The Director in charge of the Water Utility is authorized to promulgate regulations from time to time to implement the intent and purpose of this article.
The purpose of this article is to regulate and control the use of the public water system and to establish the right of inspection.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in these regulations shall be as follows:
CUSTOMER
The applicant for water service at one household, business, commercial user or industrial user, whether the owner or a tenant.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, company, partnership, corporation, association (public or private), group or society, and including the State of New Jersey, its agencies, districts, commissions and political subdivisions created by or pursuant to state law.
SUPERINTENDENT
The Superintendent of the City's Water Utility or his duly appointed deputy or authorized representative.
USER
Any person who is connected to the public water system and facilities of the City.
UTILITY
The City Water Utility under the authority and jurisdiction of the Director in charge thereof.
A. 
No person, firm or corporation shall place or cause to be placed upon or about any fire hydrant any paint, rubbish, building materials, fence or other obstruction of any character. No guy rope shall be fastened to any fire hydrant nor shall any vehicle be parked against any fire hydrant.
B. 
No person, firm or corporation shall damage, tamper with, or in any way use, open or attempt to open any fire hydrant except for an authorized emergency use under the supervision of either the Director of Public Safety, or the Director in charge of the Water Utility, or their designated representative.
A. 
Compliance with water rules and regulations required. All users of the public water system shall comply with the requirements of the written rules and regulations of the Director in charge of the Water Utility, which regulations shall become effective upon filing in the office of the City Clerk after the effective date of this article.
B. 
Injury to or tampering with public water facilities. No person shall maliciously, intentionally, or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment that is part of the public water system of the City of Millville.
C. 
Water meters. It shall be unlawful for any person to be connected to the public water system without having a properly installed and properly operating water meter to accurately measure the water use of the customer.
D. 
Maintenance. The customer shall be solely responsible for all damage to water meters, whether due to freezing or any other cause, and the meter shall be repaired or replaced at the expense of the property owner. All persons using water shall keep water pipes and fixtures within their premises, and the customer service pipe to the main, in good repair and shall protect them from frost at their own expense. The customer shall immediately notify the Superintendent of any damage to a meter or the fact that a meter is not working as soon as it is known by the customer.
E. 
Prohibited acts. No plumber, customer or other unauthorized person shall turn the water on or off at any corporation stop, curb stop or meter valve, or disconnect or remove the meter without the written consent of the Superintendent of the Water Utility, except when emergency repairs are required.
A. 
Inspection. Properly identified and authorized agents of the Water Utility shall have the right to access to customer premises at all reasonable hours for the purpose of reading meters, inspecting meters, installing meters, removing meters, or repairing meters and for examining fixtures and pipes, observing the manner for using water, and for any other purpose which is proper and necessary in the conduct of the operation of the Water Utility.
B. 
Water meter requirements. Every water service of every description within the City, including commercial, industrial, residential, public and utility, shall be required to have installed on its premises a water meter of a type as specified and approved by the Superintendent of the Water Utility.
[Amended 7-2-2013 by Ord. No. 22-2013]
(1) 
The Municipal Water Utility shall provide without cost one 5/8-inch by 3/4-inch water meter per service, without fee. Each additional 5/8-inch by 3/4-inch meter shall be provided at a cost of $150 per meter. Meters larger than 5/8 inch by 3/4 inch shall be available at the following costs:
Size of Meter
(inches)
Cost of Computer Meter with Touch Read Assembly
(per meter)
1 x 1
$300
1 1/2 x 1 1/2
$725
2 x 2
$825
(2) 
Meters larger than two inches shall be furnished and installed by the customer at the customer's expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of the Water Utility as to the type, size and set.
C. 
Calibration. Meters larger than two inches shall be calibrated at least once very five years by the customer at the customer's expense subject to the approval of the Superintendent as to the contractor performing the calibration.
D. 
Reporting. As soon as a customer becomes aware of a defective water meter, defective customer service line, defective water lateral or defective main, the customer shall notify the Superintendent of the Water Utility forthwith.
Water meters shall be installed inside buildings, dwellings, business or industrial establishments, in the basement, boiler room, utility room, or other suitable location, whenever practicable.
[Amended 7-2-2013 by Ord. No. 22-2013]
A. 
When such inside setting is not practicable and a meter is smaller than one inch in size, the meter may be set at an outside location upon the payment of an installation fee of $450 payable in advance of installation.
B. 
When such inside setting is not practicable, and the meter is one inch in size, the meter may be set at an outside location upon the payment of an installation fee of $500 payable in advance of the installation.
C. 
When such inside setting is not practicable, and the meter is 1 1/2 inches in size, the meter may be set at an outside location upon the payment of an installation fee of $950 payable in advance of installation.
D. 
When such inside setting is not practicable, and the meter is two inches in size, the meter may be set at an outside location upon the payment of an installation fee of $950 payable in advance of installation.
When it is practicable to set a meter larger than one inch in size within a building, any valve, bypass or unusual piping that is required by the Water Utility shall be provided by the customer at his expense.
Decision as to the practicality and suitability of location for water meters shall be made by the Superintendent of the Water Utility, whose decision shall be final.
At any time that the Director in charge of the Water Utility shall declare that an emergency exists in the water supply of the City's water system requiring specified measures for conserving water for any and all uses and for fire protection, the measures shall remain in effect until the Director in charge of the Water Utility shall declare that the emergency has ended. During any emergency, the Director in charge of the Water Utility may adopt regulations governing the use of water as he or she shall deem necessary to conserve water within the City. Such regulations may include restrictions on the use of water for watering lawns, shrubbery, gardens, vegetation, or the use of water for wetting or washing sidewalks, streets or to be utilized in private swimming pools, or the washing of automobiles, or any other use of water that the Director in charge of the Water Utility may feel it necessary to regulate.
A. 
The Director in charge of the Water Utility may discontinue water service for any of the following reasons:
(1) 
Misrepresentation of material facts in an application for extension of water service.
(2) 
Willful waste of water through improper or imperfect pipes, fixtures, or other appurtenances.
(3) 
Use of water for any other property or purpose different than described in the application for water service.
(4) 
Tampering with any service pipe, meter, curb stopcock or seals, or any other appurtenance owned by the City.
(5) 
Vacancy.
(6) 
For the failure to pay any connection fee, installation fee, or water user charge within 30 days of its due date.
(7) 
Refusal of reasonable access to the property for purposes of inspecting, reading, maintaining, installing, or removal of water meters, or other purposes specified herein.
(8) 
Making, or refusing to sever, any cross-connection between a pipe or fixture carrying water furnished by the City, and a pipe or fixture carrying water from any other source.
(9) 
Failure to repair a defective meter, defective customer service line, defective water lateral, or other defective appurtenance within a reasonable time after written notice has been given by the Superintendent of the Water Utility.
B. 
In addition to the foregoing, the Superintendent shall have the right to cut off the water supply temporarily to make necessary repairs or connections in the event of a breakdown, emergency, or for any other unavoidable cause. The Superintendent, however, will use all reasonable and practicable measures to notify the customer of such discontinuance of service.
C. 
Disconnection and reconnection fee. The Superintendent is authorized to charge the customer $25 for disconnection of service and an additional $25 for reconnection of service. This fee shall be collected in the same manner as other charges.
The customer shall be responsible for the entire cost of the installation of the customer service line. Additionally, the customer shall maintain the customer service line in good working order at all times. All leaks in the service line or any other pipe or fixture in or upon the premises owned by the customer shall be repaired as soon as practicable. The customer shall be responsible for notifying the Superintendent as to any maintenance work to be performed prior to the work being commenced, and furthermore, shall notify the Superintendent of the party engaged by the customer to do the maintenance work. Neither the customer nor the party engaged to do the work shall backfill any trench until the work has been inspected and approved by the Construction Official or Plumbing Inspector or their designated representatives. Any work or material found to be not acceptable by the Construction Official or Plumbing Inspector shall be removed and replaced.
A. 
Notice of violation. Whenever the Director in charge of the Water Utility or the Superintendent finds that any person has violated or is violating the regulations contained in this article, or any regulation adopted pursuant to § 56-39, the Superintendent may serve upon such person written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days, for the satisfactory correction thereof.
B. 
Order to show cause. If the violation is not corrected by timely compliance, the Director in charge of the Water Utility may issue an order directed to the offending person requiring said person to show cause before the Public Works Committee why an order should not be made directing any or all of the following actions to be taken:
[Amended 4-2-2002 by Ord. No. 13-2002]
(1) 
The termination of service;
(2) 
The requirement that immediate installation of facilities be made to ensure compliance; and/or
(3) 
The payment of the additional cost incurred by the Water Utility as a result of the violation.
(4) 
An administrative fee of $25 shall be assessed to cover the cost of preparing and mailing the order to show cause.
C. 
Hearing. The Public Works Committee shall conduct a hearing no sooner than 10 days after service of the order to show cause. The Public Works Committee shall consist of the Utilities Collector or designee, the Sewer Utility Superintendent or designee, the Water Utility Superintendent or designee, the City Clerk or designee, and the Chief Financial Officer or designee. A quorum of three persons shall be required to conduct a hearing. The Public Works Committee shall report its decision in each case to the Board of Commissioners with a recommendation for a resolution to be adopted by the Board at the next regularly scheduled Commission meeting after the hearing has been completed.
D. 
Violations and penalties. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, the Municipal Court shall have concurrent jurisdiction to hear alleged violations of this article. Any person who is convicted of violating any of the provisions of this article or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or an order of the Board of Commissioners lawfully issued pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $1,000, or community service for a period not to exceed 90 days, or incarceration for a period not to exceed 90 days, or any combination of the foregoing in the sole discretion of the Municipal Court Judge. Each day that a violation occurs or continues after notice has been served shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense.
The customer shall be responsible for the entire cost of the installation of the water lateral and service pipe and replacement. The customer shall be responsible for notifying the Superintendent as to any maintenance work to be performed prior to the work being commenced, and furthermore, shall notify the Superintendent of the party engaged by the customer to perform the maintenance work. If any street or sidewalk is to be excavated within the right-of-way, the customer shall comply with the provisions contained in Chapter 61, Streets and Roads Department, of the Municipal Code. The work to be performed is subject to the inspection and approval of the Superintendent.