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10-3-3: SERVICE CONNECTION PROCEDURES:
   A.   Application: Any person desiring to connect a building or structure to the City geothermal system may apply for such service connection with the Department of Public Works on forms provided for that purpose. The Director of Public Works, or his authorized representative, shall approve or deny said application within thirty (30) days of its filing. A decision to deny shall be accompanied by written findings thereon.
   B.   Change In Use Or Change In Identity Of User: A new application must be made to, and approved by, the Department of Public Works upon any change in the use of the property or in the identity of the user at a property.
   C.   Lapse In Use: If geothermal service is discontinued to any property for any reason and if a request to reactivate geothermal service to the property is made, the request to reactivate geothermal service shall be made and considered in the same manner and in all respects as a new application.
   D.   Construction Of Service Taps And Service Lines And Installation Of Meters: The City shall construct all service taps and service lines and install meters. Upon completion, the service taps and service lines shall become a part of the public geothermal system.
   E.   Meters:
      1.   All geothermal service will be rendered only through meters.
      2.   Each user shall have a separate meter to register the amount of water utilized.
      3.   All meters will be furnished by, and remain the property of the City. The City reserves the right to establish the size and location of all meters and the amount of space which must be left unobstructed for the installation and future maintenance and operation of the meter.
      4.   Meters will be maintained by the City as far as ordinary wear and tear is concerned, but the user shall be responsible to the City for any injury to, or loss of, any meter arising out of or caused by the user's negligence or carelessness, or that of their servants, employees, members of his household or any person upon their premises under or by their consent. The user shall not permit anyone, except an agent of the City or a person otherwise lawfully authorized, to remove, inspect or tamper with the meter of the City, or other property of the City.
      5.   The user shall notify the City of any damage to, or of any cessation in registration of, the meter as soon as it comes to the user's knowledge.
      6.   If the user requests that the meter be located in a place where accessibility by the City is difficult, a remote readout shall be installed at the user's expense.
   F.   Service Connection Standards And Inspections: All approved service connections to the geothermal systems shall comply with the following requirements:
      1.   The applicant shall notify the Department of Public Works no less than twenty four (24) hours prior to commencing connection work.
      2.   Except for the meter, all portions of geothermal service within the owner's building, or within the building owner's property lines, shall be the responsibility of, and provided by, the building owner or user, and operation and maintenance of all such plumbing and related appurtenances shall remain the responsibility of the building owner or user, except that, by written agreement between the City and the building owner or user, responsibility of ownership, operation or maintenance of the geothermal service may be otherwise assigned. Service connection work and materials located on the building owner's property shall be in conformance with written and illustrated minimum standards and specifications issued by the Department of Public Works for such purposes.
      3.   Upon completion of the permitted service connection, the applicant shall promptly notify the Department of Public Works to request a service connection inspection.
      4.   Upon inspection by the Department of Public Works, the applicant may be required to reperform his work, in whole or in part if, in the opinion of the department, the initial service connection work does not comply with applicable department standards and specifications, or is otherwise hazardous to public safety.
      5.   All completed and approved service connections shall remain inoperable, through deactivation of the meter, until such time as a service account is activated.
   G.   Violations: It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to construct or cause the construction of a service line or tap-in without approval of the Department of Public Works. Separate plumbing, mechanical and other applicable permits shall not be required for tap-ins and service lines constructed by the City to the geothermal system, although plumbing, mechanical and other permit requirements may be applicable to all work performed by the property owner upon the property owner's property.
   H.   Inspection: All requests for inspection must be made to the Department of Public Works at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the requested inspection. Inspections will be made between the hours of eight o'clock (8:00) A.M. and five o'clock (5:00) P.M., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
   I.   Failure To Inspect: Should the applicant or his duly authorized agent connect facilities to the geothermal system without the facilities being inspected and approved by the Department of Public Works, the party responsible for the connection shall be required, at his expense, to excavate the connection, if necessary, and disconnect the connection from the system, in order that a proper inspection can be made, whereupon compliance with this chapter will be required if no application had been previously made. (1952 Code § 8-12-03; amd. Ord. 30-21, 6-22-2021)
10-3-4: USER SERVICE PROCEDURES:
   A.   Account Activation And Deactivation: After a service connection has been completed and approved, any person desiring geothermal service shall notify the Department of Public Works. The Department of Public Works shall activate a service account for the user's connection and the Department of Public Works shall activate the user's meter. Any user desiring to discontinue geothermal service shall notify the Department of Public Works and upon deactivation of the service account, the Department of Public Works shall deactivate the user's meter.
   B.   Service Deposits: Prior to activation of a service account, the City may require a reasonable cash deposit to ensure payment for the use of geothermal resources to be furnished by the City. The City Council, by resolution, may establish deposit amounts and guidelines for requiring such deposits.
   C.   Determination Of Service Fees: There is hereby established a system of periodic service fees and charges for the purpose of equitably imposing upon all users the costs and expenses of construction, operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the geothermal system and facilities. The determination of periodic service fees and charges may be based upon business needs of the system and other considerations, including, but not limited to:
      1.   Facility Replacement: Accumulate a reserve for replacement within the service area of distribution and disposal facilities and works. Such reserve shall be based on the total historical costs and estimated life of the applicable facilities and equipment. One rate schedule for service fees in this category will be devised and shall be the basis for charges to all customers in the service area.
      2.   Construction, Operation And Maintenance: Recover, equitably from users, the costs and expenses incurred by the City in constructing, operating and maintaining the geothermal distribution system.
      3.   Fixed Charge For Zero Use: Apportion equitably among all users those fixed costs which continue to be incurred whether or not individual users utilize the system. Such costs include, but are not limited to, costs attributable to providing basic office staff for the administration of the geothermal system. Payment of these costs shall be made by all customers, including those with zero (0) flow.
   D.   Review And Revision Of Service Fees: The charges and fees hereinafter imposed shall be reviewed and revised periodically as required and the charges and fees provided by this chapter are hereby levied and assessed against each lot, parcel or other property having any connection with the geothermal system.
   E.   Service Fees: The amount and rate of service fees shall be established by resolution of the City Council. Geothermal customers will be sent written notice of a proposed increase in geothermal service rates prior to Council consideration of the resolution. Any increase of geothermal service fees in excess of five percent (5%) shall require published notice and a public hearing.
   F.   Billing Of Service Charges: The Utility Billing Services shall mail regular billing statements to each user, which shall include:
      1.   Account handling charges, if any; and
      2.   Rate charges showing the type of user, number of gallons of water drawn from the system and the total charges therefor.
   G.   Estimated Bills: The City shall endeavor to have each user's meter read at regular intervals to determine the cost of the geothermal service. In the event the City meter reader is unable to gain access to the premises to read the meter on his regular trip, the City may estimate the user's consumption for the current billing period based on known consumption for a prior period adjusted for variation in temperature on a degree day basis; subsequent readings will be adjusted for difference between estimated and actual. Estimated bills shall carry appropriate notice to that effect. (1952 Code § 8-12-04; amd. Ord. 30-21, 6-22-2021)
10-3-5: DELINQUENT FEES, DISCONNECTION AND LIEN:
   A.   Payment: All service charges and fees not paid within thirty (30) days when due shall become delinquent.
   B.   Disconnection: In case of nonpayment or delinquency in payment of service fees required by this chapter, the Department of Public Works is hereby authorized and directed to disconnect and plug the connection to the geothermal system.
   C.   Lien: The amount of all delinquent service fees which are due and payable shall constitute a lien upon and against the property or premises being served by and connected to the geothermal system. The delinquent service fees, together with a penalty added thereto of ten percent (10%), or higher as may be authorized by law, shall be certified to the Tax Collector, of Ada County in the manner and at the time required by Idaho Code. (1952 Code § 8-12-05)
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