(A) Definition. For the purposes of this section, the term COMBINED CONNECTION means a single connection to the municipal water system that serves:
(1) Two or more residential units; or
(2) Two or more commercial or industrial lots or separate parcels of record.
(B) Combined connection after effective date. Unless permitted for a hardship situation in accordance with division (E), no combined connection may be made after the effective date of this section.
(C) Combined connections discontinued. Unless permitted to continue for a hardship situation in accordance with division (E), combined connections in existence on the effective date of this section shall be discontinued and replaced with individual connections in accordance with this section.
(1) Owners of properties using a combined connection must replace such connection with an individual connection within three years of the date of notice from the city that replacement is required.
(2) Owners of the properties using a combined connection may use those parts of the connection lying within their property or in the public right-of-way between their property and the public water pipe, but must otherwise disconnect from the common connection and construct a new individual connection.
(D) Exceptions. The requirements of division (C) do not apply to:
(1) Multi-family residential rental properties where all units served by a combined connection are under the same ownership; or
(2) Multiple industrial or commercial lots or parcels of land that are adjacent, under the same ownership, and used for a single, unified business enterprise; or
(3) Combined connections where there is not an individual service from the main to the edge of the right-of-way available for each property using the combined connection.
(E) Variances. The City Council may grant variances from the requirements of division (C) upon a finding that there are unique or unusual physical constraints on constructing an individual connection that make such connection impractical from an engineering perspective.
(F) Notice. Notice to owners provided for in this section shall be by first-class mail to the person or persons whom tax statements are to be sent according to the records of Isanti or Kanabec County.
(G) Penalties. Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Violation of this section is also grounds for termination of sewer or water service and the imposition of such penalties or charges as may be imposed by City Council resolution.
(Ord. 295, passed 2-1-2022)