[Approved 6-17-1968 as Ch. No. 1172]
A.
The following rules and regulations and all subsequent
changes, amendments and additions thereto shall constitute a part of the contract
with every person, corporation and property owner supplied with water from
the Pawtucket Waterworks. Every person, corporation and property owner using
such supply shall be considered as having expressed consent to be bound by
these rules.
B.
A copy shall be made available to every consumer, and
can be obtained upon application, and all persons are requested to read these
rules carefully, as failure to know the rules and regulations will not be
accepted as an excuse for a violation.
A.
General information.
(1)
Information regarding bills. Bills are prepared by the
Pawtucket Water Department. Requests for information regarding bills and notices
should be made either personally or preferably by letter to the main office
of the Water Department.[1]
(2)
Quarterly and annual rendering of bills. All water bills
are rendered to the owner of the property supplied. Industrial, manufacturing
and commercial accounts are billed quarterly, January, April, July and October.
Domestic accounts are billed biannually.[2]
(3)
Property owners responsible for water bills. To ensure
billing of the proper person, property owners shall notify the office of the
Water Department of any changes in property ownership or of a change in the
owner's mailing address. Failure to receive a bill shall not relieve
the property owner from the obligation of its payment or of payment of penalties
subsequently incurred.
(4)
Responsibility for water charges.
(a)
Customers and property owners shall be responsible for
all charges accruing for water service until written notice has been given
to the Water Department by the owner of the property served to discontinue
service or, as in the case of a change of ownership of the property, until
notice has been given to the Water Department of a change of ownership of
the property served and the new owner has filed a written request for water
service. Application forms for services are available at the business office
of the Department. New owners using water at their premises without filing
the proper application for water service shall be liable and responsible for
all water service provided and for the water used or wasted during their ownership
of the property, and shall be subject to the penalties provided by law for
the unauthorized use of water. In such case, the Pawtucket Water Department
reserves the right to discontinue water service to any property, the recorded
owner of which has not filed an application for water service.
(b)
Applicants for water service at all premises shall become
responsible for all outstanding charges for water theretofore furnished to
the premises. Attention is directed to R.I.G.L. § 39-15-12 which
states that water charges are the responsibility of the land owner and constitute
a lien upon the property.
B.
Payment of water bills.
(1)
Payment. All water bills are payable at the office of
the Division of Collections, City Hall, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and must
be paid within thirty (30) days after they are rendered and become due.
(2)
Penalties. If bills remain unpaid for thirty (30) days
after they are due, a penalty for late payment will be assessed to the bill
as specified in Schedule G of the PWSB Tariff Schedule, latest edition, and
the water will be shut off to the property to which the bill is outstanding.
Whenever water is turned off under such conditions, it will not be turned
on again without payment of all charges due, plus a reconnection charge at
the rate specified in Schedule F of the PWSB Tariff Schedule, latest edition.[3]
C.
Courtesy notices. It is the intention of the Pawtucket
Water Department to send courtesy notices of increased consumption or delinquency
in payment of bills, but failure to do this does not relieve the customer
of his or her responsibilities to repair leaky fixtures or to pay water charges
promptly.
A.
All water measured. All water from the Pawtucket Waterworks
will be supplied through one (1) primary meter or a battery of primary meters
for each separate service. All water passing through such meters will be billed
to the owner of the property supplied, as it appears in the records of the
Department, whether the water is used or wasted. Customers are advised to
read their meters frequently in order that leaks or waste may be detected
early and large bills prevented.
B.
C.
Location of meters. The property owner shall furnish
a proper place for the water meter, which is to be installed in a horizontal
position just inside and as near as possible to the point of entry of the
service pipe through the building wall. All five-eighths-inch through two-inch
meters shall be located inside the building regardless of its distance from
the street. Other meters shall be located in the building nearest to the street
line, provided that this building is not more than seventy-five (75) feet
from the street line. In the event that the nearest building is located more
than seventy-five (75) feet from the street line, the meter shall be installed
just inside the street line in a suitable housing or pit, provided and maintained
at the expense of the property owner.[2]
D.
Accessibility. Meters must be easily accessible at all
times so that they may be examined and read by employees of the Department.
They must not be exposed to danger from frost or contamination.
E.
Set of meters by Department. The installation, repair
and disconnection of all meters is to be performed by employees of the Water
Department only, except as hereinafter provided.
F.
Damaged meters.
(1)
If the meter, after being set, sustains damage by frost,
hot water or any external cause by the occupant of the premises, the property
owner or his or her agents, the Pawtucket Water Department will repair or
replace the meter, and the owner is required to reimburse the Department for
all costs incurred.
(2)
In case of breakage, stoppage or any other irregularity
in the meter which needs attention, the property owner is to notify the Department
immediately.
G.
Removal of meter. Only employees of the Water Department
will be allowed to remove a meter from service once it is set. The Water Department
will reset the seal after the meter is reset in place after testing is completed.[3]
H.
Meter testing.[4]
(1)
Every meter is factory tested before it is installed,
and also before it is reset after being removed for repairs or for any other
reason. Periodic tests for duty of each meter will also be made as often as
the Department may deem necessary.
(2)
Should the meter test show that the meter has been over-registering
in excess of two percent (2%), the allowable tolerance, the deposit will be
refunded, and the cost to remove and reset the meter shall be borne by the
city. If the test is within this limit or registers in favor of the customer,
the deposit will be retained to cover the costs of testing, and the cost to
remove and reset the meter shall be borne by the property owner.
I.
Adjustments.
(1)
If the testing of a meter as hereinbefore provided shows
that it fails to register correctly within two percent (2%), the charge to
the consumer shall be adjusted, according as the registration varies from
one hundred percent (100%), and such adjustment shall apply to the current
period only, unless it is apparent to the Department that the previous periods'
consumption has also been affected by the same error.
(2)
This means that if a meter registers over two percent
(2%) fast, the bill will be adjusted downward to where it would be if the
meter were one hundred percent (100%) correct. If a meter registers over two
percent (2%) slow, the bill will be adjusted upward to where it would be if
the meter was one hundred percent (100%) correct.
J.
Repairs to large meters. At the request of the Department,
property owners shall return meters three-inch and larger to the shop or factory
for necessary and complete repairs. The Department will read the meter and
assist the owner in removal. All expenses covering the removal, testing, repairing
and resetting of the meter shall be borne by the property owners.[5]
K.
Billing nonregistering meters.
(1)
In case a meter fails to register or has been removed
for repairs, testing or other purposes during the billing period, the bill
will be issued based on the average daily rate of consumption as shown by
the meter after it has been returned to service and is in proper working order.
(2)
If the meter has not been returned to service, the bill
will be issued based on the average daily rate of consumption for the previous
three-year period.
M.
Tampering or defacing meters. The Water Department of the City of Pawtucket will prefer charges in accordance with the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island, 1956, Title II, Chapter 35, Section 6, against every person who shall tamper or deface a meter to prevent the proper registration of the water consumed by altering the register index or otherwise, or for breaking of any seal placed by the Department for the protection of any meter, valve and fitting.
N.
Remote reading device. All metered services shall be
equipped with a device such that the water meter can be read remotely from
the outside of the building. The device will be installed by the City of Pawtucket
at no cost to the property owner at the time a new metered device is installed.
The city shall retain ownership of the remote device in consideration for
all maintenance which is required.[7]
A.
Application.
(1)
Application for the installation of new service or for
the renewal of old services shall be made by the owner of the property on
forms at the office of the Water Department only after a licensed plumber
inspects the piping, brings them up to present standards and submits compliance
by letter to the Department.
(2)
The application must state fully and truly the purpose
for which the water is to be used, together with the proper street and number
of the premises to be supplied. The legal description for this purpose will
consist of the Assessor's plat and lot number, city or town.
B.
Connection charges for service pipes.
(1)
Service pipes are installed by the Water Department from
the distribution main in the street to the curb stop at the curbline except
in Central Falls where their Water Department makes its own installations.
The charge for this installation will be at the scheduled rates as specified
in Schedule F of the PWSB Tariff Schedule, latest edition.[1]
(2)
The above service pipe charge is a connection charge
and is made irrespective of the length of service pipe or the location of
the distribution main.
C.
Ownership of service pipe.
(1)
The service pipe from the distribution main to the curb
stop is owned and maintained by the city. The portion of the service pipe
beyond the curb stop, including the connection to the curb stop is the property
of the customer, and is installed and maintained by the owner through a plumber
licensed in the State of Rhode Island.
(2)
The service pipe from the curb to the building shall
be laid by a licensed plumber, and the installation shall be completed before
the Water Department installs its portion of the service from the street main
to the curbline.
(3)
The licensed plumber must lay his or her portion of the
service in a straight line from the curb to inside the building and perpendicular
to the center line of the street. The proposed alignment must be approved
by the Water Department before any work is begun.
(4)
The service pipe shall be inspected and approved by a
representative of the Water Department before being covered.
D.
Material.
(1)
All service pipes two (2) inches in diameter and under
shall be Type K, extra heavy, soft temper, cold drawn, seamless, deoxidized
copper tubing, having a minimum ultimate tensile strength of not less than
thirty thousand (30,000) pounds per square inch.
E.
Inspection. Service pipes shall be tested for watertightness
in the presence of a representative of the Water Department before being covered.
No service pipe shall be laid in the same trench with a building drain or
sewer pipe, nor shall the water pipe be closer to a sewer than ten (10) feet
at any horizontal point.[4]
F.
Main shutoff valve. On every new service pipe, immediately
after its entry to the building, there shall be an approved-type gate valve
with waste drip. Valves manufactured to conform with all the provisions of
Federal Specification WW-V-54 Type 1, Class A, shall qualify as an approved-type
valve. Valves that fail to meet these specifications will be rejected for
this class of service. Existing service pipes not equipped with the above-type
valve shall be made to conform when the piping is being renewed or replaced.
G.
Horizontal meter setting.
(1)
All meters, two (2) inches or smaller, on new installations
shall be set approximately twelve (12) inches above the floor, in a horizontal
position immediately after the main shutoff, and as near as practical to where
the service pipe enters the building. The plumber shall provide an approved
support for the water meter.
(2)
Meters larger than two (2) inches may be set directly
on the floor, and current-type meters shall have a straight length of pipe
at least eight (8) times the pipe diameter before the meter.
H.
Backwater valves.
(1)
All new services shall be equipped with an approved type
of gate valve immediately following the meter on the house side of the service
line, to act as a back valve and prevent the house piping from emptying while
the meter is being changed or for other work on the service pipe. Valves which
are manufactured in accordance with the provisions of Federal Specifications
WW-V-54, Type 1, Class A, shall qualify as an approved type. Valves which
fail to meet these provisions shall not be used.
(2)
Existing service pipes not equipped with the above type
of valve, when renewed or replaced shall be brought to conform with the above
requirements for new service pipes.
I.
Tapping mains. No person, except an authorized representative
of the Pawtucket Water Department, will be allowed under any circumstances
to tap mains or distribution pipes, insert corporation stops therein, set
or remove meters or service pipes or interfere with water gates or curb stops.
J.
Repairs to property owners' service pipe and fixtures.
Property owners must keep their own pipes and all fixtures connected to the
city system in good repair and protected from frost at their own expense.
In case of a break in that section of the service between the curb stop and
the meter, the property owner shall immediately obtain the service of a licensed
plumber to make the necessary repairs. Failure to make repairs at once or
to obtain the necessary permits covering these repairs shall be considered
sufficient cause to shut off the water supply. If operation of gate valves
or curb stops is required, one (1) working day's notice shall be given
to the PWSB, except in cases of emergency.[5]
K.
Sidewalk permits. No sidewalk or other public place shall
be opened for the laying of service pipes until the property owner, through
a licensed plumber, obtains a permit from the proper city, town or state agency.
L.
Temporary services.[6]
(1)
Contractors, builders, etc., requiring water for construction
purposes shall make application for a temporary service and will be subject
to the same rules and regulations as apply to regular service installations.
(2)
All charges, as specified in Schedule F of the PWSB Tariff
Schedule, latest edition, shall be paid in advance. The applicant will be
required to deposit a sum of money sufficient to cover the cost of the estimated
amount of water to be used in conjunction with the work. If, at any time during
the course of construction, the actual amount of use goes above the estimate,
the applicant will be required to deposit additional sums of money to cover
the actual consumption. After completion of the work, if the actual consumption
is below the estimated amount, the Department will arrange to refund the difference.
A.
Distribution main. Distribution mains are water pipes
laid in streets as feeders for consumers services and hydrants. These pipes
are laid upon application of the property owner, subject to the following
provisions.
B.
Financing extensions.[1]
(1)
In the City of Pawtucket and the Town of Cumberland.
If the Water Department approves the application, the cost of installation
will be borne by the applicant.
(2)
In the City of Central Falls. The City of Central Falls
approves and lays all pipes in their city and bears all costs of extensions.
(3)
If, at a later date within five (5) years, other customers
tap into this particular extension, a proportion share will be charged to
the new accounts and credited to the account of the previous applicant. The
Water Department will be the sole judge in determining the charges.
C.
Supply mains. Supply mains are water pipes laid solely
for the purpose of strengthening the the water supply system, and to ensure
the delivery of an adequate supply of water to critical points of the distribution
system. Connections for service pipes and for hydrants will be permitted to
supply pipes which are sixteen (16) inches or less in diameter, subject to
the same rules and regulations governing all service pipe installations.
D.
Private pipe prohibited. Application for permission to
connect private pipe or mains to the distribution system, whether the request
is made by an individual or a group of individuals, will be rejected. All
services must be supplied from the Department's own distribution or supply
lines, except in the City of Central Falls.
E.
Pawtucket pipe in Central Falls. The Pawtucket Waterworks,
which supplies water to the City of Central Falls, owns supply mains within
the city. No application from anyone, except the City of Central Falls, will
be accepted for services of any type from these supply mains.
A.
General.
(1)
The Water Department may render a special service to
private property for private fire protection purposes.
B.
Drawings.
(1)
The applicant must furnish a complete and correct drawing
or set of drawings showing the location of the premises to be supplied, together
with the location of all valves, pipes, hydrants, tanks, sprinkler heads and
other appurtenances on the premises at the time of making application. The
plans will become the property of the Department upon application.
(2)
The applicant must also agree to furnish the Water Department
with drawings which show revisions to the piping or appurtenances whenever
the changes are made.
C.
D.
Approval of installation. The Water Department reserves
the right to determine the necessity for and the advisability of granting
any application for this special service, and the right to determine the size
of service pipe which will be granted, depending upon the size of street main,
the available pressure on the main and the nature and capacity of the fire
protection equipment within the building.
E.
Connection to domestic service prohibited. No connection
shall be made at any time between the fire supply system and and the regular
water supply of the premises. Valves placed on the system shall be of a style
that can be scaled by the Department.
F.
Number of services. Only one (1) service will be allowed
to any one (1) building or premises, unless, in the opinion of the Water Department,
more than one (1) is absolutely necessary for the proper protection of the
premises. All fire protection equipment connected to the city service shall
be confined within the building or on the premises named in the application.
Where two (2) or more connections are made for one (1) building or premises,
they shall be kept separated, unless special permission is obtained from the
Water Department to connect them in a manner to be approved of by the Department.
G.
Use of service. No water shall be drawn from the fire
service pipes for any purpose except for the extinguishment of fire. This
does not prohibit a reasonable use of water for fire drills, draining of the
system to prevent freezing or other reasonable use in connection with proper
fire protection.[2]
H.
Cross-connection.
(1)
Any fire protection system supplied with water from the
Pawtucket Waterworks shall be supplied exclusively with such water, and no
connection will be allowed with any other system drawing its supply from any
other source whereby the city water supply may be contaminated.
(2)
Any fire protection system using water from any other
source than the city system shall be kept entirely separate from any such
system supplied from the city.
I.
Inspection. All fire services shall be subject to periodic
inspection by inspectors from the Water Department. The owner shall give the
inspectors all reasonable facilities for making the survey and any information
concerning it that they may require. Care will be taken by Department personnel
so that inspections will be made with as little inconvenience to the owner
as possible.
J.
Illegal use. When the owners or occupants of any premises
are found to be using water from a fire service for other purposes than fire
protection, the water shall be shut off until the offenders give reasonable
assurance to the Department that the offense will not be repeated.[3]
K.
Meters. All fire supplies shall be metered and shall conform to the provisions of § 401-11, Meters, with the following exception:
(1)
The owner may purchase and install a fire line compound
meter as directed by the Water Department, provided that it is a type approved
by the Department and the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
(2)
The owner may purchase and install a detector check valve with meter in bypass, provided that it is a type approved by the Water Department and the National Board of Fire Underwriters, but the Department reserves the right at any time to require the owner to install a fire line compound meter as described in the Subsection K(1).
L.
Valves.
(1)
On the inlet and discharge side of each fire line compound
meter or detector check valve, the owner shall install a gate valve manufactured
to conform in all respects with the American Waterworks Specifications for
Gate Valves for Ordinary Waterworks Service. The valves shall be of the type
that meets the requirements of the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
(2)
On detector check valve installations with meter in bypass,
the owner shall install a gate valve on the inlet side of the bypass meter
that conforms in all respects with Federal Specifications WW-V-54, Type 1,
Class A. On the discharge side of the bypass meter, the owner shall install
a horizontal bronze swing check valve with metal disc designed for a working
pressure of one hundred twenty-five (125) pounds per square inch for steam
or two hundred (200) pounds per square inch for water, oil or gas.
M.
Violation of rules. For any violation of the rules governing
fire supplies, the Water Department may discontinue the service immediately.
A.
Authorization of hydrant installations. The Pawtucket Water Department shall install public fire hydrants whenever written requests are received from the proper city or town authority, subject, however, to all the provisions of § 401-13, Main pipe.
B.
Hydrants are property of waterworks. All public fire
hydrants and their connections are installed and maintained by the Department
and remain a part of the waterworks system. No connection charge will be made
for the installation of public fire hydrants. The use of hydrants for public
fire protection shall be paid for in advance by the requesting authority at
the rate specified in Schedule B of PWSB Tariff Schedule, latest edition.[1]
C.
Obstructing fire hydrants. No person shall obstruct the
access to any fire hydrant by placing or permitting any snow, debris, building
material or other obstruction to remain on or about the hydrant which will
in any way interfere with its immediate use.
D.
Use of hydrants. Public fire hydrants are installed for
the sole purpose of fire protection, and, with the exception of members of
the Fire Division operating the hydrant for the legitimate purpose of extinguishing
fires, no other use of such hydrants shall be made without written consent
of the Water Department.
A.
General. The City of Pawtucket water supply system is
from the Abbott Run Stream beginning in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The City
of Pawtucket owns two (2) large reservoirs, Diamond Hill and Arnold Mills,
and two (2) smaller ponds, Robin Hollow and Happy Hollow, as well as the land
around them. The city owns land along much of the length of the Abbott Run.
The city has flowage right of Abbott Run.
B.
Terminal reservoirs. Because these ponds and reservoirs
directly feed water to the treatment plant via Abbott Run, they are defined
as "terminal reservoirs." Any use whatsoever by the general public of these
terminal reservoirs is prohibited because of the possibility of contamination
of the water supply. No use of the land surrounding these reservoirs will
be permitted for the same reason.
C.
Flowage rights. No person shall withdraw any water from
the Abbott Run Stream or from any reservoirs or ponds along it for any purpose
whatsoever.
D.
Contamination of water supply. Any person found contaminating
the city supply shall be prosecuted as provided in Chapter 46-14 of the General
Laws of 1956.
A.
Cross-connection prohibited.
(1)
No one shall cause a physical connection to be made with
the water supply of the Pawtucket Waterworks and any other water supply for
commercial, domestic, sanitary, fire protection or boiler feed purposes, or
for any other purpose whatsoever.
(2)
No water closet, urinal bowl or any other fixture shall
be supplied directly from the City Water System through a flushometer or other
valve unless such valve is set above the water closet or urinal bowl or other
fixture in such a manner as to prevent any possibility of backsiphonage or
pollution.
(3)
No plumbing fixture, device or construction shall be
installed which will provide a cross-connection between the city supply and
a drainage system, soil or waste pipe, so as to permit or make possible the
backflow of sewage or waste into the supply system. Drawoff pipes for draining
sprinkler systems shall not be connected into a drainage system or a submerged
pit.
(4)
If water from the city system is delivered to a tank
which is also supplied from another source other than public water supply,
such tanks shall be open to atmospheric pressure and the city water shall
be supplied from above the maximum level in the tank. The tank shall be equipped
with an overflow pipe of ample size to fix definitely the maximum level of
the water. There shall be a minimum of three (3) times the diameter of the
effective opening between the invert of the pipe supplying city water and
the maximum level of the water in the tank.
(5)
If the city water supply is delivered to a tank in which
there are chemicals, dye stuffs or other materials used in processing, there
shall be ample clearance between the invert of the pipe supplying city water
and the top of the tank to prevent backsiphonage into the public water supply.
B.
Pump connection. No pump shall be directly connected
to any city water main or service for the purpose of increasing the water
pressure in the city's or the owner's system unless prior written
authorization and approval has been obtained by the Pawtucket Water Department.[1]
C.
Pawtucket waterworks not liable for interruption in service
or damage resulting therefrom.
(1)
The Pawtucket Waterworks furnishes water and not pressure,
and does not guarantee a continuous supply. No responsibility will be assumed
for any damage to any apparatus in any house or building due to the shutting
off of water without notice, either for repairs on account of a break in the
pipe lines or other necessary operations.
(2)
No person shall be entitled to damages, or to have any
portion of a payment refunded, for any stoppage of supply occasioned by accident
to any portion of the works, nor for stoppage for purposes of additions or
repairs, nor for nonuse occasioned by absence or any other reason.
D.
Notice of interruption of service not required.
(1)
While it is the policy of the Department to give notice
as far as possible in advance of any work which must be done that will necessitate
interruption of the supply of water, such notice is to be considered a courtesy
only and not a requirement on the part of the Pawtucket Water Department.
In case of a break in a pipe line, the water will be shut off at any time
without notice.
(2)
Failure of a tenant or a property owner to receive notice
of an interruption of service shall entail no responsibility on the part of
the Water Department or its employees. Property owners must install range
boilers, hot water tanks and other installations connected with the water
supply system, with adequate safeguards, so that damage will not occur if
the water is shut off without notice.
E.
Unauthorized use of water. The Pawtucket Water Department
will prefer charges in accordance with Chapter 608 of the General Laws of
the State of Rhode Island of 1938, Section 58, against every person who shall
without proper authorization from the Department tap or make any connection
with any street main or service or other distributing pipe connected with
the water system; or who shall, without such authorization, open any gate
or valve connected with the systems to obtain water or for the purpose of
obtaining water; or who shall, in any way or by any device, obtain the use
of water without authorization.
F.
Resale of water. No consumer, except after the written
consent of the Water Department is obtained, will be allowed to furnish water
to other persons or property or to suffer such persons to take it themselves.
Violations of this regulation may cause the supply to be shut off.[2]
G.
Water charges to one (1) person. When water is supplied
to more than one (1) party, through a single service, the bill for the whole
supply furnished through the service shall be paid by the owner of the property.
In the case of nonpayment, the water may be shut off, even if one (1) or more
parties have paid their proportioned share due from them.
H.
Water waste. Water must not be allowed to waste through
any faucet or fixture to prevent freezing, or kept running any longer than
necessary in its proper use. The Department is required to restrain and prevent
any and all wastage of water, and to that end, may, when necessary, turn off
the water or take such other action as in its judgment may be proper.
I.
Right to make inspection. Inspectors of the Department,
or any person authorized by the Department, must have free access at all reasonable
hours to all parts of every building for the purpose of inspecting, removing
or replacing meters, examining water fixtures and observing the manner in
which the water is used.
J.
Request for turn on. After service has been shut off
for any reason except repairs, it shall not be reestablished unless a written
order is given to the Department by the owner.
K.
Refusal to give service. No water shall be furnished
to any property which is indebted to the City of Pawtucket for water service.
A.
If the owner, agent, lessee, tenant or person in charge
of any premises violates any rule or regulation of the Pawtucket Water Department
affecting the premises, and shall fail to remove any violations or comply
with any written order of the Department pertaining thereto within ten (10)
days after the order has been sent by mail to the last known address of the
person, the Department will discontinue water service to the premises.[1]
B.
If water service shall be so discontinued, it shall not
be resumed until the rule or regulation so violated shall have been complied
with to the satisfaction of the Department, and a reconnection charge at the
rate specified in Schedule F of the PWSB Tariff Schedule, latest edition,
shall be paid prior to turning the water on.[2]
C.
The Water Department reserves the right to make such
amendments to the rules and regulations as may be necessary for the protection
and preservation of the City of Pawtucket Water supply system.
