No person other than the City Manager, or duly
authorized agents, shall lay waterlines, sewer lines or other fixtures
in the streets for the purpose of sewer or water connection for the
use of any premises, and no other person or user shall dig up the
streets for such purpose or shall make any such connection.
The City Manager shall have authority to make
such changes and extensions of the water and sewer systems as may
be necessary and proper, unless such authority is specifically reserved
to the City Council.
The City Manager shall have authority to promulgate
such orders, rules, resolutions or regulations as deemed necessary
for the protection, repair, extension or improvement of the watersheds,
storage dams, reservoir, and water and sewer systems of the City.
The City Manager shall have authority to do
all things needed or necessary for the protection of the water and
sewer systems of the City. Any reference to the City Manager in this
chapter shall also refer to a duly authorized designee.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The Maury Service Authority.
All solid waste, including sludge and other discarded material,
including solid, liquid, semiliquid or contained gaseous material,
resulting from industrial, commercial, mining or agricultural operations
and from community activities and residences.
Any water beneath the land surface.
Any industrial establishment, mill, factory, tannery, paper
or pulp mill, mine, coal mine, colliery, breaker or coal processing
operations, quarry, oil refinery, boat, vessel, and each and every
other industry or plant or works, the operation of which produces
industrial wastes or other wastes or which may otherwise alter the
physical, chemical or biological properties of any state waters.
Any inhibition or disruption of the wastewater treatment
plant, its treatment processes or operations, or its sludge processes
which clearly causes, in whole or in part, a violation of any requirement
of the wastewater treatment plant's VPDES permit, including those
discharges that prevent the use or disposal of sludge by the wastewater
treatment plant in accordance with federal or state laws, regulations,
permits or sludge management plans.
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, partnership,
corporation, governmental entity, or other similar organization, agency,
or group. The definition includes all federal, state or local government
entities.
Any dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter
backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, medical waste,
chemical waste, industrial waste, biological materials, radioactive
materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar
dirt, municipal agricultural and industrial wastes and certain characteristics
of wastewater, (including pH, temperature, TSS, turbidity, color,
BOD, COD, toxicity and odor). For purpose of quantifying odor the
standards identified in 40 CFR 136 shall be used.
The property or physical location served by water and/or
sewer.
The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination
of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties
in wastewater prior to introduction into the authority's sewer system.
Any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated
by the EPA in accordance with Section 307(b) and (c) of the Act which
applies to industrial users.
Water-carried human or animal excrement and gray water (household
washing, dishwashing wastes, etc.).
The sewer lateral running from the structure being served
to its connection to the sewage collection system of the serving jurisdiction.
It is understood that the serving jurisdiction is responsible for
compliance of the service user with its particular rules and regulations
and with the additional rules and regulations of the wastewater treatment
plant. By agreement of July 29, 1996 (Article VI), the participating
jurisdictions shall enforce those rules and regulations established
by the authority related to delivery, composition and treatment of
all wastewater into the wastewater treatment plant from any building
sewer.
A pipe or conduit designed, installed and maintained for
carrying normal or industrial wastewater.
A pipe or conduit designed, installed and maintained for
carrying normal or industrial wastewater owned and maintained by the
City.
As defined in 40 CFR 403.6 shall be as follows. One which:
Has a process wastewater flow of 25,000 gallons
or more per average workday (excludes sanitary, noncontact cooling
and boiler blowdown wastewater);
Contributes a process waste stream which makes
up 5% or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity
of the wastewater treatment plant;
Is subject to categorical pretreatment standards;
or
Has significant impact, either singularly or
in combination with other significant discharges, on the treatment
works or the quality of its effluent.
A sewer or drain for conveying storm, surface and other waters,
which is not intended to contain wastewater or to be transported to
a treatment works.
Rain, stormwater, or other surface waters which are collected
and transported by the storm sewer.
Any of the pollutants designated by federal regulations pursuant
to Section 307(a)(1) of the Act or other federal, state or authority
regulations.
A combination of liquid and water-carried wastes from residences,
agricultural buildings, commercial buildings, industries, and institutions,
together with any groundwater, surface water, or stormwater that may
be present.
A pipe or conduit designed, installed and maintained for
carrying potable water from the water main to the user or user's premises.
When there is any extension or change in water
or sewer mains or lines, the City shall record the same and maintain
an accurate, permanent record showing extensions or changes and the
location and the time they were made. In like manner it shall keep
accurate, permanent records of branch lines, building sewers and/or
lateral lines, hydrants, meters and other water and sewer fixtures
and facilities so that they can be located with reasonable accuracy.
All persons connected to the City's water and
sewer system shall, at all times, keep and maintain their private
water and sewer facilities in proper repair and good and sanitary
condition.
Every person occupying any premises into which
water is conveyed or which is connected to the City sewer system shall
permit the City Manager or a duly authorized agent of the City to
enter such premises at reasonable hours to inspect the works therein
or to see that the provisions of this Code and other ordinances and
regulations of the City relative to the water and sewer systems have
been kept and performed.
It shall be unlawful for any person, in any
way, to break, destroy, interfere or tamper with the mains or pipes
or any machinery, equipment or facilities incident to or connected
to the City water and sewer system.
Any person who violates any of the terms of
this chapter, or fails or refuses to notify the City in which any
sewage line or system is to be constructed or installed, or fails
to notify the City of any proposed extension beyond the number of
connections for which approval was originally given and thereafter
constructs and installs any system, or having given notice and the
same being disapproved proceeds to construct or install any system
shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and, in addition, may be
enjoined from further violation of this chapter. Each day of operation
without notifying the governing body as above required, or after disapproval
by the governing body, shall constitute a separate offense.
The owner of property to which water and sewer
service, either or both, is furnished shall in all cases be liable
for water and sewer service bills of the tenant or occupant. Upon
request of the owner, however, the bill will be sent to the tenant.
The City Manager may adopt a policy requiring
a deposit from applicants desiring the use of City water and sewer
facilities, the amount of such deposit to be determined by the City
Manager. Such deposit, when so required, shall be paid to the City
Treasurer and held until the termination of the service or until further
order of the City Manager.
A.
Any extensions to the City's water and sewer system
shall be the financial responsibility of the applicant for service.
Except as provided below, for all water and sewer connections, regardless
of their location, involving the construction of less than 60 feet
of service pipe, there shall be paid a minimum fee established by
Council resolution. For all water and sewer connections involving
the construction of more than 60 feet of service pipe, there shall
be a charge of the actual cost for such construction, but not less
than the minimum fee. The minimum water connection fee shall be for
the standard water meter of 5/8 inch by 3/4 inch. Applicants requiring
larger meters shall pay the actual cost of installation.
B.
All charges for water or sewer taps or connections
shall be payable in advance at the time of application.
Each water and/or sewer service customer shall
be required to pay a utility service fee, in an amount established
by resolution of City Council, upon application for use of City water
and/or sewer facilities. This fee shall be payable both in the event
that the application is for a new service line or if the service is
being transferred to a new customer name. This fee shall be in addition
to all other normal service connection charges which may be payable
in order to provide the utility service to the customer.
[Amended 8-20-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-08]
The water meters shall be read monthly and the water and sewer
bills issued on or about the 25th of the month, due and payable on
the 25th of the following month.
All utility bills remaining unpaid at the close
of business on the 25th day of the month in which payment is due shall
be subject to a penalty as established by Council resolution. Such
unpaid bill shall accrue a further penalty at the same rate for each
subsequent month the bill remains unpaid.
The City Treasurer shall prepare a list of all
delinquent water and sewer service bills for the City Manager at the
close of business on the 12th day of each month. The City Manager
shall disconnect such service for any account with a delinquent balance
in excess of $12. When the customer is delinquent as to sewer service
only, the same shall be discontinued by cutting off the water in lieu
of disconnecting the sewer. Any account on the delinquent list, and
where administrative action has been initiated to disconnect the water
service, will be assessed an administrative service charge of $20.
The water and sewer service, either or both, shall not again be provided
to a user or resumed on the premises until the respective water and
sewer service bills shall have been paid to the City Treasurer.
[Amended 8-20-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-08; 11-19-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-12]
A.
In the
event a customer experiences a high consumption occurrence attributed
to a plumbing leak or fixture, appliance, or related equipment malfunction,
they may be eligible for a credit to their utility bill. Account holders
requesting an adjustment must do so within 30 days of the high consumption
occurrence by submitting a signed Courtesy High Consumption Adjustment
Form. An invoice from a licensed plumber in the State of Virginia
may be required depending on the circumstance. If no licensed plumber
is used, the account holder may be required to submit legible copies
of paid invoices for all materials and equipment used to complete
the repair along with photographs documenting the location and nature
of the repair. The Public Works Department will review the request
for the adjustment from the high consumption occurrence and determine
whether water from the high consumption occurrence entered the sanitary
sewer system. As part of the request, account holders will be required
to register with the City's Customer Portal. This requirement will
be waived for only those users with water meters that do not have
remote read capability. Once these measures are satisfied, the adjustment
request and all supporting documentation will be reviewed by the Public
Works Department and a decision made. Adjustment requests greater
than $250 will be forwarded to the City Manager for approval or denial.
B.
Customers
with approved adjustments shall have their accounts adjusted using
an average of the normal water usage for the twelve-month period preceding
the high consumption occurrence. Should 12 months of data not be available,
the City, at its discretion, may examine normal water usage for similar
accounts or the most meaningful account statistics to date to determine
normal water usage. Adjusted account usage shall be the difference
between the high consumption occurrence usage and the normal water
usage for the billing period(s) under consideration. Account credits
shall be determined by multiplying the adjusted rate usage by the
lowest tier rate in the City's current utility rate schedule for water
or sanitary sewer as is applicable. Occurrences where the water did
not enter the public sanitary sewer shall be credited 50% of the adjusted
account usage for water and 100% of the adjusted account usage for
sanitary sewer. Occurrences where the water did enter the public sanitary
sewer shall be credited 50% of the adjusted account usage for both
water and sanitary sewer. Customers will be permitted only one high
consumption occurrence account adjustment in a twelve-month period
regardless of the circumstance. This section is intended to address
high consumption occurrences related to plumbing leaks or plumbing
fixture, appliance, or related equipment malfunctions. High consumption
occurrences attributed to blatant or inadvertent usage, such a leaving
a garden hose running overnight, may not be eligible for an adjustment,
depending on the circumstance.
