The following rules and regulations, until further notice, shall be considered as part of the contract with every property owner who uses Town water.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Water Department of the Town of Kingston effective 5-1-2014. Amendments noted where applicable. The codification of the Water Department Rules and Regulations as Chapter 490 of the Town Code was approved by the Water Department in 2024.]
A.
All applications for the use of water must be made at the office of the Water Commissioners and state fully the purpose for which it is intended to be used and accompanied by the payment of the connection fee. When the ownership of the property changes, the full name and address of the new owner shall be given to the Water Commission, at once, in order that a bill may be properly rendered. The minimum charge for the installation of a new water service shall be:
B.
Services larger than six inches shall be charged accordingly.
C.
All new services being installed or existing services being renewed shall be required to have a Sensus RadioRead™ meter that can be used with the Town's reading system. Meter and meter reading equipment (MXU) must be purchased through the Water Department. Water Department must be contacted to inspect the meter installation and will install and program the meter reading equipment (MXU) at that time. Initial requests for inspections and turn-ons during normal working hours will be done free of charge. Should additional inspections or service calls become necessary due to noncompliance with these rules and regulations, there will be a $50 charge for each additional call.
D.
All meters requiring repair or replacement due to freezing, tampering or abuse shall be charged to the property owner.
E.
If the Water Department is not permitted to install a radio-operated metering system at any location, a direct-read meter with remote will be installed at the owner's expense, and there will be a $50 service charge each time the meter is read.
F.
If the Water Department is not permitted to install/repair a water meter at any location, or not repair/replace the MXU/remote reader at any location in order to get an accurate reading from any location, the charge for water will be the same as the highest residential water bill of the previous quarter.
A.
The Water Department will make all connections with the street mains and furnish and install all service pipes and fittings, up to and including the curb stop, and keep them in good repair and protected from frost at its own expense, and the Commissioners will not be liable for any damage resulting from failure to do so.
B.
The Town of Kingston shall not be responsible for the maintenance or repair of any water system beyond the curb or gate valve.
C.
No person, unless authorized by the Commissioners, shall shut off or turn on the water in any service pipe except beyond the curb stop. Unauthorized turning on or off of Water Department curb stops or gates will result in a fine of $300 per violation.
D.
Whoever unlawfully and intentionally injures, or suffers to be injured, a water meter belonging to the Town of Kingston Water Department or prevents such meter from duly registering the quantity of water supplied to it or hinders or interferes with its proper action or just registration, or attaches a pipe to a main or pipe belonging to the Town of Kingston Water Department without consent, unless it passes through a meter supplied by the Town of Kingston Water Department, shall be punished by a fine of triple the amount of damages sustained thereby or $1,000, whichever is greater, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Damages shall include the value of the water used and the cost of labor and equipment repair and replacement.
E.
Anyone requesting Water Department personnel to assist in the conducting of fire-flow tests shall provide the Superintendent with advance notification of the timetable, outlining dates, time and locations of tests. Written certification that all gauges to be used in the testing have been calibrated within 30 days must be submitted prior to testing. The Board of Water Commissioners will require that a representative of the Town's engineering consultant monitor the test. In addition, the contractor/developer must reimburse the Town of Kingston for all charges for services by the Town's engineering consultant, as well as any hourly labor charges of Water Department personnel involved in conducting the tests.
F.
Whenever by request of plumbers or other persons water is to be turned off or on at the curb stop, the Water Department shall be notified, allowing a reasonable time for this work to be done within normal business hours.
G.
Turning water on or off outside normal business hours will be performed for an additional minimum charge of $100 for each service call. Emergency shutoff of water may be abated by a vote of the Commissioners.
H.
The water cannot be left running to prevent freezing or for other purposes without permission of the Water Commissioners or their authorized representative.
I.
The property owner shall repair any leaks in service pipes on the property owner's side of the curb stop. Failure to make such repairs within seven days of notification shall result of a fine of $20 per day for each day after seven days.
J.
No water service shall be placed closer than five feet horizontally and three feet vertically of any water service or main without the express consent of the Board of Water Commissioners.
K.
No underground utility shall be placed within five feet horizontally and three feet vertically of any water service or main without the express consent of the Board of Water Commissioners.
L.
No sewer line, leaching pit or field shall be placed closer than 10 feet horizontally from any water main or service. In the event of a vertical crossing of a sewer and water line, where possible, the sewer line shall be placed under the water line. All vertical crossings shall be sleeved a minimum of 10 feet on both sides of the crossing.
M.
No service shall be coupled that is less than 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 100 feet from the curb stop to the building. All connections shall be the compression type.
N.
All services shall be installed with a minimum of five-foot cover and a maximum of six-foot cover and inspected by the Water Department or its authorized representative prior to any backfilling of the trench. All services shall be laid on a bed of six inches of clean sand and shall be covered with a minimum of 12 inches of clean sand, when compacted. If not inspected, the service will be reopened by the applicant for inspection at the applicant's expense.
O.
No service shall be made beyond lot lines. Anyone requesting a water service must have a water main six inches or larger abutting the lot requesting a water service or an easement through abutting property to the lot requesting a water service. Any extension of water mains to provide a specific service will be at the property owner's expense.
P.
One water line servicing multiple owners is expressly prohibited. If a dwelling is converted to condominium units, a separate water line and meter must be added for each unit at the owner's expense.
Q.
All new services being installed or existing services renewed from curb stop to house shall be a one-inch-minimum, Type K copper, AWWA C901 200 psi black plastic or Endot EndoPure ASTM D2239 PE-3408 200 psi.
Schedule water rates shall be payable as billed. Metered accounts are paid on actual water used for the previous billing period. All users shall be metered.
Multiple services from any curb stop are expressly prohibited.
Owners of the property of real estate shall in all cases be liable for the water rates or other proper due charges of the Water Department. If not paid when due, the water may be shut off for nonpayment of charges. One hundred dollars additional will be charged for turning the water on again.
No property owner shall supply water to parties not entitled to its use except by written permission of the Water Commissioners.
A.
No person shall cause to be connected to any Town water main, any service parts, installed for any purpose, which are connected to any other sources of water supply unless such Town water main is protected from contamination by a DEP-approved backflow prevention device, installed in accordance with the provisions of Commonwealth of Massachusetts laws and the requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Backflow inspection fee: $85 per inspection.
B.
Underground irrigation systems and point-of-use treatment apparatus shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter. Effective January 1, 2010, new underground irrigation systems are prohibited from using municipal water. An illegal connection of an underground irrigation system to Town water would result in a fine of $300 per day.
Water will be furnished for external fire protection free of charge, but no one will be allowed to use water through fire hydrants for any other purposes, except upon written consent from the Board of Water Commissioners. Such allowed use shall be for a period not to exceed two weeks at a cost of water charges according to the measured water rates, plus a $200 deposit for the use of a one-inch meter and backflow prevention device or a $700 deposit for a two-inch setup.
A.
The Board of Water Commissioners reserves the right to change water rates and rules at any time, restrict the use of hoses, fountains and sprinklers, to shut off the water in all cases when it becomes necessary to make extensions or repairs or for violations of any of the rules and regulations.
C.
Any service that uses a private irrigation source for watering shall be required to post a sign notifying the Town of such action.
Water will in no case be supplied through a service pipe for less than the minimum service charge of $144 per year, billed according to the current billing schedule.
A.
Although notice is generally given when possible, the Water Department shall have the right at any time, without notice, to shut off water for violation of these regulations, for repairs, alterations, or extension to its system, when making tests or for any other necessary purposes, and no water taker shall be entitled to collect from any damage resulting from such action.
B.
Property owners shall not be entitled to a refund or abatement of charges for temporary discontinuance of supply because of construction or repairs to the system or for discolored water.
C.
Neither the Town nor the Water Department shall be held responsible for damage because of failure of the water supply from whatever cause.
D.
Boilers, tanks, or other fixtures directly supplied with Town water should be provided with proper safeguards against damage from collapse, water hammer, back pressure or other hazards. The Water Department will not be responsible for damage in any event.
E.
All pipes and fixtures must be of sufficient strength to withstand any pressure to which the water mains may be subjected, in case of any emergency or any other conditions.
A.
In no case shall water be furnished to any residence or business for less than the minimum service charge in any billing period.
Water Rates Effective May 1, 2014: Quarterly Billing | |
|---|---|
Service charge | $36 per quarter |
0 gallons to 10,000 gallons | $2.50/1,000 gallons |
10,001 gallons to 20,000 gallons | $3/1,000 gallons |
20,001 gallons to 30,000 gallons | $4/1,000 gallons |
30,001 gallons to 40,000 gallons | $4.25/1,000 gallons |
40,001 gallons to 60,000 gallons | $5.75/1,000 gallons |
60,001 gallons to 80,000 gallons | $6/1,000 gallons |
80,001 gallons to 100,000+ gallons | $6.25/1,000 gallons |
Water for resale | $0.5 per Gallon |
B.
All appeals for abatement from water charges must be made to the Clerk of the Board of Water Commissioners either in writing or personal appearance within 30 days after issuance of water bills.
A.
All businesses shall be required to have a Sensus RadioRead™ operated meter to be used with the Town's meter reading system. Meter and meter reading equipment (MXU) must be purchased through the Water Department. Water Department must be contacted to inspect the meter installation and at the same time will install the meter reading equipment.
B.
Initial requests for inspections and turn-ons, during normal working hours, will be done free of charge. Should additional inspections or service calls become necessary due to noncompliance with these rules and regulations, there will be a $50 charge for each additional call.
A.
Plan approval.
(1)
The following information must be shown on plans submitted for approval to the Board of Water Commissioners with a certified check for $200 payable to the Town of Kingston, for review by the Water Department's consulting engineer. The developer shall assume all costs in excess of the $200 for a complete review, if the size and nature of the project exceeds the minimum charge.
(2)
Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Water Commissioners, the minimum size pipe that may be installed in any street or way is 12 inches.
(3)
Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Water Commissioners, all intersections shall be triple-gated with the hydrant located within the gate cluster. There shall be hydrants every 500 feet and gate valves every 1,000 feet. Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Water Commissioners, all water mains shall be looped.
(4)
Water mains must be extended to the subdivision property lines on all existing and future roadways and/or easements shown on the definitive subdivision plan approved by the Board of Water Commissioners. Where the Board of Water Commissioners determines that it will not unduly affect the public health and safety, it may, at its discretion, accept a water line easement in a form to be approved by the Board of Water Commissioners in lieu of this requirement. Where the existing or future roadway and/or easement does not extend to the subdivision property line, a water line easement must be provided to the Water Department in a form to be approved by the Board of Water Commissioners, to allow for the extension of such water line by the Water Department or its assigns.
(5)
All easements provided to the Water Department shall be accompanied by a plan showing the easement, along with documentation proving the easement is recorded with the Registry of Deeds. The plan and the recorded easement shall also be furnished to the Board of Assessors.
(6)
All projects that fall within an overlay district of a public water supply will have additional requirements and fees as detailed in the Water Resource Overlay District sections of the Town of Kingston Zoning Bylaw.
B.
Installation.
(1)
A full-time inspector for the Water Department shall be present during all installations of water mains, hydrants, services, etc., and during testing. The contractor shall compensate the inspector at a rate equal to the top step in the current Kingston Town Employees Labor Union Contract rate for Water Department foreman and shall carry all required insurances. The final selection of the inspector shall require approval of the Board of Water Commissioners. The developer shall notify the Superintendent of Water, at least three days prior to installation, to ensure that an inspector is available.
(2)
Before any water main is laid, the road must be at subgrade with grade stakes and limit stakes set by a registered land surveyor.
(3)
Contractors making a connection to a water main or service under a Town way shall be required to obtain a road opening permit from the Board of Selectmen. All other openings to easements, private ways, Commonwealth of Massachusetts roads and highways, etc., shall require the posting of a certified check with the Board of Water Commissioners for an amount to be determined by them to insure the satisfactory completion of the installation of pipe and the restoration of any disturbed areas to the satisfaction of the Board of Water Commissioners.
(4)
All water mains must be installed by the developer with a minimum cover of five feet and a maximum cover of six feet. All mains shall be laid on a bed of six inches of clean sand and covered with a minimum of 12 inches of clean sand, when compacted.
(5)
All water mains 16 inches and under shall be DR18, Class 150, and conform to AWWA C-900 and C-905; IPEX, Inc., Toronto, Ontario (Canada); National Pipe and Plastics, Inc., Vestal, New York; Extrusions Technologies, Inc, Denver, Colorado/Wexford, Pennsylvania; installed with a locator wire. Ductile iron pipe is permitted for bridge and sprinkler line installations. Ductile iron pipe 12 inches and under shall meet the same specifications as for over 12 inches.
(6)
The Water Department requires that the manufacturer of the PVC pipe furnish an original, notarized affidavit of compliance directly to the Board of Water Commissioners. This affidavit shall state that all materials and manufacturing of the specific pipe lengths to be furnished and installed in Kingston comply with the requirements of the AWWA C900 and C905 standards and of the Kingston Water Department's rules and regulations.
(7)
The Water Department may conduct field inspections and measurements of any length of pipe to be installed in Kingston, as it deems necessary.
(8)
If deemed necessary, the Water Department may require that the pipe manufacturer contract with a third party to independently test and certify that the manufacturer is complying with the above-referenced materials.
(9)
All water mains above 16 inches are to be ductile iron. All ductile iron pipes shall have push-on joints, except as may be otherwise noted. Pipe shall be designed for the rated working pressure in pounds per square inch shown below and for laying condition Type 1 (flat-bottom trench, backfill consolidated to center line of pipe) and for eight feet of earth cover. Thickness shall be as specified hereinafter. The grade of iron from which the pipe is made shall be 60-42-10, having psi minimum tensile strength, 42,000 psi minimum yield strength, and 10% minimum elongation.
Pipe Size (inches) | Thickness (inches) | Thickness Class | Rated Working Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
16 | 0.34 | 52 | 350 |
(10)
The interior of the pipe shall be cement-lined to twice the thickness specified in ANSI A21.4 (AWWA C104) and asphalt-seal-coated twice. Asphalt seal coat shall be a product acceptable to the US EPA for use in potable water and shall be so listed in the most current EPA summary of approved products. The asphalt seal coat shall be applied and cured in strict conformance with the coating manufacturer's cautions and instructions. The pipe manufacturer shall apply the seal coat or supplier under controlled factory conditions, and field application is strictly prohibited. Outside of pipe shall be bituminous coated.
(11)
All service lines from water mains to property lines shall be minimum one-inch Type K copper, AWWA C901 200 psi black plastic or Endot EndoPure A S T M D2239 PE-3408 200 psi or larger in diameter, saddles to the water main with a wide-strap or double-strap stainless steel or bronze saddle and tapped with a coupon-type cutter. All corporation stops and curb stops are to be Red Head or Mueller Oriscal, open left, compression type. All service lines shall be installed by the developer with a minimum cover of five feet and maximum cover of six feet. All services shall be laid on a bed of six inches of clean sand and shall be covered with a minimum of 12 inches of clean sand, when compacted.
(12)
All hydrants are to be Mueller Super Centurian, 250, or U.S. Pipe Metropolitan 250 Model 94, open left, with M.J. shoe and Kingston steamer nozzle as approved by the Kingston Fire Department.
(13)
All hydrants shall be marked three feet diagonally off the hydrant with a stake of two-pound channel post eight feet long with five feet exposed; stake to be painted red with one foot yellow reflective paint at the top. All hydrant tees and gates are to be anchor type, M.J. bolting directly together.
(14)
All hydrants shall be bagged until the water system is put into service.
(15)
All gate valves are to be M.J. open left, A.P. Smith, Metropolitan Trim, American 80CRS, Mueller resilient wedge valve Model A-2360-20 or Mueller double disc NRS gate valve with standard M.J. XMJ ends Model A-2380-20.
(16)
All tapping valves are to be Mueller IBBM or resilient-seat-type tapping valves. All valves larger than 12 inches are to be butterfly valves.
(17)
All tapping sleeves are to be Mueller Model H-615 or Mueller Model H-619.
(18)
American-Darling Valve and Manufacturing, a division of American Cast Iron Pipe Co., or Dresser Industries, Inc., shall manufacture all butterfly valves and operators.
(19)
Butterfly valves shall conform to the requirements of AWWA C504 with the specific requirements and exceptions to the AWWA C504, which follow:
(20)
Manual operator shall be submersible worm gear type (Philadelphia Gear, or equal), rack-and-pinion type, or lead-screw type. All operators shall be positive adjustable stops to prevent overtraveling of the disc in the open and closed positions. Operators shall be equipped with a two-inch square operating nut fully gasketed and greased for buried service. Gearing shall be totally enclosed, oiltight, and permanently sealed.
(21)
Valves shall have mechanical joint ends and shall open left. All valves shall be coated with a minimum of three applications of an approved bitumastic over a rust-free casting prior to shipment. Valve interiors shall have a 100% solids thermoset or fusion-bonded epoxy protective coating, holiday-free in the waterway, which shall meet all requirements of AWWA C550. The epoxy coating shall not impart taste or odor to the water. The coating shall be a product acceptable to the US EPA for use in potable water and shall be listed in the most current EPA summary of approved products. The coating shall be applied and cured in strict conformance with the coating manufacturer's cautions and instructions. The valve manufacturer shall apply the coating or supplier, under controlled factory conditions, and field application is strictly prohibited. Valves shall have a rated working pressure of 150 psi. Valve body shall be cast iron conforming to ASTM A126, Class B. Valve shaft shall be round, 18-8 stainless steel, and Type 304. Dowel and taper pins shall be mechanically secured. Valve shafts with slip connections to the disc shall not be acceptable. Valve operator shall be capable of withstanding an overload input torque of 450 foot-pounds at full open or closed positions without damage to the valve or valve operator.
(22)
All fittings (tees, bends, offsets, etc.) are to be made in North America and are to be Megalug joint restraints, as manufactured by EBAA Iron Works, Inc.
(23)
No service shall be placed closer than five feet horizontally and three feet vertically of any water service or main without the express consent of the Board of Water Commissioners.
C.
Activation of water supply. Prior to supplying water, the contractor/developer shall provide to the Water Department the following:
(1)
A recorded pressure test at 150 psi for two one-hour periods.
(2)
Chlorinating, flushing and a letter certifying as to water purity from a lab approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
(3)
An as-built plan, prepared by a registered civil engineer or land surveyor, showing the water system with locations of mains, fittings, tees, bends, gates, hydrants, corporation stops and curb stops. The as-built plan shall be no larger than 48 inches wide and 36 inches deep. The scale shall be one inch equals 40 feet. Hydrants, gates and curb stops shall be shown tied with two or more measurements to existing permanent structures such as headwalls, catch basins, manholes, utility poles, etc. A registered civil engineer or land surveyor shall certify locations and grades of all roadway and water mains.
(4)
An easement and maintenance agreement providing access to water mains and services by the Water Department and a guarantee by the contractor/developer to make any repairs one year after acceptance by the Board of Water Commissioners; this maintenance agreement shall be recorded at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds.
(5)
Any other easements required for approval.
(6)
Hydrant markers installed.
(7)
The water connection fee for all proposed services in a subdivision/development, or for sizes larger than one inch will be paid at the time of the initial activation of the new water main. The service size shall be reviewed and approved by the Water Department.
D.
Water application approval.
(1)
All requirements for activation of water supply shall be met prior to the approval of any applications for water.
(2)
The basic water connection fee for the installation of all services installed by a contractor/developer shall be $2,950, required service of one-inch minimum. If more quantity of water is required, the following fees shall apply: $5,900 for a 1 1/2; $9,480 for a two-inch; $17,700 for a three-inch; $59,000 for a six-inch. All services larger than six inches will be charged accordingly.
(3)
Any water connection approvals made to residences located outside the boundaries of the Town of Kingston will require a minimum fee of $3,250 for a one-inch service.