The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human
occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes situated in an
area served by a Sussex County water district and abutting on any
street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may
in the future be located a public water main of Sussex County are
hereby required, at their expense, to connect, in accordance with
the Technical Bulletin for Building Sewer and Water Service and the
provisions of this chapter, within 180 days after the date of official
notice to connect.
No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with
or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public water main or appurtenance
thereof without first obtaining a permit from the Engineer.
A.
Application for a permit to install and connect a water service pipe
shall be made by a plumber, licensed in the State of Delaware, who
will install or supervise the installation of the water service pipe.
The application will be made on forms provided by the County and shall
be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information
considered pertinent in the judgment of the Engineer. The application
shall be signed by the licensed plumber and the owner or the owner's
representative of the building having the water service pipe connected
thereto. If approved, the application will be signed by the Engineer
or his authorized agent and will constitute a permit.
B.
An application for a permit shall be made to increase the size of
an existing service. The cost of increasing the size of the service
shall be borne entirely by the applicant.
A separate and independent water service shall be provided for
every dwelling, building or property used for human occupancy, employment,
recreation or other purpose. A water service, water meter and water
service pipe shall not service more than one:
A.
Dwelling house, either detached or one side of a double house or
a house in a row of houses, provided that a garage, a guesthouse and
similar features incidental to the family life shall be considered
as a portion of the dwelling.
B.
Industrial, commercial or manufacturing establishment.
C.
Building separated from adjacent buildings by a party wall or walls
and comprising apartments, stores, offices or a combination thereof.
D.
Detached building comprising apartments, stores, offices or any combination
thereof.
E.
Establishment consisting of individual dwelling units under the management
of a single commercial or cooperative entity.
F.
Unit of property commonly referred to as a "condominium unit" and/or
"unit property," subject to the requirements Title 25 of the Delaware
Code, Chapter 25.
G.
Property which is converted from ownership by a single commercial
or cooperative entity or from any other form of ownership to condominium
units shall comply with the requirements of this article.
Use of water shall be confined to the premises named on the
permit. No customer shall supply another with water, nor shall it
be used for any purpose not listed on the permit application.
Any such dwelling, building or property as classified in § 110-45 of this article may be supplied by two or more water meters, each of which, for billing by the County, shall be considered as being one customer account.
A.
All costs and expenses pertaining to the installation and connection
of the water service pipe shall be borne by the property owner including
any and all upgrades or extensions to the county's main related to
the owner's request.
B.
The owners shall indemnify Sussex County from any loss or damage
that may, directly or indirectly, be occasioned by the installation
of the water service pipe or lack thereof.
The customer's water supply system shall be designed, installed
and maintained in a manner that will prevent the contamination of
the water supply. Requirements for such protection are given in the
Technical Bulletin for Building Sewer and Water Service.
The connection of the water service pipe to the water meter
and the size, alignment, materials of construction of the water service
pipe and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe,
jointing, testing and backfilling the trench shall all conform to
the requirements of the Technical Bulletin for Building Sewer and
Water Service.
The County shall inspect all connections to the water mains
and maintain all water service lines from the water main to and including
the curb cock and box or meter pit. The curb cock and box or meter
pit shall be placed in back of the property line and shall be the
property of the County and under its control. This inspection will
require an open-trench visual inspection.
The installing plumber shall give a required minimum twenty-four-hour
notice to the Engineer's office when the water service pipe is ready
for connection, inspection and testing if deemed necessary. The connection
shall be made under the supervision or approval of the Engineer.
All excavations for water service pipe installations shall be
backfilled as soon as possible after completion of the open trench
inspection. Any pavement, sidewalks, and other public property disturbed
in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory
to the County, and in compliance with any applicable DelDOT permits.
A.
All water meters belonging to the County shall be placed by the County
and kept in repair, except that the owner of the building served shall
be responsible for any damage caused by negligence of the owner or
tenant and including their guest and or invitees. The Engineer shall
determine, in each case of damage, the cause and cost of replacement
or repair.
B.
No meter or bypass valve shall be disconnected from the pipes, moved,
disturbed or have its seal broken by any person except an authorized
employee of the County.
C.
The customer shall notify the Engineer's office of any injury to
or cessation of registration of a meter, or meter pit assembly, as
soon as it comes to his or her knowledge.
A.
Water service may be discontinued, upon notice to the owner, his
or her authorized agent or the occupant, for any of the following
causes:
(1)
Use of water for any purpose other than that described on the permit
application.
(2)
Willful waste of water through faulty pipes, fixtures or otherwise.
(3)
Tampering with or damaging any service pipes, meters, seals or any
other property of the County.
(4)
Refusal of reasonable access to property for the purpose of inspections
and maintenance and for failure to make provisions to afford the County
access to the meter readout at least once every three months during
regular County working hours.
(5)
Making or refusing to sever any cross-connections between a pipe
or fixture carrying water furnished by the County and a pipe or fixture
carrying water from any other source.
(6)
Nonpayment of water service charges and/or fines.
(7)
Extending water pipes to other buildings without obtaining a proper
permit.
(8)
Failure to correct piping and fixtures in a water distribution system
that could allow contamination of the water source.
(9)
Violation of any regulation governing water service.
B.
Water service may temporarily be shut off by the County for any of
the following reasons:
C.
When the County discontinues water service for any reason, it does
so without liability to such owner or occupant as may own or occupy
the building to which such connection is made.
D.
No customer shall be entitled to recover for damages or to have any
portion of the water charges refunded for any stoppage of water service.
A.
Public fire hydrants are installed and supplied with water for the
express purpose of combating fires. Fire hydrant use is restricted
to Fire Departments and those authorized by the Engineer.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(1)
Take water from a public fire hydrant, except for the purpose of
combating fire, except with the approval of the Engineer.
(2)
Have in possession any key to any fire hydrant, except such key as
may be furnished by the County.
(3)
Open a fire hydrant with any device except the proper key.
(4)
Place or allow to be placed any vehicle, object or material within
15 feet of any fire hydrant which obstructs or restricts access to
said fire hydrant.
C.
Temporary use of water may be supplied through a public fire hydrant
for uses other than extinguishing fires by application for a use permit
to the Engineer and payment of charges that may be stipulated if the
application is approved by the Engineer. The applicant shall be responsible
for any damage occasioned by the use of the fire hydrant or other
appurtenance.
D.
The County does not assume any liability to parties receiving water
service as an insurer of property or person, and the County does not
guarantee any special service, pressure, capacity other than is permitted
by the ordinary and changing operating conditions of the County as
the same exist from day to day. The County shall be free and exempt
from any claims for injury to any persons or property by reason of
fire, water and failure to supply water pressure or capacity.
A.
Any person desiring a private water supply from the County for the
purpose of extinguishing fire or desiring to make alterations on an
existing private fire service shall first make application to the
Engineer and obtain approval of the private fire service and a permit
to install or alter the same.
B.
All costs pertaining to the installation of a private fire service,
including but not limited to tapping the public water main and piping
to the property line, shall be borne by the applicant.
C.
A private service line shall be required for on-premises fire hydrants,
automatic sprinklers or other fire service devices located inside
a building or buildings, and such private service line is to be used
exclusively for fire service.
D.
It shall be unlawful to use fire hydrants, automatic sprinklers or
other fire-service appliances installed on a premises, building or
buildings for any purpose other than for the extinguishment of fires.
E.
The County does not assume any liability to parties receiving water
service as an insurer of property or person, and the County does not
guarantee any special service, pressure, capacity other than is permitted
by the ordinary and changing operating conditions of the County as
the same exist from day to day. The County shall be free and exempt
from any claims for injury to any person or property by reason of
fire, water and failure to supply water pressure or capacity.
F.
The County shall set fees for the recovery of costs from specific
customers utilizing the County's public water system availability
for a private fire service. The applicable charges or fees shall be
included in the schedule of fees adopted as part of the annual Sussex
County budget.
A.
The quantity of water recorded by the meter shall be conclusive on
both the customer and the County except when the meter has been found
to be registering inaccurately or has ceased to register. In either
case, the meter shall be promptly repaired or replaced by the County,
and the quantity of water consumed shall be estimated by an average
of previous readings of the meter when in good working order during
as many as two recorded periods of the same period in previous years
but in no case less than the minimum charge.
B.
In the case of a disputed account involving the accuracy of a meter,
such meter shall be tested at the request of the customer in conformity
with the provisions of the County water regulations. In the event
that the meter so tested is found to have an error in registration
in excess of 5% slow or fast, the bills shall be adjusted accordingly
as provided in the aforesaid rules.
C.
When meters are removed after installation at the request of the
customer for testing, the following rules shall apply: The County
shall, upon a written request of a customer and, if he or she so desires,
in his or her presence or that of his or her authorized representative,
make a test of the accuracy of the meter. When a customer desires,
either personally or through a representative, to witness the testing
of a meter, he or she may require a meter to be sealed in his or her
presence before removal, which seal shall not be broken until the
test is made in his or her presence. If the meter so tested shall
be found to be accurate within the limits herein specified, the cost
for removing, testing and replacing the meter will be paid by the
customer requesting such test, but if not so found, then the cost
thereof shall be borne by the County.
