All applications for the use of city water shall be made at the office designated by the superintendent of public works, in the form prescribed, stating truly and fully the various uses to which the water is to be applied, and signed by the owner of the premises to be supplied or his or her properly authorized agent. The applicant shall make the required deposit.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
No person shall break or in any manner injure any water main, service pipe, stopcock, valve, hydrant, water post, drinking fountain, water main, water meter or other fixture or appurtenance of the water department or obstruct or in any way interfere with the flow of water through the same, nor shall any person in any manner place obstructions which prevent the ready operation of any valve, hydrant, water post, stopcock or other fixture or appurtenance of the water department. Any person who breaks, tampers with, or in any manner alters, damages, destroys, or interferes with any of the foregoing water system components shall be responsible for the full cost of repairing or replacing said components, in addition to being subject to, but not limited to, the penalty provided in Section 1.12, Article III.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1 , 5/7/2018)
All damages to service pipes, street mains, hydrants or other fixtures caused by excavations in putting in any sewer, drain or other pipe shall be chargeable to the owner of the premises for whom such work is done.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
A. 
All pipes and other fixtures from the water main in the street to the outlet of the meter on the house side of the stopcock shall be furnished and laid by the city at the expense of the owner of the property. The service from the water main to the street line shall be maintained by the city.
B. 
All water takers shall be liable for such repairs of the fixtures upon the premises owned or occupied by them as shall be deemed necessary by the superintendent of public works to prevent waste of water. Where repair of the water meter is not practical the water taker shall be liable for the installation of a new meter, subject to the provisions of Section 13.04.070.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
No damages shall be allowed any taker for shutting off water for the purpose of doing ordinary repairs on pipes, gates, hydrants or other fixtures, adding or inserting new ones, changing pipes at any time from one size to another, or lowering and raising pipes in any street.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
If bills for water, meter or service pipe or materials and labor furnished are not paid within forty days after notice from the city collector that the same are at his or her office, ready for payment, the water may be shut off from the premises which are supplied and shall not be turned on again until all bills are paid, and, in addition thereto, fees for the expense of shutting off and for letting on the water. This rule shall apply to all premises supplied with water, whether they are occupied at the time of such shutting off by the persons who owned or occupied the premises at the time the bills accrued or by other persons.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
Any person neglecting or refusing to comply with the provisions of this chapter may have his or her supply of water cut off, in addition to being subject to the penalty provided in Section 1.12, Article III.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
No person shall turn on or off the water in any water main, service pipe, hydrant, water post, drinking fountain or other fixture or appurtenance of the water department, or make any opening into or connection therewith, without authority from the water department; except, that hydrants may be used by firemen in the discharge of their duties.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
Consistent with M.G.L. ch. 165, § 11D, the superintendent of public works, or any employee authorized by him or her, shall have access at all times to all premises where water is used, for the inspection or repair of the fixtures, setting, testing, or repairing or replacing meters, and shutting off the water from any delinquent taker by closing any faucet or cutting any pipe necessary to effect the object desired. Any person who denies an authorized city employee access to a water line, fixture, or water meter will be subject to, but not limited to, the penalty provided in Section 1.12, Article III.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
Water takers shall be charged for shutting off and for letting on water at the street mains when required by them. Water takers shall be charged for all services rendered upon their premises for thawing frozen pipes, repairing the same in any manner or removing obstructions therefrom. Twenty-four hours' notice shall be given to the water department before letting on or shutting off the water.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
The superintendent of public works shall have the authority in the case of an emergency affecting the water system, including but not limited to water contamination, pressure, flow or volume to declare a water usage emergency restricting the usage of water within the city and when necessary shutting off the supply of water. A reasonable notice shall be given by the city via the media of the declaration of emergency requiring the regulation of shut off of water usage and the dates and times that the regulations shall be in effect.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
On all premises where water meters have been set, the owner of the premises shall pay the rates according to the schedule established by the city council for not more than the entire amount of water used upon such estates, irrespective of leases or individual consumers. The schedule established by the city council shall include different rates for residential and commercial use, defined as follows:
"Commercial use"
is use by non-residential business enterprises, use in residential buildings that have more than three units except for an owner-occupied residential building comprised of not more than six units, and any other use that is not "residential use."
"Residential use"
is use in residential buildings which have one, two or three residential units or an owner-occupied residential building comprised of not more than six units. This definition is also intended to include all separately-metered condominium, cooperative, or townhouse units.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018; C.O. 24-203, 12/16/2024)
Commencing on January 1, 2008, for any new construction of a building or structure with ten or less condominium, cooperative or townhouse units, each unit shall have a separate water meter to measure the water usage within the individual unit. All separately-metered residential condominium, cooperative, or townhouse units shall be charged the residential rate for water and sewer usage in accordance with the schedule established by the city council.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
All residential buildings and structures that have more than three units, except for an owner-occupied residential building comprised of not more than six units, shall be charged the commercial rate for water and sewer usage in accordance with the schedule established by the city council. Should an owner of such a building or structure wish to establish submeters to allow the owner to bill his or her tenants separately, the owner may do so in accordance with the provisions of MGL ch. 186, § 22.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018; C.O. 24-203, 12/16/2024)
No person, except an agent authorized by the superintendent of public works, shall at any time remove or repair any meter or fixture connected therewith which has been set or used by the water department.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
All water meters shall be located indoors, protected from the elements or other outside intrusions, and shall be readily accessible. The owner is responsible for ensuring that the meter is located in a safe indoor location, accessible and free from obstructions or obstacles, and is not hindered, attached or encased in any manner that would make it difficult or impossible to access, repair, remove, or replace. Any person who fails to comply with this Section will be subject to, but not limited to, the penalty provided in Section 1.12, Article III.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
The superintendent of public works shall keep a history of each water meter showing the make, style, size, number, date purchased, location, date when set, reading at such date and record of tests, and the location, reading and date when reset, and also a description of all repairs.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
It is the duty of the superintendent of public works at all times to be diligent to prevent waste of city water and to make such examinations, investigations and tests as to such waste, arising from all causes, as are conducive to the most economical use of water, and no persons shall permit or allow any waste of water.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
A. 
Where a fire service line exists on private property or inside a privately-owned building, no connections to that line may be made by any entity for any purpose other than fire protection, and no water from the fire service line may be used for any purpose other than fire protection. Any hose or piping connected to a dedicated fire service line for other types of water use must be disconnected promptly under the supervision of the superintendent of public works and the plumbing inspector.
B. 
All new building construction that includes a dedicated fire service line shall include a meter on that line. The meter and its automatic meter reading equipment shall be consistent with city water metering standards, and must be approved by the superintendent of public works.
C. 
By or before March 31, 2017, all existing fire service lines shall have been retrofitted with a water meter. The meter and its automatic meter reading equipment shall be consistent with city water metering standards, and must be approved by the superintendent of public works and the plumbing inspector. Any person or entity that fails to comply with this section shall be subject to, but not limited to, the enforcement and penalty provided in Section 1.12, Article III.
A double check detector assembly will be allowed for the purpose of compliance with this paragraph. This includes the double checks, two gate valves, and meter, but not installation. The property owner is responsible for all costs associated with the purchase and installation of a double check detector assembly.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)
A. 
No person may utilize a city hydrant to obtain water for construction or any other purposes without the approval of the superintendent of public works.
B. 
Use of a city hydrant to obtain water for construction purposes shall only be allowed with a temporary meter and backflow device. The temporary meter and backflow device must be obtained from the superintendent of public works after paying the required deposit; see Table 1, Fee Schedule, Water shut-off and turn-on.
(C.O. 18-133, § 1, 5/7/2018)