[Adopted 4-10-1980 by L.L. No. 1980]
From the date of the enactment of this article,
all new businesses and residences in the Village of Morrisville, including
all commercial and noncommercial users, will be required to connect
to the Village water supply system.
The Village Board of Trustees, in its capacity
as Water Commissioners, can make, for good cause, an exception to
the above requirement.
[Amended 3-8-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001]
The inhabitants of the Village that are not
on the Village water system at this time and have at present alternative
means of water supply may continue to do so until such time as the
Village Board of Trustees, acting as Water Commissioners, finds that
the health and safety of the public water system are adversely affected
by such private use. Nevertheless, nonusers of the Village water system
will receive a water rent bill for the availability of public water
that enhances the value of their property and for the fire protection
that is provided by the existence of a public water system. Water
rents will be set from time to time by resolution of the Village Board
of Trustees acting as Water Commissioners.
All future users of the Village of Morrisville
public water system will be responsible for the cost of connecting
to the water facilities.
[Amended 1-10-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008]
A.
All water services rendered hereunder shall be subject
to the rules and regulations of the Department of Health of the State
of New York.
B.
In addition to the regulations promulgated in this
article, the Board of Trustees shall be, and hereby is empowered to
establish, by resolution, and to amend from time to time by further
resolution, regulations as all aspects of the operation of the public
water supply of the Village and of the provision of such public water
services to the public.[1] Regulations established by any such resolution of the
Board of Trustees shall have the same force and effect as the regulations
set forth in this article, and all violations of such regulations
shall be subject to the same penalties and enforcement procedures,
including discontinuance of service, provided in this article.
This chapter shall, at all times, be subject
to such changes and modifications by the Department of Health of the
State of New York as said Department may, from time to time, direct
in the exercise of its jurisdiction.
[Added 9-7-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995]
In case the property owner shall fail to make
the required connection, the Board of Trustees, acting as Water Commissioners,
shall cause the connection to be made, and the bill for the cost of
the same shall be mailed to the owner at his last known place of residence.
In case the property owner shall fail to pay the same within 30 days,
a statement thereof shall be filed with the Village Treasurer, and
the Treasurer may add the same to the tax bill and levy it against
the property and collect it from the property owner in the same manner
as other general Village taxes.
[Added 9-7-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995]
Water mains are laid and maintained by the Village
along the Village streets. The extension of new water mains shall
rest in the sound discretion of the Village Board. Entrances from
the water mains to the curbing shall be provided by the Village for
a uniform fee, which shall be fixed from time to time by rule or order
of the Village Board. The cost of continuing the waterlines into the
property shall be borne by the property owner.
[Added 3-8-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001]
Notwithstanding whether a property is owner-occupied,
all water bills shall be issued in the name of the owner of record
(according to the latest real property tax assessment roll) of the
property receiving water service. All water rents shall be a lien
on the property upon which the water is used. Such owners of the property
shall be responsible for the payment of all water rents of their tenants
in all cases, notwithstanding the fact that any particular owner has
notified the Village that he will not be responsible for the water
rents of his tenants.
[Added 3-8-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001; amended 4-7-2016 by L.L. No. 4-2016]
A.
All water rents shall be paid to the Village and shall be due and
payable at the office of the Village Clerk on such date or dates as
may be determined by resolution of the Board of Trustees. In addition
to the water rents provided in this chapter determined in accordance
with the rates specified herein, in the event any water rents remain
unpaid beyond the due date for payment, late charges in the amount
of 10% of the past due amount shall be imposed for each thirty-day
period, or portion thereof, that the water rent remains unpaid following
the stated due date, and the total thus obtained shall be the total
water rent in each such case.
B.
All late payment penalties shall be a lien upon the property for
which the overdue payment is owed to the same extent as the underlying
water rents to which the late payment penalties were added.
C.
All water rents, including accrued late charges, remaining due and
unpaid on January 31 of each year shall be included in the next succeeding
annual Village tax levy pursuant to the Village Law and levied against
the benefited real property, and shall be collected and enforced with
and in the same manner, and at the same time, as other Village taxes.
[Added 3-8-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001]
A.
Grounds.
(1)
Water service may be discontinued by the Village for
any of the following reasons:
(a)
Use of water through branch connections on the
street side of the meter or place reserved for such connections.
(b)
Willful waste of water through improper and
imperfect pipes, or by any other means.
(c)
Damaging or molesting any main, service line,
seal, meter, or any other property or installation of the Village.
(d)
Nonpayment of bills for water or services rendered
by the Village when any such bill is unpaid, in whole or in part,
for more than 90 days after its due date (subject to prior notice
as hereafter prescribed).
(e)
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's water supply without
proper devices and prior approval.
(f)
Refusal of reasonable access to the property
by the Village, its employees and agents for the purposes of reading,
repairing, testing or removing meters or inspecting water piping and
other fixtures.
(g)
For violation of any duly promulgated rules
of the Village regarding Village water and use thereof.
(h)
For failure to repair leaking service lines
after notice.
(2)
If any building is razed, moved or abandoned, it will
be the responsibility of the owner to notify the Village Department
of Public Works to remove the water meter. The owner may be required
to discontinue the lateral line at the curb box by physically removing
the service line connection at the curb box, under the supervision
of the Department of Public Works.
B.
Shut off. When for any reason the use of a service
is discontinued, such service shall be shut off at the curb box, and
in case this section has not been complied with, such service may
be so shut off, and all expense connected therewith shall be borne
by the owner and chargeable against the property at which such service
was discontinued regardless of whether or not such owner owned such
property at the time that such service was discontinued. If the owner
refuses to reimburse the Village for service so rendered, the water
will not be restored until payment is made.
C.
Notice prior to shut off for unpaid bills. Prior to
terminating water service to any property for nonpayment of any water
bill, the Village Treasurer shall:
(1)
Send notice of termination to the property owner of
record (based on the most recent real property tax assessment roll)
by regular U.S. mail, not more than 45 days and not less than 30 days
prior to the scheduled date of termination (which termination date
may not be less than 91 days following the due date of the unpaid
bill).
(2)
Send a second notice of termination to the property
owner of record (based on the most recent real property tax assessment
roll) by regular U.S. mail and post a copy of such notice upon an
exterior door of any residence or place of business on the property,
not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the scheduled
date of termination.
D.
Notice prior to shut off for reasons other than unpaid
bills. Except as otherwise stated in these rules and regulations,
a five-day written notice will be given to the owners of the property
as shown on the latest real property tax assessment roll by first
class mail, before the water is shut off for violation of these rules
and regulations. However, the Village shall not be liable for any
damage which may result to any person or property from the shutting
off of the water from any main or service for any purpose whatever
in cases where no notice is given.
E.
Repairs and system improvements. Water may be shut
off by the Village from any service or main for the purpose of making
or constructing new work, or making repairs in the water system, without
notice for as long a period as may be necessary.
F.
Compliance with rules required before service restored;
charge for turning on water. Whenever the water supply has been shut
off for a failure to comply with these rules and regulations, it shall
not again be turned on, except by the Department of Public Works,
until compliance is made with these rules and regulations in the matter
and payment made to the Village by the owner of the property concerned
of all expenses incurred by the Village in so shutting off such water
supply. A charge of $25 will be made for turning on water, which must
be paid in advance to the Village, along with all other unpaid charges
relating to water service for the property.
