[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Skaneateles as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 11-24-1997 by L.L. No. 5-1997]
This article shall be known as the "Uniform
Water Regulations of the Village of Skaneateles." This article shall
apply to the Village of Skaneateles now or hereafter established and
to the customers thereof. No water service connections or facilities
shall be made or installed except in conformity with the provisions
of this article.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A building under one roof owned or leased by
one customer and occupied as one residence or one place of business.
A combination of buildings owned or leased by
one customer, in one common enclosure, occupied by one family as a
residence or one corporation, firm or person as a place of business.
Each unit of a multiple house or building separated
by a solid partition wall, occupied by one family as a residence or
one corporation, firm or person as a place of business.
A building owned or leased by one customer,
having a number of apartments, offices, or lofts which are rented
to tenants, and using in common one hall and one or more means of
entrance.
A building one or more stories high under one
roof, owned or leased by one customer, having an individual entrance
for the ground floor occupants and at least one for the occupants
of the upper floors.
Garden apartment owned by one individual or
firm and located in one common enclosure.
The position of Water Superintendent is abolished and is
replaced by the position of Director of Public Works, who shall administer
the affairs of the Water Department as part of the Municipal Division.
All references to the Water Superintendent shall be construed as
referring to the Director of Public Works.
[Amended 3-27-2006 by L.L. No. 1-2006]
A.
Applications for use of water shall be on forms provided
by the Village Clerk/Treasurer of the Village of Skaneateles. The
applicant shall furnish all information indicated on the application
forms, as well as additional information that may be required by the
Village Clerk/Treasurer, Water Superintendent or Municipal Board.
B.
Approval of applications shall be subject to there
being an existing main in a street or right-of-way abutting on the
premises to be served, and approval shall in no way obligate the Village
to extend its mains.
C.
A separate application must be made for each premises.
Submetering will not be permitted.
D.
No Village water will be furnished to premises outside
the Village corporation limits, unless said premises are within a
duly constituted Town Water District or as otherwise specifically
authorized by a resolution of the Village Board of Trustees. Premises
not in a Town Water District and receiving Village water on the effective
date of this article shall be exempt from this provision. However,
any such premises shall be subject to all other provisions of this
article.
A.
Village service lines.
(1)
Service to a single-family residence. Upon approval
of application for water service to a single-family residential property
abutting on a street or right-of-way in which there is an existing
main, and payment of a fee as established by the Board of Trustees,
the Village will install a three-fourths-inch service line from the
main to and including the curb box shutoff. Service lines installed
by the Village shall remain the property of the Village.
(2)
Service to a premises other than a single-family residence. The Water Superintendent shall determine the size of water services to be installed to serve premises other than single-family residences. If the service is determined to be 3/4 inch, it will be installed by the Village in accordance with Subsection A(1) above. If the service size is determined to be larger than 3/4 inch it will be furnished and installed by the property owner's contractor or plumber, at the owner's expense, including all costs associated with tapping the main. The installation shall be performed in accordance with the requirements and directions of the Water Superintendent and shall at all times be available for inspection by the Water Superintendent. Upon completion of the installation, the service line from the main to and including the curb box shutoff shall become the property of the Village. The fee for a service larger than 3/4 inch shall be as established by the Board of Trustees.
B.
Operation, maintenance and replacement of Village
service lines.
(1)
The Village, at its expense, will maintain and, when
necessary, replace its service lines from the main to and including
curb box shutoff.
(2)
Service lines shall not be trespassed upon or interfered
with in any respect. The curb box shutoff is for the exclusive use
of the Village Water Department and may not be used by a customer
or others for turning on or shutting off water supply without approval
of the Water Superintendent.
C.
Customer service pipes.
(1)
At his own expense the customer shall install the
service pipe from the curb box shutoff servicing the customer's premises
to a valve located just inside the building wall or as directed by
the Water Superintendent. A valve shall be installed on each side
of and adjacent to the meter location. All work is to be done by a
licensed plumber.
(2)
No customer service pipe shall be installed nor shall
work be commenced thereon until the application for water service
shall have been made, processed and approved pursuant to the provisions
of this article.
(3)
No trench or the customer service pipe therein shall
be backfilled or covered until such trench, the service pipe and the
curb box connection thereto shall have been inspected and approved
by the Water Superintendent and the Onondaga County Health Department.
(4)
No water shall be drawn, used or consumed from a customer
service pipe until the individual water meter has been installed,
except that such prohibition shall not apply to the Water Superintendent
when performing inspections or tests.
(5)
On all new and all replacement water services entering the foundation of any structure, provision shall be made for the possible future installation of a New York State Health Department approved backflow protection device. A horizontal twenty-four-inch length of pipe shall be provided for this purpose. For requirements of specific backflow protection, refer to § 218-9, Control of backflow and cross-connections. All backflow prevention devices must be installed by a licensed plumber at the expense of the property owner. The Water Superintendent shall determine when a backflow prevention device is required to be installed.
D.
Maintenance and replacement of customer service pipes.
(1)
The customer, at his expense, shall maintain and,
when necessary, replace service pipes from the curb box shutoff to
the building.
(2)
If any defects in workmanship or materials are found,
if the customer service pipe has not been installed in accordance
with this article, or if there is a failure in the customer service
pipe, water service shall not be turned on or, if turned on, shall
be turned off and discontinued until such defects are remedied.
E.
Service pipe specifications.
(1)
All service pipes shall have a minimum cover of 4
1/2 feet. No service pipes shall be smaller than three-fourths-inch
inside diameter. Type K copper pipe shall be used for two-inch inside
diameter and smaller pipe with fittings conforming to applicable AWWA
specifications as directed by the Water Superintendent. Services larger
than two-inch diameter shall be cast iron and fittings of quality
equal to AWWA specifications suitable for service under a pressure
of 150 pounds per square inch. Plastic pipe shall not be used between
the main and the water meter. If the distance from the curb stop to
the building foundation is more than 170 feet, the customer shall
provide an approved meter pit at the curb, as directed by the Water
Superintendent, at the customer's expense.
(2)
Customer service pipe installations smaller than three-fourths-inch
inside diameter in place at the effective date of this article may
remain while in good condition. If such installations shall thereafter
require excavation for test, inspection or replacement, they shall
be replaced with installations conforming to this article.
F.
Taps and unmetered use. There shall be no tap, provision
for tap, plugged tee or other fitting between the Village main and
the meter, except as approved by prior writing of the Water Superintendent.
No water may be taken or used which is not metered (except for approved
temporary water service), and any yard hydrant, fountain, hose or
other installation must be connected on the building side of the meter.
G.
Winter provisions. The Village shall not be required
to install any service lines or service connections between November
1 and April 15, except by special arrangement, in which case the customer
shall pay for the excess over normal costs.
H.
Easements and rights-of-way.
(1)
Applicants for service shall deliver, without cost
to the Village, permanent easements or rights-of-way when necessary
for the installation and maintenance of service lines and service
connections.
(2)
The Village shall not be obligated to commence any
construction until applicants have delivered satisfactory easements
or rights-of-way or have agreed to pay all costs of the Village to
obtain easements or rights-of-way.
I.
Delay. The Village shall not be liable for delay in
the installation of mains, service lines or service connections, whether
or not such delay is reasonable or unreasonable, and whether or not
such delays may be within or beyond the control of the Village.
A.
An individual meter shall be required for each separate
water service connection at a premises.
B.
Meters up to and including 3/4 inch will be furnished
by the Village and remain the property of the Village. Meters larger
than 3/4 inch shall be furnished and installed by the customer and
will remain the property of the customer. The Village reserves the
right in all cases to stipulate the size, type and manufacturer of
the meter to be used.
C.
Whenever possible, a meter less than two inches in size shall be set in the basement. The meter shall be located at a convenient point so as to protect the meter and to measure the entire supply of water through the service line and service pipe. When a meter cannot be set in the basement, it will be set at a place designated by the Water Superintendent. The customer shall bear all costs of pit or housing for the meter, as approved by the Village. (See also § 218-4E.) A meter two inches in size and larger shall be set at a place designated by the Water Superintendent, and the customer shall bear all costs of a pit or housing for the meter, including bypass for testing as approved by the Village. All meters 1 1/2 inches or larger shall have a bypass for testing.
D.
Meters and meter connections shall not be interfered
with in any respect. All meters furnished by the Village will be maintained
by and at the expense of the Village so far as ordinary wear and tear
are concerned, but the customer will be held responsible for all costs
incurred by the Village due to freezing, hot water or external causes.
Meters furnished by the customer shall be maintained and repaired
by the customer. If a meter furnished by a customer shall, in the
opinion of the Water Superintendent, require inspection, calibration,
maintenance or repair and such is not provided within 10 days after
written notice to the customer, the Village may provide such inspection,
calibration, maintenance or repair and the customer shall bear all
costs thereof.
E.
The Village reserves the right to remove and test
any meter it has furnished at any time and to substitute another meter
in its place. In case of question as to the accuracy of a meter, the
meter will be tested by the Village upon the request of the customer.
The fee for testing such meter will be as established by the Board
of Trustees, payable in advance of the test. In the event that the
meter so tested is found to have an error in registration to the prejudice
of the customer in excess of 4% at any rate of flow within normal
test flow limits, the fee advanced for testing will be refunded.
F.
The Village may require the testing of any meter furnished
by a customer at any time. If such test of a meter is less than two
years after a previous test of the same meter and the meter is found
to have an error to the prejudice of the Village of 4% or less at
any rate of flow within normal test flow limits, the Village will
pay the cost of the test; otherwise the cost of the test shall be
borne by the customer.
G.
Clear access of a minimum of three feet horizontally
and six feet vertically (head room) must be maintained around the
meter and a clear lane maintained from the stairway or entry to such
meter. Customer shall permit Village employees to enter the premises
for the purpose of reading the meter, upon reasonable notice.
H.
On residential accounts, the meter shall be provided
with a remote reading device. The remote reader shall be provided
and installed by the Skaneateles Village Water Department. Access
to the remote reader shall be maintained at all times.
I.
When the meter reader is unable to read a customer's
meter due to inaccessibility or absence of a responsible person on
the customer's premises, the meter reader shall leave a notice and
the customer shall promptly forward the meter reading to the Village
office.
A.
All bills are payable in accordance with the terms
of the applicable service classification. For new services installed
at any time during the billing period, the minimum charge and the
amount of water allowed thereunder will be prorated according to the
number of days remaining in the billing period after the service has
been made available.
B.
Payment for water consumed.
(1)
All payments for water consumed shall be due and payable
at the office of the Village Clerk/Treasurer.
(2)
Water consumption will be billed on a monthly basis.
(3)
The net amount for the month billed, plus all amounts
previously billed and unpaid, shall be paid on or before the 15th
day of the month in which the bill is rendered.
C.
The quantity recorded by the meter shall be considered
the amount of water passing through the meter, which amount shall
be conclusive on both the customer and the Village, except when the
meter has been found to be registering inaccurately or has ceased
to register. In such cases, the quantity may be determined by the
average registration of the meter in a corresponding past period when
in order, or by the average registration of a meter later installed,
whichever method is representative, in the opinion of the Water Superintendent,
of the conditions existing during the period in question, subject
to appeal to the Municipal Board.
D.
The customer shall notify the Village of any change in occupancy. No adjustment of bills will be made by the Village as between owners or tenants unless 10 days' notice in writing prior to change of occupancy has been given to the Village. No rebate will be given for unoccupied premises unless notice of nonoccupancy is given as required in Subsection F hereunder.
E.
Unpaid water bills.
(1)
Unpaid charges constitute a lien upon the property
served. Unpaid water bills, including penalties, shall constitute
a lien upon the real property served pursuant to the provisions of
the General Municipal Law, and an additional 10% will be added to
the unpaid bill after May 15.
(2)
Collection of unpaid water bills. Unpaid water bills,
including penalties, may be collected by the Board of Trustees in
the same manner as provided for the collection of unpaid sewer rents
as set forth in the provisions of the General Municipal Law, as amended
from time to time. The aforementioned method of remedy shall not be
intended to limit the Village in any other remedy to which it may
be entitled.
F.
Any customer may discontinue water service by giving
the Village office notice not less than 10 days prior to the discontinuance.
G.
Penalty for all water bills not paid within 15 days
after receipt of said bill will be 1 1/2% per month of arrears.
H.
Disconnection of water service for nonpayment. In
addition to the methods of collection of unpaid water bills, including
penalties, the water service of a user shall be disconnected in the
event such user does not pay the water bill within 30 days of billing.
A.
Water service may be discontinued by the Village for
any of the following reasons:
(1)
Use of water other than as represented in customer's
application, or through branch connections on the street side of the
meter or place reserved therefor.
(2)
Willful waste of water through improper and imperfect
pipes or by any other means.
(3)
Damaging or molesting any main, service line, seal,
meter, or any other property or installation of the Village.
(4)
Cross-connecting pipes carrying water supplied by
the Village with any other source of supply or with any apparatus
which may endanger the quality of the Village water supply.
(5)
Refusal of reasonable access to the property for the
purposes of reading, repairing, testing or removing meters or inspecting
water piping and other fixtures.
(6)
Failure to pay the full amount due, including penalties,
within 30 days of billing.
B.
Where two or more premises are now supplied with water
through one service line under the control of one curb box shutoff,
if any of the customers so supplied shall violate any of the above
rules, the Village reserves the right to apply its shutoff regulations
to the joint service line, except that such action shall not be taken
until the innocent customer who is not in violation of the Village's
rules has been given reasonable opportunity to attach the service
pipe leading to his premises to a separately controlled service line.
C.
When water service to any premises has been turned
off upon the order of the customer, or for any of the reasons in this
section, and service is again desired by the customer, a charge as
established by the Board of Trustees will be made for the restoration
of service. Such charges contemplate only opening of the curb box
shutoff.
D.
No person shall take water from any public fire hydrant or unmetered connection to any facilities of the Village for any use whatsoever, other than for fire purposes, except as specifically authorized by the Village Water Superintendent. If water is used from a public fire hydrant or unmetered connection to any facilities of the Village without specific authorization by the Village, the user shall be liable for a civil penalty as provided in § 218-10 for each day or part day of unauthorized water use.[1]
E.
If any customer shall use such a volume of water as
to endanger, diminish or cut off the supply to other customers, in
the opinion of the Water Superintendent, the Water Superintendent
may order such customer to reduce such excessive use of water and
the customer shall comply forthwith.
F.
Upon receipt of an application for a new service or
reinstatement of an existing service, the Village may assume that
the piping and fixtures which the service will supply are in proper
order, and the Village will not be liable for any accident, breaks,
leakage or damage of any nature resulting from, relating to or arising
out of the supply of water or failure to supply the same. The Village
reserves the right, at any time, without notice, to shut off or reduce
the flow of water in its mains for the purposes of making repairs
or extension, or for other purposes. The Village shall not be liable
for a deficiency or failure in the supply of water or the pressure
thereof for any cause whatsoever, nor for any damage caused thereby,
nor for the bursting or breaking of any main or service pipe or any
attachment to the Village's property.
G.
The Village reserves the right, in periods of limited
water supply or emergency, to restrict the use of water for sprinkling,
car washing or other nonessential purposes during certain hours of
the day or certain days of the week, or to prohibit such use entirely.
H.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall
injure, break or damage any Village facilities or equipment shall
pay all costs of repair or replacement.
A.
Water will not be introduced to any premises having
a private water supply or being supplied water by any other water
utility.
B.
No direct connection shall be made between the public
water supply and any engine, generator, condenser, or other type of
apparatus unless specifically authorized by the Water Superintendent.
C.
Connections to low-pressure, domestic-type heating
boilers are permitted, provided that proper safety devices are installed
so as to prevent damage from collapse or explosion, in the event of
water shutoff or any other reason.
D.
No connection of either a permanent or temporary nature
shall be made between the public water supply and any other supply
(i.e., private well). Private wells are permitted provided they are
registered with the Village of Skaneateles, installed under regulations
of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and are not
interconnected with the public water system.
A.
The Water Superintendent and the Onondaga County Health
Department shall inspect or cause to be inspected the plumbing in
every building or premises using the Village water supply as frequently
as in their judgment may be necessary or as required by the New York
State Health Department to determine whether the plumbing has been
installed and maintained in such a manner as to prevent the possibility
of contamination by backflow or back pressure into the public water
supply. The Water Superintendent or Onondaga County Health Department
shall notify or cause to be notified, in writing, the owner or authorized
agent of the owner of any such building or premises to correct, within
a reasonable time set by the Water Superintendent, any plumbing installed
or existing contrary to or in violation of this section and which,
in his judgment, may therefore permit the pollution of the Village
water supply or otherwise adversely affect the public health or water
quality.
B.
The specific requirements shall be those of the State
of New York Health Department, State Sanitary Code, and any guidelines
set forth by the New York State Health Department or any regulatory
agency having jurisdiction, as well as the Village of Skaneateles.
C.
All devices for backflow control shall be approved
by the New York State Health Department. Installation, inspection,
and maintenance of all devices shall be at the expense of the property
owner and shall be performed by personnel specifically licensed to
perform such work.
D.
The Water Superintendent and/or the Onondaga County
Health Department shall notify the owner or authorized agent of the
owner of the building or premises in which there is found a violation
of this article. The Water Superintendent and/or the Onondaga County
Health Department shall set a reasonable time for the owner to have
the violation removed or protected by installation of an approved
backflow prevention device. Upon failure of the owner to have the
defect corrected by the end of the specified time interval, the Water
Superintendent may cause the water service to the building or premises
to be terminated or recommend such additional action as he may deem
appropriate.
E.
The Water Department, under the direction of the Superintendent,
reserves the right to discontinue water service in the event the property
owner fails to make required adjustments in plumbing to comply with
this article.
F.
Reconnection to the public water supply will not be
allowed until proper adjustments have been made and all bills and
penalties have been paid.
G.
The Water Superintendent shall determine, after inspection,
the extent of backflow prevention required on all fire-sprinkling,
heating, air-conditioning or refrigeration systems. Systems which
utilize any type of antifreeze or other chemical solution shall be
fitted with a reduced-pressure backflow prevention device.
H.
Water service lines to any structure shall not be
subject to back pressure of any type, including but not limited to
adding pressure by compressor, pump, or kinetic energy device to clear
the service pipe of residue, debris, or other blockage.
I.
Private one- or two-family residences are not required
to install backflow prevention devices if on inspection there is found
no potential source of water contamination on the property. Potential
sources of water contamination include but are not limited to lawn
sprinkler systems, swimming pools or wading pools, fountains or private
wells.
J.
Private one- or two-family residences with swimming
pools or wading pools which are wholly above ground may substitute,
for a backflow prevention device installed at the incoming water service,
a permanent air gap piping system from the house to two inches above
the rim of the pool with no provision for a hose connection. In addition,
each exterior hose bib on the property is to be fitted with an approved
vacuum breaker or non-return-flow device.
[Amended 3-22-2004 by L.L. No. 1-2004]
Any person, firm or corporation who or which
violates any provision of this article shall be guilty of an offense
and subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $250 or
to imprisonment for a period of not more than 15 days, or both such
fine and imprisonment, and in addition any person, firm or corporation
who or which violates any of the provisions of this article or who
shall omit, neglect or refuse to do any act required thereby shall
severally, for each and every such violation, forfeit and pay a civil
penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $250. The imposition of
penalties for any violation of this article shall not excuse the violation
or permit it to continue. The application of the above penalty or
penalties or prosecution for a violation of any provision of this
article shall not prevent the enforced removal of conditions prohibited
by this article. When a violation of any of the provisions of this
article is continuous, each day thereof shall constitute a separate
and distinct violation subjecting the offender to additional penalty.
The foregoing penalties are separate from and in addition to penalties
prescribed by any other applicable statutes, ordinances, local laws
or regulations.
Any person, firm or corporation adversely affected
by a decision of the Water Superintendent may appeal the same in writing
within 10 days to the Municipal Board.
[Amended 3-27-2006 by L.L. No. 1-2006]
The Board of Trustees reserves the right to
change, modify, supplement or amend this article and the rates and
charges from time to time. The right is also reserved to make such
additional rules and regulations as to the Board of Trustees seem
appropriate to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the inhabitants
of the Village of Skaneateles, in order to regulate the water supply
and to promote the proper and efficient administration of the Water
Department, and to make rates and contracts for the use of water in
special cases by resolution of the Municipal Board subject to the
approval of the Board of Trustees.
All privately owned lines and connections thereto
shall come under the aforementioned regulations, and said lines and
connections shall be subject to inspection and approval by the Water
Superintendent and/or the Onondaga County Health Department.
