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§ 51.11 DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE.
   (A)   Service may be discontinued for any of the following reasons:
      (1)   For misrepresentation in application as to property or fixtures to be supplied or the use to be made of the water supply;
      (2)   For the use of water for any other property or purpose other than that described in the application, or for failure to make application for service;
      (3)   For neglecting or refusing entry of an employee of the city, after proper notice, to any building or premises by an occupant, owner or tenant, where the purpose of such entry is for inspection, installation, repair or replacement of a meter, lines or other water system equipment;
      (4)   For willful waste of water through improper or imperfect pipes, fixtures, meters or otherwise;
      (5)   For failure to protect and maintain in good order the meter connections, lines or fixtures;
      (6)   For nonpayment of any bill for more than 15 days after the same is rendered;
      (7)   For molesting any service pipe, meter curb stop-cock, seal or any other appliance of the city controlling or regulating the water supply;
      (8)   In case of vacancy of premises;
      (9)   For connection of a private water system to the city water system; or
      (10)   For violation of any rule or regulation herein contained.
   (B)   The city may order the water shut off from any premises connected with the city mains for repairs, extensions or other necessary purposes.
   (C)   All water rates and charges for water service to premises shall accrue and be charged against such applicant until such time as written notice, given by such applicant or by his or her duly authorized agent, to discontinue the service is filed with the city.
   (D)   It shall be the duty of the owners or agents to which water is furnished by the city to cooperate with the city by promptly giving notice when such property becomes vacant. If such notice is not given, the owners or agents of the property shall be liable for all water charges against such property until such notice is given or a new application is filed.
   (E)   The city reserves the right to shut off the water in its mains at any time without notice for making repairs, extensions or alterations, but will so far as practicable, notify consumers of the intention to shut off. It is expressly stipulated by the city that no claim shall be made against it by reason of the breaking of any pipe or for any other interruption of the supply of water. No person shall be entitled to any damages or to have any option of payment refunded for any stoppage for purpose of additions or repairs, which, in the opinion of the city, may be deemed necessary, or for causes beyond its control.
   (F)   In case of scarcity of water, whenever in its judgment the public welfare may require it, the city shall have the right to reserve a sufficient supply of water at all times in its reservoirs to provide for fire and other emergencies or may restrict or regulate the quantity of water used by consumers.
   (G)   (1)   A turn-on charge shall be paid where water has been turned off for any violation of the terms of the application or rules of the city or for any other reason stated under this section. The fee for such turn-on charge shall be fixed by resolution of City Council. In such cases, the water shall not be turned on until all water bills, repair bills and other accounts due to the city shall have been paid, including the turn-on charge.
      (2)   Turn-on fee: flat fee: $50.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973; Ord. 1256, passed 5-5-1980 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
§ 51.12 CONSTRUCTION BY CITY FORCES.
   City construction and installation charges for building connections or for any other construction which is at the expense of the owner, except main extensions, shall be computed on the basis of the actual hours expended times the hourly rate of the employees involved, including city paid fringes, together with the cost of material. The cost of material shall include a 15% surcharge for waste and handling.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
§ 51.13 PAYMENT FOR SERVICE.
   (A)   Bills for all charges are made in accordance with this chapter and are due and payable on the fifteenth day of each month for water consumed, work done, or services rendered during the preceding bill cycle. If the bill for water furnished is not paid by the fifteenth day of the month a penalty of 10% will be added, with a minimum penalty of $.10 for any one bill. If the fifteenth day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, bills may be paid without penalty on the next business day.
   (B)   Bills for service to the federal government, state or local governments, or their departments and institutions shall be payable without penalty within 30 days of the date rendered.
   (C)   If any bill is not paid prior to the date of adding penalty, service may be discontinued after five days’ written notice.
   (D)   (1)   The city may, at its option, in cases deemed hardships, enter into an agreement of time payments, for a period not to exceed one year, for installation or repair charges on the following:
         (a)   New service or renewal of service for owner of single-family or owner-occupied multi-family dwellings; or
         (b)   Damage to city owned property.
      (2)   All such time payments shall bear interest in the amount of 6%, not compounded, on the unpaid balance, until paid.
   (E)   All meters shall be read at least quarterly, and bills shall be rendered as stated above. If the meter reader is unable to procure a monthly reading of the meter, because ingress to the meter is obstructed in any manner, or entrance to the premises is made precarious by a vicious dog, or for any other reason, an estimate shall be made of the amount of water consumed, and the billing shall be based on the estimate.
   (F)   In addition to the foregoing remedy and such other remedies as are provided by law for the collection of delinquent water rents, it shall be lawful for the proper officers of the city to file a lien or liens against the property for any and all delinquent accounts, in the same manner provided by law in the case of unpaid city taxes on real estate and to proceed to collect the same.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973; Ord. 1565, passed 12-19-2016; Ord. 1587, passed 12-17-2018; Ord. 1599 , 12-2-2019; Ord. 1606, passed 12-7-2020; Ord. 1613, passed 12-20-2021; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022; Ord. 1627, passed 12-19-2022; Ord. 1647, passed 12-18-2023)
§ 51.14 MAIN EXTENSIONS.
   (A)   The city may refuse the extension of any main because of insufficient water supply, lack of anticipated revenue sufficient to justify city expenditures or for any other reason deemed fit by the city.
   (B)   The cost of the extension of any main shall be borne by the political subdivision in which it is located or by such person as may agree to pay for the extension, except for such credits as hereinafter specified.
   (C)   City specifications shall be followed in all construction of water mains. Such specifications shall be approved by City Council and be kept on file in the office of the City Engineer.
   (D)   All permits required by the state or federal government, or their agencies, for extensions of mains shall be secured by the political subdivision in which the main extension is to be constructed, or shall be secured by such person as the political subdivision may delegate.
   (E)   Adequate plans and dimensions shall be submitted to the City Council to secure approval for main extensions. Such plans shall be submitted by the political subdivision in which the extension is to be made. All bidding documents required for contracting such work done, including all drawings, specifications, bid forms, advertisements, and permits shall be provided by said political subdivision. The city may require that such plans submitted for major extensions shall be certified to by a professional engineer licensed in Pennsylvania.
   (F)   The minimum size of all main extensions shall be as the city deems necessary, and shall be in accordance with accepted good engineering practice. Any political subdivision desiring to install smaller mains shall provide proof of adequacy for all potential needs. The size of the existing mains from which extensions are proposed shall not be a limiting factor in sizing of main extensions. The city reserves the right to regulate the use of cross-connections from another source of its mains.
   (G)   All main extensions not constructed by city forces shall be inspected and tested by the city, and the actual cost of said inspection and testing shall be billed by the city and considered in all respects as a part of the cost of extending the main or mains. No trench shall be closed on any new main installation until said installation is approved by the city. The city may, with City Council approval, allow such inspection and testing to be done by a professional engineer registered in the State of Pennsylvania, providing such approval is given before the project is underway, and providing that all costs are borne by the political subdivision in which the extension occurs, or by such other person as may agree to pay such costs.
   (H)   Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the city from electing to install all or any part of any main extension with city forces, or to negotiate with any political subdivision, person or firm as to a charge for such work, whether said extensions are in public right-of-way or within private property.
   (I)   Main extensions shall be permitted in proposed subdivisions only if such subdivision meets all county and/or local subdivision regulations, as may apply, and only if the political subdivision in which the development is located has agreed to accept and maintain the streets and roads therein.
   (J)   All main extensions into private developments shall be at the expense of the developer, except for such credits as hereinafter specified.
   (K)   Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting any political subdivision from entering into agreements with developers for the purpose of sharing in the cost of the extensions of water mains.
   (L)   Upon completion of any main extension, including testing, chlorination and final approval by the City Engineer, the main extension shall be accepted by the city as part of its water distribution system and shall become the property of, and be maintained by, the city.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
§ 51.15 CREDITS FOR MAIN EXTENSIONS; EXISTING STREETS AND ROADS.
   (A)   A credit equal to the cost of furnishing and installing 35 feet of the main extension for each bonafide customer may be credited against the total cost of the main extension by the city. In cases where the main extension is not to be made with city forces, the city may elect to pay said credit or to install such portion of the main, with its own forces, as will equal the credit based on 35 feet per bonafide customer.
   (B)   In determining the length of and necessity for any extension to a bona fide customer, the terminal point of such extension shall, in all cases, be to or beyond that point which lies in the road or street and which is located in such fashion that the service and building connections can be installed at right angles to the main to serve the proposed meter location on the last lot for which service is requested. However, in the extension of any system of distribution mains to a real estate development, the length of mains shall include any necessary additional mains required for the rendition of adequate service within the development.
   (C)   A BONAFIDE CUSTOMER within the meaning of this chapter shall mean a prospective customer who has signed an application for water service and agreed, in writing, to have water furnished by the city for a period of one year or more.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
§ 51.16 CREDITS FOR MAIN EXTENSIONS, NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
   (A)   (1)   A credit equal to the cost of furnishing and installing 35 feet of main for each customer who actually connects to such main extension during a period of five years may be paid by the city toward reimbursing the cost of construction of mains in new streets or roads in private developments, if such streets or roads are accepted and maintained by the political subdivision in which they are located and meet all applicable subdivision and zoning regulations.
      (2)   No reimbursement shall be made except through a written contract with the city, on city forms and which is executed prior to construction of the mains.
      (3)   The period of five years during which such reimbursement can be made shall commence on the date of acceptance of said mains by the city.
   (B)   The payments of the credits for the customer who connect shall be made by the city to the developer within 30 days after the first monthly water bill is paid for said service by the customer.
   (C)   The total credits paid the developer shall in no case exceed the total cost of the main. Capped service lines from the main to a point two feet inside the curb line may be included in said total cost of main, if installed with curb cock. No tapping fee will be required in such installations.
   (D)   The city may require documentation from the developer as to total costs when the mains are not installed by the city.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
§ 51.17 COMPUTATION OF CREDITS.
   (A)   In computing the credit for 35 feet of main or main extension, the city shall use the latest costs available from its own records or those of the water supply company, where applicable, for main construction of a similar size and nature installed by city or water supply company personnel. Allowances shall be made for unusual circumstances such as stream crossings or boring. The computation shall include all direct material and labor costs together with 15% of such costs for wage fringes, handling, waste and other overhead.
   (B)   The above computation shall be used to establish the value of credits for all mains or main extensions installed by other than city forces. Said value shall not be changed after start of construction.
   (C)   The credit to be used for mains installed by city forces shall be the actual costs of construction determined as in division (A) above, including the 15% overhead.
(Ord. 1179, passed 2-5-1973 ; Ord. 1626, passed 12-19-2022)
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