Where a tap for a service connection to any water main is required, application therefor shall be made either by the property owner or plumber contracting for or doing the plumbing work in connection therewith. All excavation and trenchwork shall be done by the plumber. No backfilling shall be done until after inspection of work by the Water Utility or the Plumbing Subcode Official has been made.

The property owner and/or its authorized agents shall perform all tapping of water mains at their own cost and expense subject to the review, inspection and approval of the Water Utility or its agents.

All water taps shall be inspected and approved by the Water Utility or its agents, and all service lines and connections shall be approved by the Plumbing Subcode Official prior to turning on the water.

The inspection and approval of all tapping of water mains as required and described herein shall incur an inspection fee of $50 payable to the Water Utility or its agents.

Valves at the curb shall be maintained by the property owner and the Utility shall not be responsible for opening and closing curb valves.

Any persons turning on the water when it has been turned off at the curb by the Utility shall be subject to the penalties contained in § 352-35 of this chapter.

All water meters shall be purchased by and provided by the Utility or its authorized agents, and the standard for such meters and ancillary equipment shall be approved by the Mayor and Council. All water meters shall be outside-reading-type meters that are compatible with the meter-reading system, software, and equipment currently used or planned to be used by the Utility. All water meters shall meet or exceed the minimum standards of accuracy established by American Water Works Association, Manual M6, Water Meters, Selection, Installation, Testing, and Maintenance. All water meters shall have outside reading touchpads, which must be located to be easily accessed by the meter-reader. All water meters located in pits outside the building must be in a location that is easily accessed by Utility personnel for reading, inspection, calibration, repair, or replacement in a location that does not accumulate storm water or debris or snow from snow clearing. All water meters located inside of buildings must be in a location that can be easily accessed by Utility personnel for reading the inside meter, for repairs, calibration, inspection, or replacement. All water meters must be installed with an operable valve on both sides of the meter within 24 inches from the meter. The Township of North Brunswick shall own all water meters. The property owner shall protect and care for the water meter, valves, piping, meter pit, wiring, and touchpad, including protection from freezing and water, including flooding, clearing of water or debris, and prevention of damage or interference by any person or persons.

Water meter fees.

A second water meter for irrigation and outside uses may be purchased by a property owner upon approval of the Utility. A written application shall be submitted to the Utility, which shall specify the need for a second meter and the purpose for which it is to be utilized. The misuse of a second meter shall constitute a violation, and the property owner shall be subject to the fines and penalties specified in § 352-35 of this chapter.

Customers of the system shall be charged an annual facility service charge in accordance with the frequency of scheduled meter reads and based upon the size of the meter as follows:

If an account has more than one meter at the same service address, the portion of the annual facility service charge which represents the cost of meter reading shall be assessed only on the first meter of the account. Additional meters on the same account with the same service address shall only pay that portion of the facility charge representing the eventual replacement cost of the meter and not the meter reading portion of the facility service charge.

All bills for water rents, fees, and other charges, except under building permits, shall be owing to the Township of North Brunswick upon the bill date. All rents, fees and charges that have not been paid within 30 days from the bill date shall bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum for principal amounts of $1,500 or less and at the rate of 18% per annum for principal amounts in excess of $1,500 or the maximum interest rate(s) allowed by state law. Interest shall be charged from the 31st day after the bill date until payment is made. Senior citizens, which shall be defined for these purposes as those customers of the system who have reached their 65th birthday and provided legitimate verifiable evidence of their qualifying age, shall be entitled to a seven-day grace period for the receipt of the payment of their water bills beyond the due date for payment shown on their bill, which will also be deemed to be the 38th day after the bill date, before such interest and penalties begin to accrue. Payments shall be credited to the amounts owed in the following sequence:

All users with meters larger than one inch shall be billed on a monthly basis, except for meters dedicated to fire service or irrigation (lawn sprinklers), which shall be billed quarterly. Users with meters one inch or smaller may also be billed on a monthly basis if the Utility determines it is necessary for meter reading efficiency.

For each reading of the meter requested in connection with the transfer of title of real property, there is hereby imposed a fee of $20 in addition to all other fees and charges.

The following rates and charges shall be paid for water consumption. The Township Council of North Brunswick deems it necessary and proper that the following water fees and charges be paid to the Utility for the use of the potable water system within the Township. The charge shall be calculated upon the rate established per 100 cubic feet of metered water consumption based upon the schedule set forth below.

The monthly rate for fire service lines will be as follows:

A second meter connected in accordance with § 352-18C of this chapter shall be billed quarterly based on actual water usage recorded by that meter. The rate shall be the same as specified in Subsection A of this section.

Connection fees.

Bulk water rate.

Submission of plans and records. The applicant for a new water service or change in size of water service must provide the Utility with a copy of the design drawing and design details of the installation. Installation of the service line must be in accordance with the submitted drawing. Any changes in the service line's design, such as due to underground obstructions, must be approved by the Utility and a record drawing of the final design submitted to the Utility. The location of the tap and service line from the water main up to the curbline or property edge must be accurately shown (within one foot) on the design drawing or, if the installation is different from the design drawing, on the final record drawing.

Taps and service line size. The domestic water service line and fire service line to a property may be separate or combined (separate taps and service lines from the water main or a single tap and combined fire and domestic service line from the water main that splits into separate fire service and domestic service lines prior to and near the building line). Taps for two-inch and smaller lines should be made 60° above horizontal. The minimum tap size is one inch. Fire lines must be two inches (minimum size) or four inches and larger. Fire service and domestic service lines of three inches are not permitted. The service line from the water main must be equal to or larger than the size of the tap and remain that size to the fire meter, if a combined fire and domestic service line is used, or the fire meter or domestic meter, as applicable, if separate service lines are used. The property owner is responsible for having a qualified professional determine the sizes of the fire and domestic service lines, or the combined fire and domestic service line, in accordance with all applicable regulations, codes and insurance or other requirements.

Curb valves; valve box covers. For service lines that provide only domestic service or only fire service, install the curb valve 18 inches behind the curb or edge of the property. For combined fire and domestic service lines, install both the domestic service curb valve and fire service curb valve within six feet of the building line and within six feet of each other, following the connection tee to split the domestic and fire services. The valve boxes of tapping valves, gate valves and curb valves on service lines or portions thereof providing only domestic service or combined fire and domestic service shall have metal valve box covers with the word "Water" cast into them. The valve boxes of tapping valves, gate valves and curb valves on service lines providing only fire service shall have valve box covers with the word "Fire" cast into them, including the curb valve on a fire service line after it splits off of a combined fire and domestic service line.

Service line connections and fittings. There may be no connections to any water service line prior to any water meter used for billing consumption with the one exception of the connection tee to split fire and domestic services off of a combined fire and domestic service line. There may be no bypasses of domestic water meters, detector checks (other than the required bypass meter) or fire meters without written approval of the Utility. Victaulic fittings are not allowed. Copper service lines must be continuous from valve to valve (no connections or fittings except the connection tee to split fire and domestic service off of a two-inch combined fire and domestic service line) up to the maximum length commercially available.

Domestic water service lines up to two inches.

Fire service line of up to two inches.

Combined fire and domestic water service line of up to two inches.

Domestic water lines of four inches and greater.

Fire lines of four inches and greater.

Combined fire service and domestic water service lines of four inches and greater.

Internal domestic service piping. Internal piping is also subject to plumbing code requirements.

Fire line service piping. Fire service lines are also subject to fire code requirements.

Irrigation meters and service lines. Water meters used solely for irrigation (watering of outdoor lawns and plants) must be purchased from the Utility and must be installed through a connection tee on the domestic water service line (not a fire service line or combined water and fire service line) upstream from the domestic water meter's upstream valve and downstream of any connection tee that splits the domestic water service line from a combined fire and domestic water service line. The irrigation water meter service line must have both an upstream and downstream ball valves (two inches and below) or gate valves (four inches and above) located at least six inches away from the irrigation water meter. If the service line from the water main is a combined fire and domestic water service line, there must also be a ball valve (two-inch and below) or gate valve (four-inch and above) on the domestic service line downstream of the connection tee splitting the domestic service line off of the combined fire and domestic service line and upstream of the connection tee splitting the irrigation water service line off of the domestic water service line. Irrigation water meters may not be installed on the same service line that flows through the domestic water meter (upstream or downstream of the domestic water meter).

Meters; strainers; touch pads; meter-to-touch-pad wires. All water meters, strainers and fire meters shall be purchased from the Utility. Strainers are required for all compound meters, all turbine meters of six inches or greater and any other meter the Utility feels a strainer is needed for. Touch pads must be located on the outside of the building in an unobstructed location that is easily accessible to the Utility. The meter-to-touch-pad wire must be exposed and accessible or run in electrical conduit to facilitate its replacement. Meters for water-irrigation systems must be connected to the domestic water service line prior to the domestic water meter, which connection must be visible for inspection at all times.

Testing. Every newly installed water service line shall be subjected by the plumber to a water test under the main pressure for a period of at least 10 minutes. All pipes and appurtenances shall remain uncovered for the duration of the test, and shall show no sign of leakage, and are subject to inspection by the Township of North Brunswick. Upon completion of installation and pressure testing, the service pipe shall be flushed for a period of 30 minutes.

Installation of water service line. The water service line shall be laid at a depth of at least four feet below grade. The water service line must be run in a straight line from the water main to its entry into the building and, if physically possible, perpendicular to the water main. Except where the subsurface conditions make it impracticable, the water service line may be otherwise laid, upon the approval of the Utility of a revised plan showing the proposed location of the water service line. Copper water service lines shall be laid with no connections between any valves and the building foundation or meter-pit entry except for the connection tee to split the fire and domestic services of a combined fire and domestic service line. Copper connections may only be by approved flare or compression fittings. All service pipe from one inch up to two inches shall be bedded and backfilled to 12 inches over the pipe with sand before placing the remainder of trench backfill. All service pipe four inches and larger shall be bedded on three-quarter-inch clean crushed stone and select fill placed to 12 inches over the pipe before placing the remainder of trench backfill.

Replacement of a service line. When an existing water service line (fire, domestic or combined) is replaced, the abandoned water service line must be cut and capped at the water main by turning off the corporation valve or tapping valve, disconnecting the abandoned water service line, capping the outflow of the corporation valve or tapping valve, and removing all valve boxes on the abandoned water service line.

The Utility or Department of Community Development may provide diagrams (Figures 1, 2 and 3)[1] of the water and fire service line specifications provided herein. Should any discrepancy between those diagrams and this section occur, this section shall have precedence.

All construction materials specified below must be used, but Utility-approved equivalents may be substituted: