The Town Board of the Town of Chenango does
hereby adopt and ordain the following rules and regulations to govern
and control such public water supplies, water districts and water
supply districts as shall be under its jurisdiction and does hereby
repeal and revoke any previous rules and regulations, resolutions,
motions, etc., insofar as they conflict with these rules and regulations.
These rules and regulations shall be considered as a part of the contract
with all parties now or hereafter taking and using water furnished
by such public water supplies, water districts or water supply districts.
Nothing herein shall be construed, however, as ruling that any piping
or other facilities in active use on the date of adoption of these
rules and regulations are unsatisfactory.
Applications for water service must be made
at the office of the Town Clerk on forms furnished for that purpose
at least seven days before a service connection is desired and must
be signed by the property owner. Any check for the fee, which is set
hereinafter, must accompany the application. In making application
for water service, the applicant must comply with the rules and regulations
as hereinafter set forth, including such revisions, additions and
changes thereto as may be officially adopted from time to time by
the Town Board.
A.
Certificate of insurance. The contractor must file
with the Town of Chenango a certificate of insurance before any work
shall be started.
B.
Street opening bond. The contractor must file with
the Town Clerk, a street opening bond for $1,000 before any work shall
be started.
C.
Permits. Any services that abound on any street within
the Town, be it Town, county or New York State route, he (the contractor)
must secure the necessary permits from the proper agency.
The contractor shall provide and maintain all
necessary barricades, lights and warning signs and take all necessary
precautions for the protection and safety of the public. The contractor
shall also perform all work in strict accordance with the latest issue
of Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.
No person other than the individual appointed
by the Town Board to direct the operation of the water works system
or persons in the employ of the Town duly authorized by and under
the supervision of that individual shall be permitted to tap or make
any connections with any street main or distribution pipe of the water
system, unless written approval is previously given by the aforementioned
individual. Any other person or persons who shall tap or make any
connection with any street main or distribution pipe without prior
approval will be in violation of this Part 1. Water service to the
premises through the connection so made shall be shut off until the
penalty fee and other costs stated above are paid in full.
No person other than duly authorized personnel
of the Water Department or other person who has first obtained permission
to do so shall open, close or operate in any way the curb stop in
the water service line. The owner of the property served by the water
service shall be liable for any costs arising from damages to the
curb stop, service box and/or piping on either side of the curb stop,
unless damaged by Town employees in performance of their duties.
Any injury or damage to service pipes, street
mains, hydrants, valves, valve boxes or other fittings and devices,
and any damage that may be caused by leakage or flow of water occasioned
by such injury caused by the installation or repair of any sewer or
drain line, electrical conduit or cable, telephone conduit or cable
or by any excavation, embankment, paving or other construction operation,
shall be repaired at the expense of the contractor doing the work
causing the injury or damage, or by the owner of the premises or the
person or corporation for whom such work is being done.
A.
The use of water is permitted subject to such conditions
or reservations as the Water Department may in its sole discretion
consider to be reasonable. The Water Department reserves the right
to restrict or prohibit extraordinary use of water, if water supply
conditions so require.
B.
No installation of water-cooled refrigeration and/or
air-conditioning equipment shall be installed on any premises supplied
from the Town water system until a written permit has been issued
by the Water Department to the owner on whose premises the installation
is to be made.
C.
No water shall be taken from any hydrants in any water
district for the purpose of filling, refilling or use in any swimming
pool, pond, reservoir or other storage area on private property or
for any commercial purpose without a written application being filed
with the Town Water Department by the person desiring to take such
water, setting forth the name of the owner of the property to which
such water is to be taken, the size of the swimming pool, pond, reservoir
or other storage area desired to be filled, or the name and address
of such commercial user with a description of the commercial use,
the location of the hydrant from which water is to be taken and the
number of gallons of water to be taken from said hydrant. The fee
shall be as hereinafter defined. Lawn sprinkling, car washing, pool
filling or other unnecessary uses may be forbidden at any time by
the Water Department in case it is necessary to conserve the water
supply of the districts.
A.
Employees of the Water District may enter and must
be permitted to enter upon any premises where water is being supplied
or upon any premises for which application is made for service for
the purpose of inspecting all work in connection with such service.
Water may be shut off by the Water District from any service or main
for the purpose of constructing new work or for making repairs to
the water system. Whenever it is possible, due notice will be given,
but in case of emergency, the water may be shut off without notice,
and the Water District shall not be held responsible for any damage
resulting therefrom.
B.
The owner of property into which water is introduced
by a service pipe will be responsible for maintaining in perfect order,
at his own cost and expense, said service pipe from the point where
it leaves public lands or lines owned by others and enters the lands
of said property owner, so as to prevent loss of water by leakage.
In the event that the lateral connection is not maintained in a suitable
condition and causes loss of water by leakage and the property owner
or occupant fails or neglects to correct such condition as specified
in said notification within 10 days from the receipt thereof, the
Water District may thereupon enter upon the subject premises and make
such repairs as are necessary, and the cost thereof shall be borne
by the property owner, or the Water Department may shut off service
at the curb box. The Water District shall not be responsible if the
service pipes from the water main freeze. The owner shall be responsible
if the service pipe freezes on his property, and if the district assists
in thawing the service pipe, the costs shall be borne by the property
owner.
[Amended 5-20-1985]
C.
It shall be the obligation of the applicant for the
service connection to open and close and compact the trench and/or
drive through the ground from the main to the building wall and provide
proper connections for the installation of the meter. All work is
to be done with the approval of the Water Superintendent. Any pavement
restoration shall be the responsibility of the applicant.
D.
Installation.
[Amended 5-20-1985; 10-3-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995]
(1)
The service connection shall include tapping the main,
installing the corporation cock in the main, installing piping from
the main to the curb cock, installing the curb cock and curb box and
supplying a suitable meter of 5/8 by 1/2 inch or 5/8 by 3/4 inch in
size. All excavation and restoration is provided by the customer.
(2)
All private residential water services shall be provided
with shutoff valves on each side of the meter plus a double check-valve
(DCV) immediately after the water meter and before the second shutoff
valve. In addition, an expansion tank or other suitable pressure-relief
device shall be installed.
E.
All commercial water services must be protected from
cross-connection with the public water supply (per New York State
Sanitary Code Part 5, Section 5-1.31) in the following manner:
[Added 10-3-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995[1]]
(1)
By installing a device designed to protect the public
water supply from the hazard posed by the water use at that location.
The degree of hazard posed shall be determined by the Water Department
under the guidelines set forth by the New York State Department of
Health. Approved devices shall be either an air gap or reduced-pressure-zone
device (RPZD) for hazardous locations or a double check-valve assembly
(DCV) for aesthetically objectionable locations.
(2)
All such devices shall be installed as close to the
water service connection at the public water supply as possible. All
devices shall be approved by the Water Superintendent and the New
York State Department of Health Engineer.
F.
Installation of service pipes less than 1 1/2
inches in size.
(1)
Each premises to which water is supplied must be connected
to the water main by a separate service pipe which must be laid in
a straight line from the water main and enter the premises at the
front and at right angles thereto. No attachment to a service pipe
or any branch connection shall be made between the meter and the point
of connection of the service pipe to the water main. The service pipe
must be of new Type K copper tubing and shall have a minimum size
of 3/4 of an inch.
(2)
Whenever a new tap on the water main is desired at
a location different from that of the existing service, the existing
service shall be cut off at the main and the curb stop and curb box
removed. The expense of this work shall be borne by the property owner.
If within a period of six months after a property has been substantially
demolished and no new structure is in the process of erection at such
location as will permit the use of the existing water service, the
water stop and curb box may be removed. All service lines shall be
installed continuous with no breaks, couplings, etc., unless written
permission of the Water Department is issued. The owner of the property
in which water is introduced by service pipes is responsible to maintain
the curb box in an accessible position at all times.
G.
Installation of service pipes 1 1/2 inches in size
and larger.
(1)
Service connections 1 1/2 inches in size or larger
shall be made by the use of a tapping valve and tapping sleeve. Valve
shall be provided with cast-iron valve box to grade. No connection
shall be made to a water main which is larger in size than the water
main itself.
H.
A separate application shall be made and a separate
service connection shall be installed for each premises. If the title
shall change for a portion of a premises, a new application and a
separate service connection shall then be provided by the newly formed
premises.
I.
No open trenching across an existing Town road shall
be done without prior approval of the Water Department, Highway Superintendent
and the Town Engineer.
[Amended 10-3-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995]
The Water Department shall not be legally required
to supply water to a greater pressure than necessary to deliver water
into the basement of buildings.
A.
Cross-connection of the piping (either inside or outside
of the premises) serving water supplied by the Town water mains will
not be permitted with any source of supply. Such a violation is a
violation of the New York State Sanitary Code.
B.
No connection of piping, either inside or outside
of the premises serving water, shall be made ahead of the meter.
C.
The penalty for a violation of this section will be
the shutting off at the water main of the water supply to the premises
and the charging of the owner of all expenses of every nature incidental
thereto. Water service will not be restored until violations have
been removed and all costs in connection therewith paid.
A.
The service pipe will be required to be laid not less
than five feet below the surface of the ground any point outside the
foundation wall of the building into which the service is to be introduced.
In the event that the final grade of a street or sidewalk has been
officially determined and established, then the service shall be laid
at a depth of not less than five feet below said established grade
at all points so that, when the street and walk are graded, there
shall be not less than five feet of earth cover over the service line
at all points. A service pipe shall not be laid within three feet
of any other subsurface structure, conduit or pipe nor directly under
and parallel with such subsurface structure, conduit or pipe. A service
pipe laid in a sewer or construction trench shall be provided with
completely adequate supports in order to protect it from settlement
or lateral movement or it shall be placed on a secure bench in the
side wall of the trench.
B.
The service curb box shall be located at the center
of the property on the property line unless prior approval is given
by the Water Superintendent.
A.
Upon receiving a written petition containing a statement
of proper facts and circumstances from which it will appear that the
extension of any main or mains or distribution pipe or pipes is necessary
and required in order to service properties of petitioners, the Town
Board and its Water Department may authorize such extension, the condition
of which shall be that the cost shall be paid wholly by the owners
of the lands benefited or abutting the street where said work is done,
all as provided for in Article 12 of the Town Law.
B.
Rules governing installation of water mains and services.
After November 1 of any year, the Water District will make no installation
of water mains or service connections until weather permits in the
spring, except in case of an emergency.
[Amended 5-20-1985]
A.
A property owner or occupant shall, during any reasonable
hour, permit the entrance on the premises of a duly authorized representative
of the Water District for the purposes of removing a water meter for
repair and/or testing and shall permit the entrance on the premises
of said representative for the purpose of reading and/or inspecting
a water meter, which meter will be furnished by and remain the property
of the Water District.
B.
Prior to each billing period as provided in § 71-24 of this Part 1, the Water Department shall mail to each owner or occupant a meter record card. It shall be the responsibility of the owner or occupant to read the water meter and record the usage on the meter record card and return the record card to the Water Department within 10 days thereafter.
C.
Failure to read the meter, record the reading on the
meter reading card and return the meter record card to the Water Department
within 10 days shall subject the owner or occupant to a penalty of
$25.
D.
It shall be the responsibility of every property owner
or occupant to keep water meters in an accessible location where said
authorized representative may conveniently inspect, read or remove
said water meter.
E.
In the event that a water meter cannot be conveniently
accessed for reading, inspection, repair, removal or replacement,
the property owner and/or occupant will be notified by a duly authorized
representative of the Water Department that access to the meter is
required. Should the property owner and/or occupant fail to timely
arrange for access after being notified, the authorized representative
of the Water Department will send a written second notice to the property
owner and/or occupant. Should the property owner and/or occupant fail
to arrange for access to the water meter by the authorized representative
of the Water Department within the time frame designated in the written
second notice, a fourteen-day advance written notice of action will
be sent to the property owner and/or occupant.
[Amended 10-4-2010 by L.L. No. 4-2010]
(1)
Thereafter,
if the authorized representative of the Water Department has not been
provided access to the water meter, upon the expiration of the 14
days, the Water Department will, until such time as the property owner
and/or occupant has permitted access to the authorized representative
of the Water Department:
(2)
The
Water Department may, at its discretion and upon written notice to
the property owner and/or occupant, initiate legal action against
the property and/or occupant for access to the meter, in which event
the property owner and/or occupant will be responsible for all reasonable
attorney fees, court costs and disbursements.
F.
Persons making complaints as to the correctness of
meter bills and claiming to be overcharged can, by application to
the Water Department within 10 days after the bills have become due,
have the meter examined and dial reread; or, by depositing $15 at
the office of the Water Department and making written request, have
the meter taken out and tested. If the meter is found to be correct
or to under register, the deposit will be retained by the Water Department
as payment for testing the meter. Should the meter be found to over
register, the deposit will be returned to the complainant and the
proper reasonable correction made in the bill. The Water Department
is authorized to correct any charge due to a fault in the meter or
to incorrect reading of the dial but shall have no power to reduce
meter bills for any other reason whatsoever. All repairs to meters,
whether owned by the Town or the consumer, shall be made by regular
employees of the Water Department only. Repairs due to ordinary wear
will be made free of charge, but repairs due to hot water, freezing
or other external sources must be paid for by the owner of the premises,
and if a meter is damaged beyond repair, such owner must pay for a
new meter. Upon refusal of the owner to pay for any such repairs,
the water will be shut off and not be turned on again until all charges
are paid.
A.
As necessity may arise in the case of breaks in water
mains or other emergencies of a similar nature, including the necessity
for making repairs, connections, extensions and/or the installing
and repairing of consumer services, the Water Department shall have
the right and authority to temporarily shut off the water supply in
order to perform the necessary work.
B.
The Water Department will use, if possible, all reasonable
and practicable means to notify the consumers in advance of such discontinuation
of water service.
C.
However, the Water Department shall not be liable
for any inconvenience suffered by the consumer, or for any damage
which may result to the consumer's piping, fixtures, appliances, etc.,
resulting from the shutting off of the water supply for any purpose
whatever, whether or not previous notice has been given.
D.
The Water Department will not be liable in any case
for any claim against it at any time for the interruption of water
service, lessening of the water supply, inadequate water pressure
or any other cause which may be beyond its control.
E.
Water service to a consumer may be shut off only by
the Water Department, its employee or agent for the purpose of inspection
or for the making of repairs or alterations to water mains, meters,
pipes, valves or other appurtenances. No other person shall open,
close or tamper with any valve, valve bow or valve box cover or any
other equipment of the Town water supply system.
All hydrants are under the control of the Water
District. No person shall use a wrench to open a hydrant, except an
authorized employee of the Water District or Fire Department. Any
person causing damage to a fire hydrant by collision or otherwise
will be held responsible for any damage caused thereby, and such person
should immediately report the same to the Water Department or nearest
fire station, giving his name and address.
