Each resident, consumer or individual party furnished water
and or sewer shall have a meter and be charged as one customer. No
two parties shall be served from one meter or connection. The city
shall have the right to determine each consumer, this meaning mobile
homes, separate buildings, or any type of connection separate from
the regular consumer.
(Ordinance 32 adopted 5/28/74; 1984 Code, sec. 15.60)
(a)
Connection required; exception.
(1)
The owner of every new building intended for human habitation or
occupancy applying for a certificate of occupancy on property within
the city limits shall be connected to city’s sewer system if
services are available. A separate connection for each house or building
on the property requiring service shall be required. All new subdivisions
within the city limits shall be connected to the city’s sewer
system if services are available. If a building or property is to
be served by the city’s sewer system, the sewer line to serve
each building or property must be installed before the certificate
of occupancy may be issued and the building or property is occupied.
The public works director will determine if services are available
and will give final approval on all projects.
(2)
Any property owner having installed a septic system on property prior
to the passing of this ordinance shall not be required to comply with
the terms of this section. However, the owner of any septic system
shall ensure that any septic system on their property is compliant
with any applicable local, state, and federal guidelines.
(b)
Failure to connect; penalty.
In the event an owner fails to connect to the city’s sewer system as required by this section, the city may fix a lien against the owner’s property, charge the cost of connection to the owner, and impose a penalty in the form of a citation for each day a violation exists. Upon conviction regarding any citation issued, a fine in accordance with the general penalty provided in section 1.01.009 of this code may be imposed.
(Ordinance 32 adopted 5/28/74; 1984 Code, sec. 15.61; Ordinance 02062023-02 adopted 2/7/23; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
(a)
Backflow preventers for new construction.
(1)
The city, and the city waterworks and sewer system, shall require
new construction to have backflow preventer(s) on all utility lines.
(2)
On new construction of sewer lines, backflow preventer(s) will be
installed.
(3)
Upon the completion of the installment of a backflow preventer(s),
the property owner must have an inspection by proper personnel in
the public works department of the city.
(4)
Upon completion of the installment of backflow preventer(s), the
city may not be held accountable for any damages that occur from sewage
backup into a residential house or place of business as the Tort Claims
Act is hereby incorporated into this section.
(b)
Existing backflow preventers or installation on old construction.
Existing sewer lines having backflow preventer(s) already installed
and/or new installation of backflow preventer(s) on existing dwellings
are defined as old construction.
(1)
Utility backflow preventer(s) that are considered to be not new construction
and have been installed in a prior time on existing sewer lines on
a customer’s property shall be the customer’s responsibility
to replace or repair;
(2)
Existing backflow preventer(s) in need or repair or replacement shall
be the sole responsibility of the property owner;
(3)
All repairs, replacements and/or installation of backflow preventer(s)
in any old construction must have an inspection by proper personnel
in the public works department of the city; and
(c)
Requirements for sewer lines.
The following are the
requirements for new or replacement lines:
(1)
Three (3) inch SDR 35 or better pipe (schedule 40 recommended).
(2)
No ninety (90) degree fittings.
(3)
No “T” fittings.
(4)
Backflow preventer install at house.
(5)
Clean-outs at fifty (50) foot intervals, the first (1st) being between
the house and the backflow preventer.
(6)
All fittings will be glued after priming.
(7)
An inspection by proper personnel of the city public works department
before any backfilling is done.
(8)
City personnel will make all taps into the sewer main.
(Ordinance 213-050701 adopted 5/7/01; Ordinance 213-050701A adopted 3/2/15)
(a)
Generally.
No water service connection shall be made
to any establishment where a potential or actual contamination hazard
exists unless the water supply is protected in accordance with the
state commission on environmental quality (TCEQ) rules and regulations
for public water systems and this section. The water purveyor shall
discontinue water service if a required backflow prevention assembly
is not installed, maintained, and tested in accordance with the TCEQ
rules and this section.
(b)
Backflow prevention assembly installation, testing, and maintenance.
(1)
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested upon installation
by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester and certified
to be operating within specifications. Backflow prevention assemblies
which are installed to provide protection against health hazards must
also be tested and certified to be operating within specifications
at least annually by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester.
(2)
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed and tested
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the American
Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Recommended Practice for Backflow
Prevention and Cross-Connection Control (Manual M14) or the University
of Southern California (USC) Manual of Cross-Connection Control.
(3)
Assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense
of the customer whenever said assemblies are found to be defective.
Original forms of such test, repairs, and overhaul shall be kept and
submitted to the city within five (5) working days of the test, repair,
or overhaul of each backflow prevention assembly.
(4)
No backflow prevention assembly or device shall be removed from use,
relocated, or other assembly or device substituted without the approval
of the city. Whenever the existing assembly or device is moved from
the present location or cannot be repaired, the backflow assembly
or device shall be replaced with a backflow prevention assembly or
device that complies with this section.
(5)
Test gauges used for backflow prevention assembly testing shall be
calibrated at least annually in accordance with the AWWA Manual M14
current edition, or the USC’s Manual of Cross-Connection Control
current edition. The original calibration form must be submitted to
the city within five (5) days after calibration.
(6)
A recognized backflow prevention assembly tester must hold a current
endorsement from TCEQ.
(c)
Customer service inspections.
(1)
A customer service inspection shall be completed prior to providing
continuous water service to all new construction, on any existing
service when the water purveyor has reason to believe that cross-connections
or other contaminant hazards exist, or after any material improvement,
correction, or addition to the private water distribution facilities.
(2)
Only individuals with the following credentials shall be recognized
as capable of conducting a customer service inspection:
(A)
Plumbing inspectors and water supply protection specialists (PIWSPS)
that have been licensed by the state board of plumbing examiners (TSBPE).
(B)
Certified waterworks operators, and members of other water-related
professional groups who have completed a training course, passed an
examination administered by TCEQ or its designated agent, and hold
a current endorsement issued by TCEQ.
(3)
The customer service inspection must certify that:
(A)
No direct connection between the public drinking water supply and
a potential source of contamination is permitted. Potential sources
of contamination shall be isolated from the public water system by
a properly installed air gap or an appropriate backflow prevention
assembly.
(B)
No cross-connection between the public water supply and a private
water source exists. Where an actual properly installed air gap is
not maintained between the public water supply and a private water
supply, an approved reduced pressure-zone backflow prevention assembly
is properly installed and a service agreement exists for annual inspection
and testing by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester.
(C)
No connection exists which allows water to be returned to the public
drinking water supply.
(D)
No pipe or pipe fitting which contains more than 8% lead may be used
for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that
provides water for human use.
(E)
No solder or flux which contains more than 0.2% lead can be used
for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that
provides water for human use. A minimum of one lead test shall be
performed for each inspection.
(d)
Violations; penalty.
(1)
It is an offense for a person, company, or corporation to violate
any provision of this section.
(2)
Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects, or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this section shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provided in section 1.01.009 of this code for each offense. Each day that one or more of the provisions in the section is violated shall constitute a separate offense.
(3)
If a person is convicted of this section or more distinct violations
of this section [sic], the city shall, upon due notice to the customer,
be authorized to discontinue water service to the premises where such
violations occur. Services discontinued under such circumstances shall
be restored only upon payment of the reconnection charge and any other
costs incurred by the city in discontinuing service. In addition,
suitable assurance must be given to the city that the same action
shall not be repeated while the section is in effect.
(4)
Compliance with this section may also be sought through injunctive
relief in the district court.
(Ordinance 12052022 adopted 12/5/2022; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
