[Adopted 11-21-1988 by Ord. No. 448]
This article shall be known as and may be cited as the "Water
System Regulation Ordinance of the Borough of Blawnox."
This article provides for the fixing of rates and charges pertaining
to water service in the Borough of Blawnox; fixes the responsibility
for the payment of charges for the consumption of water and related
services and provides for the collection of same; adopts rules and
regulations for water service throughout the water system of the Borough
of Blawnox; and prescribes penalties for violations.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
WATER SYSTEM
The Fox Chapel Water Authority Interconnect, water tank,
and distribution lines, together with all related equipment, which
serve the inhabitants of the Borough of Blawnox and which is owned
by the Borough of Blawnox.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
All owners of property abutting any street or alley in which
there is a water main or in which a water main may be constructed
shall make connection at their own expense to such water line for
the purpose of conducting water to such property. Any such property
owner shall be given at least 45 days' notice of the requirement for
connection of his property to the Borough water system. Upon failure
of such owner to make such connection, the Borough may make the same
and collect the cost thereof from the owner by municipal claim and/or
by the initiation of a civil action.
No person except an employee of the Blawnox Water Department
or other duly authorized person shall open, close or in any way interfere
with any valve or stopcock in the Blawnox water system.
No connections or outlet will be permitted on the service pipe
or pipes supplying any premises, between the street main and the meter.
All water used must pass through the meter.
All contracts for water shall continue in force from one billing
period to another, but either party may cancel the contract by giving
10 days' written notice that the contract shall terminate at a certain
future time.
No connections shall be made between pipes or containers carrying
water supplied by the Borough and pipes or containers carrying water
from any other source unless the proposed cross-connection has been
approved by the Borough Council of the Borough of Blawnox and the
County Department of Health.
The Borough Council reserves the right to change or amend, from
time to time, the rules and regulations for the use of water.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
With the exception of those sections of this article regarding
nonpayment of monies due the Borough for various services as set forth
in this article where collection procedures have been outlined, and,
in addition to the turning off of water as provided in this article,
any person who shall violate a provision of this article or shall
fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall exceed
the authorization of any permit issued under the provisions of this
article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding under the Pennsylvania
Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall
be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus court costs
and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement
proceedings. Upon judgment against any person by summary conviction,
or by proceedings by summons on default of the payment of the fine
or penalty imposed and the costs, the defendant may be sentenced and
committed to the county correctional facility for a period not exceeding
30 days. Each day that such violation exists shall constitute a separate
offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall also
constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement
under this section, the Borough may enforce this article in equity
in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.
The passage of this article and the repeal by it of any prior
enabling ordinances relating to water service in the Borough of Blawnox
or its environs shall not invalidate any actions taken under such
prior ordinances. This article, in such respect, shall be deemed a
continuation and codification of such prior enabling ordinances.
This article represents a codification of the ordinances, rules
and regulations concerning potable water within the Borough of Blawnox
and its environs and may be advertised as such.
In the event that any provisions, section, sentence, clause
or part of this article shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall
not affect or impair any remaining provision, section, clause or part
of this article, it being the intent of the Borough of Blawnox that
such remainder shall be and shall remain in full force and effect.
Ordinance No. 230, an ordinance providing for the power to fix
rates and charges pertaining to water service, fixing the responsibility
for payment of rates and charges and providing for the collection
of the same, requiring compliance with its provisions, and including
regulations of the Water Department and prescribing penalties for
violations, is hereby repealed.
[Adopted 10-18-1993 by Ord. No. 474]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
AIR GAP
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere
between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying potable
water to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the flood level
rim of the receptacle. These vertical, physical separations must be
at least twice the effective opening of the water supply outlet, never
less than one inch (25 mm) above the receiving vessel flood rim.
APPROVED
A backflow prevention device or method has been accepted
by the public water supplier as meeting an applicable standard, specification,
requirement, or as suitable for the proposed use.
AUXILIARY WATER SYSTEM
Any water source or system of water on or available to the
premises other than the water supplier's approved source(s) of water.
These auxiliary sources of water may include but are not limited to
other public water system sources or other unapproved on-site source(s)
which are not under the control of a public water system, such as
a well, lake, spring, river, stream, harbor, and so forth. Auxiliary
water sources may also include graywater, rain or stormwater, reclaimed
waters, or recycled waters.
AWWA
The American Water Works Association; it is responsible for
creating the standards for all areas of water treatment and supply.
BACKFLOW
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances
into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any
source or sources other than its intended source.
BACKFLOW PREVENTER
An assembly, device or method that prevents the backflow
of water or liquids into the public water supply system.
BACKSIPHONAGE
A type of backflow that results from negative pressures in
the distributing pipes of a potable water supply.
BOOSTER PUMP
Any device which is intended to increase the in-line water
pressure.
CONSUMER'S WATER SYSTEM
Any water system located on the consumer's premises supplied
by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system. A household
plumbing system is considered to be a consumer's water system.
CONTAMINATION
The degradation of the quality of the drinking water by wastewaters,
processed fluids or any water of a quality less than accepted drinking
water quality to a degree which would create an actual hazard to the
public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.
CROSS-CONNECTION
Any actual connection or potential connection between any
part of a potable water system and any other environment that would
allow substances to enter the potable water system that could be a
potential source of contamination or pollution.
DEGREE OF HAZARD
The assessment or evaluation of a facilities domestic water
system's cross-connections as they relate to the health hazard of
the consumer's water.
DOUBLE-CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY
A backflow prevention consisting of two internally loaded
independently operating check valves, located between two tightly
closing resilient-seated shutoff valves with four properly placed
resilient-seated test cocks.
HEALTH HAZARD
Any condition, device or practice in a water system or its
operation that creates or may create a danger to the health and well-being
of its users. The word "severe" as used to qualify "health hazard"
means a hazard to the health of the user that could reasonably be
expected to result in the significant morbidity or death.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, association, company, corporation,
municipality, municipal authority, political subdivision or any agency
of federal or state government. The term includes the officers, employees
and agents of any partnership, association, company, corporation,
municipality, municipal authority, political subdivision or any agency
of federal or state government.
POLLUTION
The presence in water of any foreign substance that tends
to degrade its quality so as to constitute a hazard or impair the
usefulness or quality of the water to a degree which does not create
an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely and
unreasonably affect such waters for domestic use.
POTABLE WATER
Water free from impurities present in amounts sufficient
to cause disease or harmful physiological effects. Its bacteriological
and chemical quality shall conform to the requirements of the USEPA
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and the regulations of
the public health authority having jurisdiction.
PROCESS FLUIDS
Any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically
or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration that
would constitute a health, pollution or system hazard if introduced
into the public or a consumer's water system. This includes, but is
not limited to:
A.
Polluted or contaminated waters.
C.
Used waters originating from the public water system which may
have deteriorated in sanitary quality.
E.
Contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams
or irrigation systems.
F.
Chemicals in solution or suspension.
G.
Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids
used in industrial or other processes, or for firefighting purposes.
H.
Heating system waters from boilers or heat pumps.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
A system which provides water to the public for human consumption
which has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average
of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year.
The term is either a community or noncommunity water system and includes
any collection, treatment, storage and distribution facilities under
control of the operator of the system and used in connection with
the system. The term includes collection or pretreatment storage facilities
not under such control which are used in connection with the system.
The term also includes a system which provides water for bottling
or bulk hauling for human consumption.
REDUCED PRESSURE ZONE (RPZ) DEVICE
A backflow prevention device assembly consisting of a mechanical,
independently acting, hydraulically dependent relief valve, located
between two independently operating, internally loaded check valves
that are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff
valves with four properly placed resilient-seated test cocks.
SERVICE CONNECTION
The connection between the public water system distribution
system main and a user's domestic water system.
SERVICE LINE
The pipe leading from the curb stop to the premises of a
water customer. The service line is owned by and is the responsibility
of the customer.
SYSTEM HAZARD
A condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage
to the physical properties of the public water system or the consumer's
potable water system.
WATER SYSTEM
Includes the filter plant, fixtures, treatment equipment,
wells, pumping stations, transmission lines, distribution lines, hydrants,
reservoirs, tanks, curb stops, rights-of-way and all other properties
and facilities, together with related equipment now or hereafter owned,
operated and maintained by the Borough of Blawnox in order to collect,
treat and distribute water for municipal purposes and for the use
of the inhabitants thereof.
The type of protection required under §
534-32A,
B, and
C of this article shall depend on the degree of hazard which exists as follows:
A. An approved air gap separation shall be installed where the public
water supply system may be contaminated with substances that are dangerous
to the public health and could cause a severe health hazard.
B. An approved air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure zone
backflow prevention device shall be installed where the public water
supply system may be contaminated with a substance that could cause
a system or health hazard.
C. An approved air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure zone
backflow prevention device or an approved double check valve assembly
shall be installed where the public water supply system may be polluted
with substances that would be objectionable but not dangerous to health.
Any ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this
article be and the same are hereby repealed.