(A) Application for brand new connection, where no previous physical connection exists. Anyone who wishes to be connected to the town water or sewer system must first complete an application at the town office to provide the necessary information for town staff to develop cost estimates. If an applicant fails or refuses to supply the town with the information needed to establish a new physical connection to the system, no new connection can be established.
(B) Cost estimates for availability fee, connection fee, new account fee, materials and labor.
(1) Where a new connection to an existing town water or sewer main is feasible, as determined by town staff and in compliance with other parts of town code, a written cost estimate will be prepared which includes availability flat fee, new account setup fee, and variable connection fees: new water meter, estimates for the cost of materials to extend town main lines to the customer’s water and/or sewer laterals from the most convenient location on the existing mains. And an estimate for the town labor costs, to physically connect to the main line.
(2) Lines will only be installed after the property owner agrees to pay for the costs and only after the property owner provides proper documentation to the town for any and all easements and rights-of-way needed for connection.
(3) It is the property owner’s responsibility to acquire easements or right-of-way necessary for connections. It is the responsibility of the property owner to install at the owner’s expense either water and/or sewer lines from the structure to the water meter and/or sewer main. If connection to town main lines requires work under a road, or sidewalk, or some other structure or impediment; the property owner must contract with a qualified construction company to install the necessary pipes, lines, drains, pumps, electricity etc. in order to reach the town main lines.
(4) The town may not have adequate resources for example to cut roads, sidewalks, etc., install piping, tubing, plumbing, pumps, electricity, etc. and rebuild in accordance with state regulations. It shall be the responsibility of the private contractor selected by the property owner to interact with VDOT in order to obtain any permits needed for work conducted within the state right-of-way. The Town of Brookneal is only responsible for making the final tie-in connections of the owner’s lateral lines directly to the water meter, or sewer main line. The work to perform the actual, physical connection of private lateral lines to the public main shall be scheduled in advance to be performed during normal town workdays and not before or after hours, on weekends, or holidays.
(5) It is the property owner’s responsibility to select a qualified contractor of their choice to perform work in the state right-of- way. It is the owner’s responsibility to understand the costs that will be charged by the private, specialty contractor. It is the owner’s responsibility to pay for the costs of contracted work in the state right-of-way. The charges assessed by the town are only for those activities directly performed by the town and do not include the costs of specialty contracting, which again are separate expenses to be paid by the property owner.
(C) Connection fees definition. Connection fees are not the same as availability or any other fees. Connection fees are variable and are the charges the customer pays to the town to have water and sewer main lines physically extended (where possible) to a point where the customer’s private water and sewer laterals can be connected to the public main lines. Connection fees shall be the cost of the materials and labor. The town will create and present to the property owner a good faith, written cost estimate of connection fees. The customer will only be charged for actual labor and material expenses. If the project requires more labor and materials than estimated, the customer must pay those extra charges. The town works in good faith to do the job safely, efficiently, and professionally.
(D) The town is not responsible for installing water and/or sewer main lines under any road, sidewalk, railroad track, foundation, slab etc. for the purpose of supplying water and/or sewer service to any property. It is the property owner’s responsibility to install their private lines from their structure to the new water meter, and up to and within 3 feet of the town sewer main line even if such connections are on the opposite side of the road from the structure to be served. The town will strive to assist the property owner with developing the most direct route to tie in to the existing town main lines.
(E) New sewer laterals from property owner’s structure must connect to the town main line at or slightly above the grade of the town main line. The town will not connect any private sewer lateral to the main sewer line, when the private lateral is below the grade of the town sewer main line. Where necessary forced pumps may be permissible when authorized by the town. Forced pumps shall be installed and maintained at the expense of the property owner. All new sewer laterals installed shall have backflow prevention devices installed by a licensed plumbing contractor to prevent sewerage/waste water from backing up into the structure being served. All property owners are responsible for taking every precaution to protect their property from a water/sewer backup/overflow. The town shall not be responsible for any sewerage/waste water backup except in cases of intentional and willful neglect. Sewer backups are rare but can occur due to no fault of the town. All property owners are encouraged to talk to a licensed property and casualty insurance agent to make sure water/sewer backups will be covered should such event occur. It is not the town’s responsibility to clean up a sewer or water backup in a structure unless the backup was caused, and can be proven to have resulted from intentional and willful neglect.
(F) Payment of costs. Payment for the connection of water and/or sewer service to the town’s main water and sewer line shall be done in the following manner:
(1) All fixed fees and known expense amounts shall be paid prior to the town starting any work to extend service to the property in question.
(2) Payment for variable connection fees including but not limited to materials and labor shall be due upon completion of work, but must be received prior to any water or sewer service actually being provided.
(3) In circumstances where the customer seeking service has a limited, fixed income and can show that strict adherence to this schedule would create undue financial hardship, an alternate payment schedule may be developed upon approval by either the Council or staff. A request for this alternate method for payment must be made in writing to either the Council or staff, give sufficient evidence of hardship and be only for the provision of service to a single-family dwelling which a single family resides. The town Clerk/Treasurer or Director of Public Works shall draw up a schedule of monthly payments. Failure by the customer to make payments according to the schedule will be considered sufficient grounds by the town to discontinue service. Decision by the Council or staff in these cases as to the existence of any financial hardship shall be final.
(1997 Code, § 70-31) (Ord. passed 8-17-1993; Am. Ord. passed 10-1-2018)