(a) 
Before water shall be supplied to any person or premises by the Department of Public Works, the owner or occupant of the property shall make written application to the utility collection division for such service upon an application form promulgated by the department.
(b) 
The application form shall contain identifying information required by the department and a contract providing:
(1) 
The applicant shall pay the stipulated water rates at the time and in the manner required by the city’s ordinances, rules, and regulations;
(2) 
The department may enforce all rates, collect all charges, change rates, and at times temporarily discontinue the service without notice to the customer;
(3) 
The city shall not be responsible for any damages by water, water pressure, defective plumbing, broken or faulty service pipes or water mains or any condition of the water, or any substance that may be mixed with or be in the water as delivered to the consumer;
(4) 
The city’s inspection of the plumbing and appliances shall not be a basis of recovery for damages to premises from defective plumbing or appliances;
(5) 
If the supply of water is interrupted or fails because of accident or any cause whatsoever, then the utility collection division and the city shall not be liable for damages for such interruption or failure, nor shall such failure or interruption for any reasonable period of time be held to constitute a breach of the contract on the part of the department or the city or in any way relieve the consumer from performing the obligations of his contract; and
(6) 
Such other information as determined by the department to be necessary to protect the interest of the city.
(c) 
Safeguard the public health, the purity of the water, the pressure of the water, the protection of the city during fires, and other matters necessary for the safe and proper operation of the department.
(d) 
The part of the service connection extending from the main to the curb, including the corporation stop, service line, curb stop, meter box, meter, and the meter strainer, shall be under the control and maintenance of the city, and shall not be removed, repaired or tampered with, except by order from the department.
(e) 
The service pipe from the meter to the point of use and all fixtures connected thereto is the property of the owner of the premises and must be kept in good repair and protected from frost.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-61; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09)
(a) 
Every person desiring to use city water shall make application with the utility collection division. Applications are subject to approval by the utility collection division. A deposit as set forth in this section shall be made and shall be a reasonable sum to protect the city from loss due to unpaid water, sewer and refuse bills.
(b) 
Deposits for single-unit residential meters shall cover the estimated amount of a two-month bill and shall not be less than an amount set by separate ordinance for each service connection.
(c) 
Deposits for duplexes, apartments, mobile home parks and any other master-metered multiunit residential area shall be an amount set by separate ordinance for each apartment unit or occupiable space or an amount to cover the estimated amount of a two-month bill and shall not be less than an amount set by separate ordinance.
(d) 
Deposits for business, commercial and industrial meters shall cover the estimated amount of a two-month bill and shall not be less than an amount set by separate ordinance.
(e) 
Deposits for special-purpose meters, such as for yard sprinklers and pools, shall cover the estimated amount of a two-month bill and shall not be less than an amount set by separate ordinance for each service connection.
(f) 
A licensed builder or real estate brokerage that desires to have water at one or more locations may make a blanket deposit of an amount set by separate ordinance. This deposit shall allow the customer to receive water service only at each site until the time of final inspection or the residence is occupied. After final inspection, the construction status shall be terminated, and the builder shall subsequently pay for water, sewer and refuse services. At such time as the builder or real estate brokerage terminates the account, the new owner or occupant shall be required to open an account and to make the deposit required within this section in order for utility and refuse services to continue.
(g) 
Water users located outside the city limits shall pay twice the deposit amount.
(h) 
Deposits shall be paid at the time of application or as provided within this section.
(i) 
The utility collection division may provide water service to a single-unit residence for up to seven calendar days prior to receiving a deposit where financial hardship of the applicant precludes immediate payment of the deposit.
(j) 
The deposit may be billed to the customer and paid with the first month’s billing to customers in good standing. For the purpose of this subsection, a customer in good standing must not have:
(1) 
Allowed a city utilities account to have become delinquent more than one time within the preceding 12-month period;
(2) 
Attempted payment of a city utilities bill more than one time in the preceding 12-month period with a check that was not honored by the bank;
(3) 
Used city utilities services without authorization prior to application for service; or
(4) 
Allowed his utilities account to be closed for nonpayment. Any failure to pay the required installment by the due date will cause the account to be cut off as provided in section 106-281. The billing provision shall be implemented on the first day of the month following completion of required data processing revisions.
(k) 
The utility collection division may provide temporary service prior to receiving a deposit for those customers who require service at more than one address, when that temporary service is provided for an unoccupied residence or other unoccupied building. When the residence or other building becomes occupied, a deposit must be made for continued service. The customer must have at least one active account and must be a customer in good standing. For the purpose of this subsection, a customer in good standing must not have:
(1) 
Allowed a city utilities account to have become delinquent more than one time within the preceding 12-month period; or
(2) 
Attempted payment of a city utilities bill more than one time in the preceding 12-month period with a check that was not honored by the bank.
(l) 
No person 65 years of age or older who is a customer in good standing shall be required to make a deposit for his primary residence or for a special-purpose meter at his primary residence, if he submits to the utility collection division satisfactory proof of his age. For the purpose of this subsection, a customer in good standing must not have:
(1) 
Allowed his city utilities bill to have become delinquent more than three times in the preceding 12-month period; or
(2) 
Attempted payment of his city utilities bill more than one time in the preceding 12-month period with a check that was not honored by the bank. Any person 65 years of age or older who has a deposit with the utilities collection division will have his deposit refunded to him if he is a customer in good standing and he files an application for such refund, with satisfactory proof of his age, to the utility collection manager.
(m) 
A customer shall lose his exemption from the deposit requirements if he fails to maintain his good standing, and he shall immediately be responsible for depositing the proper amount. The deposit requirements shall continue until the customer has reestablished his good standing.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-62; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09; Ordinance 44-2015, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/15; Ordinance 60-2025 adopted 11/18/2025)
(a) 
All consumers not otherwise provided for in this chapter shall be supplied with water only when measured through a meter. Meters of five-eighths inch, three-quarters inch and one inch and an approved meter box will be furnished and installed inside the right-of-way or easement adjacent to a named street by the Department of Public Works after application and payment of the meter installation fee. All consumers requiring meters larger than one inch in size shall be charged with the cost of meter, box, and all necessary valves, fittings, and the labor cost of such installation. All meters larger than one inch must be purchased from and installed by the department or, at the discretion of the director, in accordance with the director’s specifications.
(b) 
The Department of Public Works shall determine the size, type, and location of all meters, taps, boxes, service lines, and associated equipment. In general, such items shall be installed in accordance with the following detail, unless otherwise directed by the director of public works:
(c) 
The department shall determine the size, type, and location of the box for the proper protection of the meter.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-63; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09)
(a) 
The Department of Public Works shall install all water service pipes from water mains to the curbline of the street and shall charge for the installation a sum sufficient to cover the cost thereof.
(b) 
Every separate premises, such as a residence, store, factory, apartment complex, hotel, commercial building, etc., must have its own separate service connection and individual meter at the curb and shall not be allowed to supply water to any other premises, under penalty of having the water disconnected.
(c) 
All service pipes from the water mains shall be in accordance with the city’s plumbing code and must be brought in from the street and enter the premises at the front so that all meters and cutoffs may be placed at the curb. Service pipes may not cross adjoining property lines. All service lines must be adjacent to the property.
(d) 
Except as provided by subsections (e) and (f) of this section, a manager of a condominium or the owner of an apartment house, manufactured home rental community, or multiple use facility, on which construction begins after January 1, 2003, shall provide for the measurement of the quantity of water, if any, consumed by the occupants of each unit through the installation of:
(1) 
Submeters, owned by the property owner or manager, for each dwelling unit or rental unit; or
(2) 
Individual meters, owned by the city, for each dwelling unit or rental unit.
(e) 
An owner of an apartment house on which construction begins after January 1, 2003, and which provides government-assisted or subsidized rental housing to low- or very low-income residents shall install a plumbing system in the apartment house that is compatible with the installation of submeters for the measurement of the quantity of water, if any, consumed by the occupants of each unit.
(f) 
At the request of the property owner or manager, the city will install individual meters owned by the city for an apartment house, manufactured home rental community, multiple use facility, or condominium, unless the city determines that installation of meters is not feasible. If the city’s director of public works determines that installation of individual meters is not feasible, the property owner or manager shall install submeters. The city shall charge the owners the costs to install individual meters.
(1) 
All individual meters installed by the city will be placed at the front of the property within, or adjacent to, the street right-of-way.
(2) 
Any lot requiring more than four meters (five meters if one meter is required for irrigation) will be required to construct a pipe loop, made of ductile iron pipe, to accommodate the tapping of the water main. The city Water Department, as a part of the service tap, will install this loop. The cost of this loop will be included in the tap charge provided by the city. The size and design of this loop will be determined by the city. If the loop is being installed as a part of water line improvements constructed by the developer, the design of the loop will be reviewed, approved and inspected by the Public Works Department. This loop will have a valve at each end and at least one valve in the middle of the loop. This loop will be on the same side of the street as the property to be served.
(3) 
No structures will be constructed by the owner of the property over any part of the pipe loop, the service lines or the individual meters.
(4) 
Multiple pipe loops may be constructed to accommodate the efficient installation of individual meters.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-64; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09)
The Department of Public Works may decline to accept any application for water service if upon examination the water mains, service pipes, valves, fire hydrants or other equipment are of such quality or are installed in such manner as will not comply with the standards and specifications of the department and the city plumbing code adopted in section 22-481.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-65; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09)
All rates and charges for water service to any premises shall accrue and be charged against the applicant until such time as notice given by such applicant or by his duly authorized agent to discontinue service is filed with the Department of Public Works. It shall be unlawful for any person to turn on or use water from any service connection until application for such service has been made and accepted by the department as provided in this division and the water turned on by the department.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-66; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09; Ordinance 44-2015, sec. 2, adopted 9/15/15)
If any person shall move into any premises, he shall file an application for water service in accordance with section 106-61 before using any water from the service connection for such premises. It shall be the duty of the owner of such property to which water is furnished from the utilities collection division to cooperate with the division by promptly giving notice when such property becomes vacant or occupied by himself or a tenant. No service shall be furnished to any person who is delinquent in the payment of any water or material furnished to the premises for which water is desired or for any other premises owned or occupied by such delinquent water patron in the city or the district outside the city which may be supplied with water by the Department of Public Works.
(2001 Code, sec. 106-67; Ordinance 66-2009, sec. 1, adopted 9/15/09)