11-20-030 Calorific value.

   All gas furnished by any person engaged in the business of furnishing or supplying gas for heating, power or illuminating purposes in the city to any customer shall be and hereby is required to have a calorific value of not less than 800 British thermal units gross per cubic foot, as determined by a standard calorimeter measured at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and under a barometric pressure of 30 inches of mercury.

(Prior code § 187-3)

11-20-040 Pressure.

   The pressure of all manufactured gas for heating, power or illuminating purposes supplied or furnished to any customer by any person engaged in the business of furnishing or supplying gas within the city shall at no time at the inlet of consumer's meter be less than one and one-half inches of water.

   No consumer shall be supplied with gas having more than 100 percent fluctuation in pressure above the minimum pressure at the inlet of such consumer's meter.

(Prior code § 187-4)

11-20-050 Deposit for meter.

   No person engaged in the business of furnishing or supplying gas for consumption in the city shall require, demand, or receive a deposit of money or other valuable thing as a condition precedent to or as security for furnishing any consumer with a meter.

(Prior code § 187-5)

11-20-060 Removal of meters.

   No person shall remove any meter from the house, store, factory or premises of any consumer of gas in the city, against the will and consent of any such consumer of gas who is willing to pay for gas furnished him by such person, and who tenders the amount due. Provided, however, that any person furnishing gas to consumers in the city shall have the right to remove any meter for the purpose of repairing the same, on condition that a new one is substituted in its place immediately.

   Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $25.00 nor more than $200.00 for each and every offense.

(Prior code § 187-6)

11-20-061 Termination of service – Notice required – Violation – Penalty.

   (a)   For purposes of this section, “residential building” means any structure containing two or more dwelling units.

   (b)   Any public utility engaged in furnishing or supplying gas to a residential building where such gas is used for water heating or space heating must, prior to terminating or cutting off such service or supply for any reason other than customer request, including cutting off gas supplies to illegal gas connections or emergencies, notify the building commissioner of its intention to do so. Such notice shall be delivered to the building commissioner in the manner and in the form prescribed by the commissioner. The notice required by this section shall include, but not be limited to, the street address of the building, the number of units in the building, the date on which service or supply will be terminated or cut off, and the account billing name and address for the building. The notice shall indicate clearly that the building for which the notice is provided is a residential building as defined in sub-section (a) of this section. Such notice shall not be made as part of a list of, or commingled with, addresses of buildings that are not residential buildings as defined in subsection (a) of this section. Where an immediate termination or cutting off of such service or supply is necessary to protect the public safety, the prior notice required by this section, and any penalties for failure to provide the notice required by this section, may be waived by the building commissioner, provided that notice is given as soon as possible and in no case later than eight hours after such action is taken and such notice otherwise complies in full with the requirements of this subsection.

   (c)   Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of $500.00. For each termination, for each building, and for each day that any notice required by this section has not been given, the failure to provide such notice shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

   (d)   In addition to the fines provided in subsection (c) of this section, a public utility that violates this section shall be liable for any and all costs incurred by the City as a result of its violation of this section.

   (e)   Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed to preclude or interfere with the implementation by a gas utility company of measures necessary to assure the provision of adequate, efficient, reliable and environmentally safe service, as required by the Illinois Public Utilities Act (220 ILCS 5/1-101, et seq.).

   (f)   The building commissioner shall have the authority to issue rules and regulations necessary or proper to accomplish the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall give public notice of any proposed rule or regulation, prior to its effective date, in one or more newspapers of general circulation, and in no case shall the publication be less than ten days prior to the effective date of the proposed rule or regulation, or an amendment to a rule or regulation. Such public notice shall include information concerning where the rule or regulation can be reviewed and where comments may be directed.

(Added Coun. J. 3-27-02, p. 82127, § 1)

11-20-065 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 3-27-02, p. 82127, § 1, repealed § 11-20-065, which pertained to termination of service – notice required – violation – penalty.

ARTICLE II. INSPECTION OF METERS (11-20-070 et seq.)