[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Neillsville as Title 5, Ch. 1, of the 1985 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 8-28-2012 by Ord. No. 1038]
A. 
Definition of cross-connection. As used in this section, the term shall have the meaning indicated:
CROSS-CONNECTION
Any physical connection or arrangement between two otherwise separate systems, one of which contains potable water from the City of Neillsville Water System and the other water from a private source, water of unknown or questionable safety, or steam, gases or chemicals, whereby there may be a flow from one system to the other, the direction of flow depending on the pressure differential between the two systems.
B. 
Unprotected cross-connections prohibited. No person, firm or corporation may establish or maintain, or permit to be established or maintained, any unprotected cross-connection. Cross-connections shall be protected as required in Ch. SPS 382, Wis. Adm. Code.
C. 
Inspection. The City of Neillsville may inspect, or arrange for an inspection of, property served by the public water system for cross-connections. The City of Neillsville may require a person, firm or corporation who owns, leases or occupies property to have their plumbing inspected, at their own expense, by a State of Wisconsin certified cross-connection inspector/surveyor. The frequency of inspection shall be established by the Water Utility in accordance with Wisconsin Administrative Code. Any unprotected cross-connections identified by the inspection shall be promptly corrected. Failure to promptly correct an unprotected cross-connection shall be sufficient cause for the City of Neillsville to discontinue water service to the property, as provided under Subsection E of this section.
D. 
Right of entry. Upon presentation of credentials, the representative of the City of Neillsville shall have the right to request entry at any reasonable time to examine any property served by a connection to the public water system of the City of Neillsville for cross-connections. Refusing entry to such utility representative shall be sufficient cause for the Water Utility to discontinue water service to the property, as provided under Subsection E of this section. If entry is refused, such representative shall obtain a special inspection warrant under § 66.0119, Wis. Stats. On request, the owner, lessee or occupant of any property so served shall furnish to the inspection agency any pertinent information regarding the piping system or systems on such property. Refusing to provide requested information shall be sufficient cause for the water utility to discontinue water service to the property, as provided under Subsection E of this section.
E. 
Discontinuation of water for violation. The Neillsville Water Utility is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue water service to any property wherein any connection in violation of this section exists, and to take such other precautionary measures deemed necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water system. Water service shall be discontinued only after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing under Ch. 68, Wis. Stats., except as provided in Subsection F. Water service to such property shall not be restored until the cross-connection(s) has been eliminated in compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
F. 
Emergency discontinuance. If it is determined by the Neillsville Water Utility that an unprotected cross-connection or an emergency endangers public health, safety or welfare and requires immediate action, and a written finding to that effect is filed with the Clerk-Treasurer of the City of Neillsville and delivered to the customer's premises, service may be immediately discontinued. The customer shall have an opportunity for a hearing under Ch. 68, Wis. Stats., within 10 days of such emergency discontinuance. Water service to such property shall not be restored until the unprotected cross-connection has been eliminated.
G. 
The City of Neillsville adopts by reference the State Plumbing Code of Wisconsin, being Ch. SPS 382, Wis. Adm. Code.
H. 
This chapter does not supersede the State Plumbing Code and the City of Neillsville plumbing code, but is supplementary to them.
The water cannot be turned on for a consumer except by a duly authorized employee of the Utility. When a plumber has completed a job, he/she must leave the water turned off. This does not prevent him/her from testing his/her work.
The service pipe from the main to the curb stop will be maintained and kept in repair at the expense of the Utility. The consumer shall maintain the service pipe from the curb stop to the point of use and can be billed for any water which has not passed through the meter and has been wasted by leakage of defective pipes and fixtures. If a consumer fails to repair a leaky or broken service pipe from curb to point of metering or use within such time as may appear reasonable to the Superintendent of the Utility, after notification has been served on the consumer by the Superintendent, the water will be shut off and will not be turned on again until the repairs have been completed.
The Utility reserves the right to shut off the water in the mains temporarily, to make repairs, alterations or additions to the plant or system. When the circumstances will permit a sufficient delay, the company will give notification by newspaper publication or otherwise of the discontinuance of the supply. No rebate or damages will be allowed to consumers for such temporary suspension of supply.
A. 
Meters will be repaired by the Water Utility, and the cost of such repairs caused by ordinary wear and tear will be borne by the Utility.
B. 
Repair of any damage to a meter resulting from the carelessness of the owner of the premises, his/her agent or tenant, or from the negligence of any one of them to properly secure and protect same, including any damage that may result from allowing a water meter to become frozen or to be injured from the presence of hot water or steam in the meter, shall be paid for by the customer or the owner of the premises.
A. 
Where the Utility is unable to read a meter after two successive tries, the fact shall be plainly indicated upon the bill, the minimum charge assessed, and the difference adjusted with the consumer when the meter is read again; that is, the bill for the succeeding billing period will be computed with the gallons or cubic feet in each block of the rate schedule doubled and the credit will be given on that bill for the amount of the minimum bill paid the preceding billing period.
B. 
If the meter is damaged (see "surreptitious use of water") or fails to operate for any reason, the Utility will render a bill for the current period, based on an average of the last two billing periods, providing there is no particular reason why the use during that period has not been normal. In case the last two periods cannot be properly used, then the bill shall be estimated by some equitable method.
C. 
Section 196.171, Wis. Stats., which provides that consumers who fail to allow Utility agents to read or inspect meters at reasonable hours or who refuse or fail to permit authorized utility personnel to read the meter at least once every six months where the utility bills are monthly or bimonthly, or at least once every nine months where the utility bills are quarterly or less frequent than quarterly, shall be subject to a forfeiture of not more than $25 for each offense, is hereby adopted by reference.
When the meter registers losses due to pipe leaks, the Utility shall determine whether or not the defect in the piping or equipment was known to the consumer or, being known, he/she had used his/her best efforts to correct the condition. If the Utility is satisfied that the loss occurred without the consumer's knowledge, or having known about it he/she had tried to correct the condition, the Utility may determine as nearly as possible what the amount of the loss is by comparison with the use of the water during a like period, and the excess may be billed at the lowest step in the rates. If, however, the consumer knew of the leak and failed to give proper attention to it, the Utility will bill for the total consumption shown by the meter at regular rates.
When the Utility has reasonable evidence that a consumer is obtaining his/her supply of water, in whole or in part, by means of devices or methods used to stop or interfere with the proper metering of the Utility service being delivered to his/her equipment, the Utility reserves the right to estimate and present immediately a bill for service unmetered as a result of such interference, and such bill shall be payable subject to a twenty-four-hour disconnection of service. When the Utility shall have disconnected the consumer for any such reason, the Utility will reconnect the consumer upon the following conditions:
A. 
The consumer will be required to deposit with the Utility an amount sufficient to guarantee the payment of the consumer's bills for utility service to the Utility.
B. 
The consumer will be required to pay the Utility for any and all damages to its equipment on the consumer's premises due to such stoppage or interference with its metering.
C. 
The consumer must further agree to comply with reasonable requirements to protect the Utility against further losses.
A. 
When water is wanted for construction purposes, or for filling cisterns, tanks, or tank wagons, or portable steam boilers, an application therefor shall be made to the Superintendent, in writing, upon application provided for that purpose in the Water Utility office, giving a statement of the amount of construction work to be done or the size of the cistern, boiler, tank or tank wagon to be filled.
B. 
Payment for the water for construction shall be made in advance at the scheduled rates. The service pipe must be carried inside the cellar wall from where the water must be drawn. No connection with the service pipe at the curb shall be made without special permission from the Superintendent.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
In cases where no other supply is available, permission may be granted by the Superintendent to use a hydrant. No hydrant shall be used until it is equipped with a sprinkling valve. A charge will be made for setting a valve or for moving it from one hydrant to another. In no case shall any valve be moved except by a member of the Water Utility.
B. 
Before a valve is set, payment must be made for its setting and for water to be used at the scheduled rates. The applicant must make a deposit for the hydrant wheel and for the reducer, if he/she desires one. When the contractor has finished using the hydrant, he/she must notify the Water Utility to that effect. The charge for the use of water from a hydrant will be determined in accordance with scheduled rates.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
Water used for construction work must be covered by a written permit which can be obtained only from the Superintendent. In no case will any employee of the Utility turn on water for construction work unless the contractor first presents a permit. Upon completion of the construction work the contractor must return the original permit to the Water Utility together with a statement of the actual amount of construction work performed.
B. 
Consumers shall not allow contractors, masons or other persons to take water from their premises without first showing a permit from the Utility. Any consumer failing to comply with this provision will have his/her water service discontinued. He/she shall be subject to the general penalty provisions in § 1-5 of this Code.
Any person who shall, without authority of the Superintendent, operate any valve connected with the street or supply mains, or open any fire hydrant connected with the distribution system, except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, or who shall want only to injure or impair the same, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100. Permits for the use of hydrants for filling sprinkling carts apply only to such hydrants as are designated for such use. Owners or operators of motor vehicles will be held responsible for the cost of repair of any hydrant damaged by being hit by a motor vehicle, and the Water Utility will not be responsible for the damage to the motor vehicle by reason of such accident.
In the use of a fire hydrant supply, the hydrant valve will be set at the proper opening by the Water Utility when the sprinkling valve is set, and the flow of water must be regulated by means of the sprinkling valve. If the water is to be used through iron pipe connections, all such pipe installations shall have a swing joint to facilitate quick disconnection from the fire hydrant.
Only such persons as shall be authorized by the Superintendent of the Water Utility or authorized members of the Fire Department shall be permitted to open any fire hydrant for any purpose whatsoever, and no one except such persons shall be permitted to take the hydrant wrenches or wheels or suffer the same to be taken from any fire engine house, except for Fire Department purposes.
Any officer or authorized employee of the Utility shall have the right of access during reasonable hours to the premises supplied with service for the purpose of inspection or for the enforcement of the Utility's rules and regulations. The Utility will make a systematic inspection of all unmetered water taps at least once every 12 months for the purpose of checking waste and unnecessary use of water.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
When premises are to be vacated, the Utility shall be notified in writing at once, so that it may remove the meter and shut off the supply at the curb cock. The owner of the premises shall be liable to prosecution for any damage to the property of the Water Utility by reason of failure to notify the Utility of vacancy.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
Upon the approval of the State Department of Health Services, and until further direction of the Common Council, the Water Utility is hereby authorized and directed to provide the means and to proceed with the introduction of approximately 0.5 to 1.5 parts of fluoride to every million parts of water being distributed in the water supply system of the City of Neillsville.
[Amended 7-22-1997 by Ord. No. 949]
A. 
Where a customer has contracted for yearly service and, at his/her request, service has been discontinued prior to the expiration of his/her contract period and his/her account is not delinquent and where thereafter he/she requests the reconnection of service in the same location or some other location, a reconnection charge in accordance with scheduled rates, payable in advance, shall be collected.
B. 
A reconnection charge shall also be required from customers whose services are disconnected because of nonpayment of bills when due (not including disconnection for failure to comply with deposit or guarantee rules). A consumer shall be considered for the same location by any member of the same family, or if a place of business, by partner or employee of the same business.
[Added 4-14-1992 by Ord. No. 903; amended 7-22-1997 by Ord. No. 949; 8-28-2012 by Ord. No. 1039]
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to prevent contamination of groundwater and to protect public health, safety and welfare by assuring that unused, unsafe or noncomplying wells or wells which may serve as conduits for contamination or wells which may be illegally cross-connected to the municipal water system are properly abandoned.
B. 
Applicability. This section applies to all wells located on premises served by the City of Neillsville municipal water system.
C. 
Definitions. The following definitions shall be applicable in this section:
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM
A community water system owned by a city, village, county, town, town sanitary district, utility district, public inland lake and rehabilitation district, municipal water district or a federal, state, county, or municipal owned institution for congregate care or correction, or a privately owned water utility serving the forgoing.
NONCOMPLYING
A well or pump installation which does not comply with § NR 812.42, Wis. Adm. Code, Standards for Existing Installations, and which has not been granted a variance pursuant to § NR 812.43, Wis. Adm. Code.
PUMP INSTALLATION
The pump and related equipment used for withdrawing water from a well, including the discharge piping, the underground connections, pitless adapters, pressure tanks, pits, sampling faucets and well seals or caps.
UNSAFE
A well or pump installation which produces water which is bacteriologically contaminated or contaminated with substances which exceed the drinking water standards of Chs. NR 140 or NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code, or for which a health advisory has been issued by the Department of Natural Resources.
UNUSED
A well or pump installation which is not in use or does not have a functional pumping system.
WELL
A drillhole or other excavation or opening deeper than it is wide that extends more than 10 feet below the ground surface and is constructed for the purpose of obtaining groundwater.
WELL ABANDONMENT
The proper filling and sealing of a well according to the provisions of § NR 812.26, Wis. Adm. Code.
D. 
Abandonment required. All wells located on premises served by the municipal water system shall be abandoned in accordance with the terms of this section and Ch. NR 812, Wis. Adm. Code, by April 1, 1993, or no later than one year from the date of connection to the municipal water system, whichever occurs last, unless a well operation permit has been obtained by the well owner from the City of Neillsville.
E. 
Well operation permit. The City of Neillsville may grant a permit to a private well owner to operate a well for a period not to exceed five years, providing the conditions of this section are met. An owner may request renewal of a well operation permit by submitting information verifying that the conditions of this subsection are met. The City of Neillsville, or its agent, may conduct inspections or have water quality tests conducted at the applicant's expense to obtain or verify information necessary for consideration of a permit application or renewal. Permit applications and renewal shall be made on forms provided by the Clerk-Treasurer. The following conditions must be met for issuance or renewal of a well operation permit:
(1) 
The well and pump installation shall meet the standards of existing installations described in § NR 812.42, Wis. Adm. Code.
(2) 
The well construction and pump installation shall have a history of producing bacteriologically safe water as evidenced by at least two samplings taken a minimum of two weeks apart. No exception to this condition may be made for unsafe wells, unless the Department of Natural Resources approves, in writing, the continued use of the well.
(3) 
There are no cross-connections between the well and pump installation and the municipal water system.
(4) 
The water from the private well shall not discharge into a drain leading directly to a public sewer utility unless properly metered and authorized by the sewer utility.
(5) 
The private well shall have a functional pumping system.
(6) 
The proposed use of the well and pump installation can be justified as being necessary in addition to water provided by the municipal water system.
F. 
Abandonment procedures.
(1) 
All wells abandoned under the jurisdiction of this section or rule shall be abandoned according to the procedures and methods of § NR 812.26, Wis. Adm. Code. All debris, pump, piping, unsealed liners and any other obstructions which may interfere with sealing operations shall be removed prior to abandonment.
(2) 
The owner of the well, or the owner's agent, shall notify the Clerk-Treasurer at least 48 hours prior to commencement of any well abandonment activities. The abandonment of the well shall be observed by the Public Works Department Director for the City of Neillsville.
(3) 
An abandonment report form, supplied by the Department of Natural Resources, shall be submitted by the well owner to the Clerk-Treasurer and the Department of Natural Resources within 10 days of the completion of the well abandonment.
G. 
Penalty. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to penalties provided in § 1-5 of this Code. If any person fails to comply with this section for more than 10 days after receiving written notice of the violation, the City may impose a penalty and cause the well abandonment to be performed and the expenses to be assessed as a special tax against the property on which the well is located.