(a) 
Except as provided otherwise in this article, no building, tract of land or structure in an area of the city for which water service is available shall be occupied for residential, commercial, industrial or other such purposes unless such buildings or structures are connected by a separate connection to the city water system, unless specifically excepted herein. Property that abuts a street, road or other public way in which a public water supply is located and is within two hundred feet of such water line is deemed to have access to the city water system. No tract of land shall be required to be connected to the city water system that requests connection to the city water system in writing and has been denied connection.
(b) 
Each residential unit and business unit, and any additional residential unit and business unit, within the city shall be connected by separate connection to the city water system as soon as city water service is available to such unit, unless specifically exempted herein.
(c) 
Any unoccupied residential unit or business unit within the city for which water service has been provided previously by the city water system or its predecessor shall be connected to the city water system by a separate connection prior to occupancy.
(d) 
Any two or more residential, business, or commercial units that are found to be obtaining water service through a single meter shall be required to pay the base amount according to the meter size times the number of units, plus the per-thousand-gallon charge as per the rate schedule in effect at that time. Any persons receiving water through a joint sharing of a single meter without the consent of the city must pay the cost of connecting an additional meter and may be disconnected from the system should either refuse to be responsible for connection through a single meter to each individual lot.
(e) 
Any residential unit within the city being served by a privately owned water well on the effective date of this article shall be connected to the city water system by a separate connection at such time as the well fails to meet permit or department of health requirements or other regulatory statutes or regulations of the state.
(f) 
Each business unit within the city shall be connected by a separate connection to the city water system as soon as city water service is available to such unit, unless permission is granted by the city administration to do otherwise.
(g) 
Any commercial or industrial establishments or entities located within a single building or upon a single property and served by a master meter on the effective date of this article may elect to continue to receive water service through such master meter. All new premises seeking to receive service from a master meter must receive permission from the city administration.
(h) 
From the effective date of this article, no person or commercial or industrial establishment shall be permitted to obtain service through a master meter or otherwise provide water service to another person or entity, except as specified in subsection (g).
(i) 
Customers receiving water services from a provider other than the city, on the effective date of this article, shall not be required to connect to the city but shall be permitted to continue to receive service from the other provider until such time as the city and the provider agree that connection to the city system would be appropriate.
(j) 
Landowners having a septic system on the effective date of this article shall not be required to connect to the city system so long as the septic system is operating and being maintained according to state and local requirements. Violation of state or local requirements for the safe operation and maintenance of the septic system shall be grounds to mandate immediate connection to the city system. Within ten days of notice to cease and desist use of a septic system with a list of violations, the property owner shall make arrangements to connect to the city wastewater system at the earliest date available.
(Ordinance 03-1110-01, art. II, sec. 1, adopted 11/10/03)
Each person desiring water service shall be required to complete an application for such service and pay such fees as are established by this article. No service shall be rendered until such fees are paid.
(Ordinance 03-1110-01, art. II, sec. 2, adopted 11/10/03)
(a) 
Certification.
Connections shall not be made to either the city water or the wastewater system until the city’s operator or other party designated by the city council has certified that the respective system or applicable portion thereof is adequate and operational. Water or wastewater service shall not be provided to any residential or business unit not in compliance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department of state health services, the state commission on environmental quality, as set out in the state Water Code, or as otherwise required by statute or regulation.
(b) 
Service access.
Upon application for connection to the water or wastewater system the applicant shall grant an easement of ingress and egress to and from the meter or point of service for such installation, maintenance and repair as the city, in its judgment, may deem necessary. Taps and connections will not be made when, in the opinion of the city’s operator, the work area is obstructed by building materials and debris or the work area is not completed to finished grade. When sidewalks, driveways or other improvements have been constructed prior to application for service, such application shall be construed and accepted as a waiver of a claim for damages to such improvements resulting from the reasonable actions of the city’s operator in installation of the customer’s connection.
(c) 
City property.
All meters, fittings, boxes, valves and appurtenances installed by city personnel shall remain the property of the city. City maintenance of the water service ends at the customer side of the connection to the water meter itself. City maintenance of the wastewater service ends at the tap, or point of connection, of the lateral line into the city wastewater line.
(d) 
Connections.
All connections to the city water system and/or wastewater system shall be made by the city’s operator unless specified otherwise by the city council. No person, other than the properly authorized agents of the city, shall be permitted to tap or make any connections with the mains, distribution or collection lines of the city’s water system, or wastewater system, except for emergency firefighting purposes, or make any repairs or additions to or alterations in any meter box, tap, pipe, cock or other fixture connected with the water service except by the written permission of the city council. No new dual or multiple connections (being more than one user on a single meter) shall be permitted without written permission of the city administration.
(e) 
Plan approval required.
Each applicant for a connection shall within ten (10) days prior to payment of tap fees submit to the city operator the following information:
(1) 
One set of drawings showing details of building plumbing, site plumbing and the location, size and number of proposed connections to the city’s water system and/or wastewater system; and
(2) 
A general description of the type of proposed establishment.
The city’s operator or other party designated by the city council shall review the information presented and may approve or reject the application, or request that further information be submitted prior to approval of the application. The applicant shall be notified in writing as to the basis for rejection. Failure to construct the facilities in accordance with approved drawings shall constitute a basis for denial of city water and/or wastewater services. If the application information is not timely made, the city shall not be held responsible for delays in the installation of any water or wastewater connection. Payment of tap fees to the city prior to the approval of plans shall not constitute approval of said plans or approval for service as set forth herein; any unauthorized connection or connections may be removed at the expense of the person or firm causing such connection or connections to be made.
(Ordinance 03-1110-01, art. II, sec. 3, adopted 11/10/03)
(a) 
Interconnections or cross-connection of the city’s water or waste water system, whether directly or through the customer’s private system to another source of water or otherwise, is strictly prohibited. Initial customers shall construct, and each customer shall maintain, water connections and appurtenances so as to avoid infiltration of any substance into the city water system. City personnel shall have access to all customer water and wastewater line connections and appurtenances within reasonable time periods to inspect for suspected unauthorized connections. The city reserves the right to immediately and without notice disconnect water services to any customer whose internal private system has been found to be interconnected or cross-connected, and to assess against the customer such penalties as are provided by law and penalties provided herein in addition to any charges necessary to repair the damaged or contaminated portion of the system.
(b) 
The following is specifically prohibited:
(1) 
No direct connection between the public drinking water supply and potential source of contamination is permitted. Potential sources of contamination shall be isolated from the public water system by an air gap or an appropriate backflow prevention device.
(2) 
No cross-connections between the public drinking water supply and a private water system is permitted. These potential threats to the public drinking water supply shall be eliminated at the service connection by the installation of an air-gap or a reduced pressure-zone backflow prevention device.
(3) 
No connection which allows water to be returned to the public drinking water supply is permitted.
(4) 
No pipe or pipe fitting which contains more than 8.0% lead may be used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection which provides water for human use.
(5) 
No solder or flux which contains more than 0.2% lead can be used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection which provides water for human use.
(Ordinance adopted 10/8/07)