, recreation or other use of water by humans shall be connected to a private water distribution system complying with the provisions of all County and State laws.
[Amended 7-14-2025 by Ord. No. 1117-1; Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
A. 
No person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb the City's water distribution system without first obtaining written permission from the City.
B. 
All connections to the City's water distribution system shall be made at the expense of the owner of the property and subject to the control and supervision of the City. The City retains the right to supervise the type and character of connections and to refuse connections that do not meet the City's specifications. The owner of the property, by making application for connection, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City for liability to the owner of the property or any other person for any injury, loss, or damage whatsoever, relating to or arising out of the connection.
C. 
All new connections to the City's water distribution system shall require a permit.
1. 
The owner of the property shall make application for connection at the earliest of:
a. 
Submittal of a site plan or preliminary plat if master meters are requested; or
b. 
Application for a building permit if master meters are not requested.
The application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications, or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the City. A connection fee shall be charged at the time of application as follows:
Meter Size
(Inches)
Water Connection Fee
3/4
$1,000.00
1
$1,280.00
2
$3,108.00
3
$5,143.00
4
$9,257.00
6
$13,714.00
8
$16,457.00
10
$21,942.00
2. 
The connection fee shall be paid for each meter to be placed on a property.
D. 
The size, alignment, material used, and methods used shall all conform to the requirements of the most recent Edition of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Public Drinking Water Program, Design Guide for Community Public Water Supplies.
E. 
A permit to construct, issued by MDNR, will be provided to the City prior to any construction, alteration, or extension of lines connected or to be connected to the City's water distribution system.
F. 
The owner of the property shall notify the City when lines are ready for inspection prior to connection to the City's water distribution system. All connections shall be made under the supervision of the City.
G. 
The City shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, and testing of connections to the City water distribution system.
H. 
The owner of the property shall be responsible for any costs associated with testing required by the City to complete inspections.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
The City may issue a written stop work order to any person or entity who is found violating the provisions of this Chapter or otherwise failing to conform to the City's specifications for connection to the City's water distribution system. Violation of a stop work order is unlawful. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
Any connection in violation of this Chapter is unlawful. The City may immediately disconnect any connections made in violation of this Chapter and may make report to the Chief of Police for prosecution. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
Any person or entity responsible for an unlawful connection to the City's water distribution system shall be responsible for all damages incurred by the City as a result of such actions.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
A. 
The City shall collect a monthly water bill for the services available from the City's water distribution system to any property where a meter is located. The monthly water bill shall be the total of the water base charge plus a water usage charge.
B. 
The water base charge per month shall be twenty-six dollars sixty-six cents ($26.66) per meter.
C. 
The water usage charge per month shall be five dollars sixty cents ($5.60) per one thousand (1,000) gallons of water used per meter. This amount shall be rounded up or down to the nearest one hundred (100) gallon increment.
D. 
The monthly water bill shall be due from the customer, defined as person or entity who made application to the City for utility services. If there is no customer, then the water bill shall be due from the owner and/or occupant of the property.
E. 
The water bill shall be collected whether or not any structure located on the property is occupied or in use.
F. 
For new customers or customers terminating service, the water base charge shall be prorated based on a 30-day billing cycle for a partial month of service.
G. 
These rates are based on the latest rate study commissioned by the City. The latest study shall be made available to any person or entity upon request.
H. 
The water bill shall automatically increase by an inflation factor of three percent (3%) each year on 1st day of April, unless the Board of Aldermen makes a different adjustment after public hearing no later than the 31st day of December of the previous year.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
A. 
The water bill shall generate adequate annual revenues to pay costs of annual operation and maintenance, including repair and replacement, and the costs associated with debt retirement of bonded capital associated with financing the City's water distribution system. The water bill shall be allocated as provided in this Section. These allocations are based on the latest rate study commissioned by the City. The latest study shall be made available to any person or entity upon request.
B. 
That portion of the total water bill collected which is designated for operation and maintenance, including repair and replacement purposes, shall be deposited in a separate non-lapsing fund known as the Operation, Maintenance and Replacement Fund and will be kept in two (2) primary accounts as follows:
1. 
An account designated for the specific purpose of defraying operation and maintenance costs, excluding repair and replacement, of the City's water distribution system (Operation and Maintenance Account).
2. 
An account designated for the specific purpose of ensuring repair and replacement needs over the useful life of the City's water distribution system (Replacement Account). Deposits in the Replacement Account shall be made at least annually from the Operation, Maintenance and Replacement Fund.
C. 
That portion of the water bill collected which is designated for debt retirement shall be deposited in a separate non-lapsing fund known as the Debt Retirement Account and will be kept in a primary account for the specific purpose of meeting debt retirement associated with the City's water distribution system.
D. 
Fiscal year-end balances in the Operation and Maintenance Account, the Replacement Account, and Debt Retirement Account shall be carried over to the same accounts in the subsequent fiscal year, and shall be used for no other purposes than those designated for these accounts.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
Connection fees shall be used first to pay any deficiency in debt retirement, second to pay the lease/purchase for the water tower and water treatment plant on Mette Road, and third to reimburse any person who has contracted to be reimbursed for contribution to the expansion of the City's water distribution system.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
A. 
Bulk water may be purchased from the City's water distribution system at the rate of ten dollars eighty cents ($10.80) per one thousand (1,000) gallons. Bulk water may only be obtained from the water tower on Mette Road.
B. 
Fire departments will not be charged for use of water during their operations. Fire departments must notify the City within forty-eight (48) hours of using the City's water distribution system.
[Amended 9-8-2025 by Ord. No. 1123]
To the extent not inconsistent with other Sections of this Chapter, Appendix "A" and Appendix "B" to former Chapter 114 of the City Code, the Missouri Design Guide for Community Water Systems, latest Edition, and the City's Water Distribution System Construction Standards are hereby adopted and incorporated herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: Adopted construction standards are held on file in the City offices.