General Information
(a) Water Quality and Service. The Water Department strives to provide a continuous, safe potable water supply. However, volume pressure and purity cannot be guaranteed. Changes in weather conditions, treatment process and mechanical equipment operations all are variables affecting supply.
(b) Water Mains May Be Shut Off Without Notice. Water may be shut off without giving notice in case of breaks in mains, services, other water department equipment or for the purpose of tapping, extending, repairing, replacing or cleaning mains. No claims will be considered for damage of any nature whatsoever arising from such action.
(c) Tanks For Reserve Supply Should Be Provided. Consumers whose operations require a constant and steady supply of water should provide against interruptions in service by installation of tanks, reservoirs or other auxiliary supplies sufficient to carry them over the period of interruption in service.
(ORC 4933.22 and Codified Ordinances Section 925.03)
(d) Right to Enter Premises. The Water Department reserves the right, through its authorized agents, to enter at all reasonable hours, the premises to which its service extends for the purpose of reading, repairing, installing, removing or inspecting meters; or for any other purpose which it may deem necessary in safeguarding the interest of the Water Department and the consumer. In the event that access to the meter is not granted as requested by the City, the City will notify the owner of the premises that service will be determined within thirty (30) days if access is not granted. If access is not granted within thirty (30) days, the City may discontinue service to such premises. In the event the service is shut off, service will not be reestablished until the owner has:
(1) Provided access to such meter(s) as requested by the City, and
(2) Paid all applicable reconnection fees.
(Ord. 2011-05. Passed 2-16-11.)
Metered Consumers
(e) Reading and Billing of Meters.
(1) All water meters are the property of the City of Canfield. Meters will be read and billed quarterly. When a meter cannot be accessed by an authorized agent of the Water Department for billing purposes, it becomes the consumer’s responsibility to report their meter reading either by returning the postage-paid card provided by the meter reader or by telephoning their reading to the Water Department as promptly as possible.
(2) Those consumers who do not cooperate in the prompt reporting of their quarterly reading will be subject to an estimated bill. Estimated bills will not be adjusted once posted for that billing period. Estimated bills should reflect previous usage history.
(Ord. 2005-25. Passed 7-6-05.)
(f) All Water Usage Must Be Separately Metered.
(1) Water will be furnished through metered service only, with each unit of occupancy having a separate shutoff valve. Notwithstanding the above, no metered service will be required in the case of construction work or upon special permission of the Service Director. Sewer charges shall be based upon the quantity of water used as the same is measured by the Municipal water meter.
(2) Any unauthorized unmetered water usage shall be assessed a usage fee of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for water and two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for sewer and the water service will be terminated. Service shall be instated only after payment of five thousand dollars ($5,000) assessment and installation of the required meter.
(Ord. 2011-05. Passed 2-16-11.)
(g) Water For Construction May Be Furnished on a Flat Rate. Water for construction purposes where no metered supply is available will be furnished on an assessment basis.
(h) Application for Water Must Be Made. All applications for the use of water from the Water Department must be made by the owner of the premises or his authorized agent.
(i) Applicants Must Agree to Conform to By-Laws. Applicants for water shall make such deposits or assessments as may be required and shall agree to the by-laws and regulations pertaining to the use of water.
(j) Owner May Have Tenant Pay Water. If the owner of any premises elects to have his tenant or lessee pay the water charges as they accrue, such tenant or leaseholder does so as the agent of the owner. Such owner shall not, thereby, be relieved from the payment of any delinquencies that might occur.
(k) Bills to be Delivered to Consumer. The Water Department will undertake to deliver bills for water by depositing same in the U.S. Post Office only as a matter of convenience to the owner or customer. Any failure to receive bills shall not relieve any persons from their obligation in payment of such bills. (Ord. 2005-25. Passed 7-6-05.)
(l) Water May be Shut Off Against Delinquents.
(1) Water may be shut off to any premises if the owner or consumer becomes delinquent in payment of utility bills or any other obligations to the City of Canfield Utility Department. A five-day written notice of such action must be given. Water may be shut off to any premises regardless of whether such indebtedness was incurred at the premises where service is discontinued or at any other property of such owner or consumer.
(2) Utility bills (water, sewer, storm sewer, etc.) unpaid when due shall be increased ten percent (10%). Sale of water shall be discontinued on utility accounts unpaid fifteen (15) days after the due date of bills. Individuals may apply for an exemption from a penalty by completing an Exemption Request Form and satisfying the following:
A. The individual/entity has been a registered utility customer for at least five (5) years.
B. No delinquencies have occurred on the subject account for the immediately preceding five (5) years.
C. The applicable delinquency and penalty were paid within thirty (30) days of notice.
D. Applicable Penalty is less than $250.00.
E. No penalty exemption has been applied in the subject account during the preceding two (2) years from the notice of delinquency, and
F. The request for exemption was made by the customer within thirty (30) days after notice of the delinquency.
(3) Water service which has been shut off pursuant to this subsection (1) will not be re-established to any premises until payment in full has been made, whether the delinquency was incurred by a predecessor in interest or the current owner of the premises. (Ord. 2017-03. Passed 2-1-17.)
(m) No Allowance or Rebate on Account for Leaks. No deductions shall be made or rebate allowed to a consumer of water under meter control by or on account of leakage in any water pipe, tank or other apparatus or device. The amount of water registered by any meter shall be charged and paid for in full, irrespective of whether such water, after having been registered was lost by leakage, accident or otherwise.
(n) Owner’s Duty to See That Water Bills Are Paid. The Water Department will make every possible effort to collect water bills and assessments as promptly as the nature and volume of its business permits. But, no consumer or property owner shall be relieved from an obligation for assessment that may be unpaid through failure of the Water Department to make collections as provided by its rules.
(o) Water Bill Due Dates and Exceptions.
(1) Utility bills are due and payable either at the City of Canfield, 104 Lisbon Streets, Canfield, Ohio, or at the banks authorized by the City to provide such collection service for their customers.
(2) The due date for all utility bills shall be the 15th of the month following the billing. Any utility bill remaining unpaid on the records of the City on the 20th of the month shall be assessed a ten percent (10%) penalty. Each consumer is ultimately responsible to verify that the City received their payment timely. The City will not be responsible for any delays in payments not made at City Hall.
Service Connections.
(p) Tapping of Mains Only by Water Department. No person, except an authorized employee or agent of the Water Department will be permitted to tap or make any connections with the mains or distribution pipes of the City Water Department, unless authorized by the Director of Public Service.
(q) Property Owner to Pay Cost of Service Connections. All service connections or pipes for supplying water from City mains must be installed at the expense of the property owner or person making application.
(r) Charges for Connections Are On File in City Manager’s Office.
(s) Size of Service Connections Permitted. Service connections will be permitted in any size from one inch to two inches at the option of the applicant, but the consent of the City must be obtained in all cases where a service connection larger than one inch in diameter is desired.
(t) Owner Responsible for Shutting Off Abandoned Service. The discovery of abandoned services which have not been shut off at the main will result in the property owner being held for the cost of shutting off such service by the Water Department; together with such damage as may be sustained by reason of any leaks that may have developed.
(u) Application for Service Must Be Made. No plumber or other person shall extend a service from valve or water main to any premises unless the owner thereof or his authorized agent has first secured the necessary permit from the Water Department to do so.
(v) Water Supply From Other Sources Not to be Connected with the City Supply. No arrangement shall be allowed where rain or other polluted water flows into the City water mains. No service pipe connected with the City water main shall be connected to pipes supplied with water from any other source. Service may be terminated immediately if this is discovered. Backflow prevention and testing shall be required pursuant to the City of Canfield Regulations on cross-connection control.
(w) Curb and Corporation Valves Under Control of Water Department. The curb valve as well as the corporation valve box shall be under absolute control of the Water Department and must not be tampered or interfered with or operated by any unauthorized person. Water may be turned on only by an authorized employee of the Water Department or a licensed plumber (after notifying the Water Department).
(x) Location and Material of Service Connections. Service mains to premises must be run on a direct line with the service branch in the street, at right angle with the street, and no less than four and one-half (4-1/2) feet deep, and shall be three-fourths (3/4) copper tubing and the joints, if any, shall be copper to copper flange joints. All is subject to inspection and approval by an authorized person of the Water Department. Service lines of material other than copper are permitted if authorized in writing by the Service Director and City Manager.
(y) When Service Connections May Be Placed in Sewer Trenches.
(1) Sanitary sewer service mains shall not be placed in the same trench with water service connections, except by special permission, and must be approved by the authorized representative of the Water Department.
(2) Where permission is granted to place a service main in sewer trenches, they must be put on a shelf at least twenty-four (24) inches wide cut into the side of the trench, and such trenches shall not be backfilled until the work has been inspected and approved by an authorized representative of the Water Department.
(z) Stop and Waste Valves Must Be Installed. All water service pipes for domestic supply must be provided with an approved stop and waste valve where it enters the building, easily accessible and so installed that the water can be shut off and drained from the pipes and meter. Valves must be placed on both sides of meter connection. Each individual dwelling unit must have an exterior shut-off.
(aa) What Services Must Be Maintained at Expense of the Owner. That portion of the service main between the curb valve and meter must be maintained at the expense of the property owner. Accordingly, the property owner will be held responsible for any leakage which may occur in such service main; and the City reserves the right to turn off the water in cases where such leakages are not corrected after proper notice to do so.
(Ord. 2005-25. Passed 7-6-05.)