The following rules and regulations for the government of water takers and licensed plumbers are hereby adopted and established:
A. Work On Streets: All work on the streets, avenues and public grounds, and any such work contemplated by this chapter, must be done under the supervision of the director of public works, subject to his direction and approval.
B. Corporation Stops; Record Of Taps: Corporation stops inserted in the distributing pipes and the service pipes laid shall be of the size specified in the permit and order. The director of public works shall keep a complete record showing the exact size, location and number of all taps inserted; the tapper being hereby required to make immediate return to the director of public works of such details.
C. Permit To Connect Service Pipes; Fees: Application for permits to connect service pipes with any supply pipe must be made to the director of community development and the sums to be paid for the insertion of service stops or valves shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the city council. Only persons authorized by the Director of Public Works, or their designee, may tap the street main or corporation stops in the main. Only the City may install taps two or fewer inches in nominal diameter. Taps less than one inch in nominal diameter are prohibited unless approved by the Director of Public Works. All taps greater than two inches in nominal diameter shall be made by the licensed plumbing contractor hired by the permittee. Any connection made by a party other than the City must be made by a licensed plumber and only after a permit has been paid for and issued as hereinabove set forth.
For connections and taps performed by the City, a permittee must pay a tapping charge of $300 for labor. The City will furnish the corporation stop.
Permittees must provide at least 48 hours’ notice to the Public Works Department of the date, place and time that a water tap is desired. The excavation for the tapper must be at least three feet wide and four feet long for taps up to two inches and must be a least four feet wide and six feet long where a cut must be made in the main. The excavation must be properly shored by the excavator in accordance with applicable Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards. The excavation shall be inspected by an authorized City representative prior to tapping.
If the City has to visit the job site more than once due to any reason not fully in the control of the City, including, without limitation, the excavation is not of sufficient size or is not properly dug, the plumber performing the work will be charged a $250 fee, in addition to the regular tapping fee, for each time the City must return to the jobsite.
D. Reserved.
E. Supervision Of System: The director of public works shall superintend and direct all work connected with the water system and from time to time report to the mayor and city council as to the manner in which the plumbers perform their work and the condition in which he finds the streets repaired.
F. Hydrants Left Running: Hydrants, tap hoses, water closets, urinals, baths and other fixtures shall not be permitted to be kept running when not in actual use.
G. Private Hydrant Beyond Limits Of Lot Prohibited: No private hydrant shall be located on the sidewalk or elsewhere beyond the limits of the lot of the party to whom the permit is issued. No private hydrant in a lot shall be allowed to be used as a public hydrant unless by a special permit from the mayor and city council.
H. City Public Water System Connection Required: When any premises or tenement is or will be utilized for human occupancy or habitation, and when the city public water system is within two hundred fifty feet (250') of any portion of the property where such premises or tenement is or will be located, then the premises or tenement shall be connected to, and all potable water for the premises or tenement shall be supplied directly from, the city public water system. All property owners must disconnect their property from any private water source or any water system other than the city public water system and connect to the city public water system not later than one year after receiving notice from the city.
I. Service Pipe; Kind And Manner Of Laying: Service pipe intended to supply two or more distinct premises or tenements, must be provided with a separate and distinct curb stop and box for each tenement, on the outside of the lot of which such tenement is located. Each service pipe shall have its own independent tap, and have within the limit of the curb, at the edge of the sidewalk, a curb stop with a shutoff box not less than four feet long. Every curb stop and shutoff box shall be subject to the inspection and acceptance of the director of public works. The taps shall be such as are in use by the department of public works. The sidewalk curb stop shall be the same size as corporation stop and the top of the stopbox shall be visible and even with the sidewalk, and placed at the outer edge of the sidewalk line. The service pipe shall extend to the lot line beyond the curb stop. The line of the service pipe shall be at right angles with the main, and the sidewalk curb stop shall be located directly opposite the tap in the main. The shutoff box shall be set plumb and in a substantial manner. The service pipe shall be laid not less than five feet below the established grade of the street in which it is laid, without regard to the depth of the street main. Service pipes shall have sufficient length to prevent fracture by settlement of earth, and the backfilling over the pipe must be satisfactorily rammed or puddled to the satisfaction of the water division foreman. After the corporation stop is inserted, the earth must be carefully rammed with a suitable rammer under the distributing pipes, to a level with the top thereof, before the connection is made. All such excavated areas shall be suitably barricaded and backfilled.
J. Occupants Not To Supply Water To Others: No owner or occupant of any building, premises or enclosure, to which city water is supplied, shall be allowed to supply water to other persons or structures. If so supplied, the water shall be cut off without notice and all associated expenses shall be paid for by the owners before service is restored.
K. Access To Premises: The director of public works or his authorized agents shall have full and free access, at all hours of the day between 7:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M., to all parts of every building, premises or enclosure, into which water shall be delivered or consumed. Upon a seven day notice posted on the door, the director of public works or his authorized agents shall examine, inspect, obtain water samples and test the fixtures, service lines, water meters or water mains to ascertain whether there is any unnecessary waste of water or inaccurate registering of water usage. The director of public works shall notify the owner of any unnecessary water loss by mail, and request that such leak or problem be repaired within 10 days by a bonded, licensed plumber. Failure to comply shall be cause to have the water supply shut off until proper inspection and repairs are made.
L. Buffalo Box; Shutoff Valve Maintenance; Repair: The city shall be responsible for maintenance, repair and replacement of the water shutoff valve for each property, regardless of where that valve/buffalo box is located. In the event that more than one shutoff valve exists, the valve closest to the city water main shall be maintained by the city. Any secondary valves in that case are the property owner’s responsibility. The corporation stop or tapping valve shall not be considered the shutoff valve for a property.
M. Water Service Line Maintenance: Except as specified in subsection T, the property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of the water service line from the buffalo box or shutoff valve, including the connection thereto, up to the structure serviced by that water line. The city shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of the water service line from the buffalo box or shutoff valve to the point of connection to the city water main.
N. Large Private Pipes For Private Purposes: Proprietors of lumberyards, factories, halls, stores, hotels, or public buildings, that are regular consumers of city water, that wish to lay large pipes with hydrant and hose couplings for fire extinguishing purposes, shall make application to the director of community development for a permit to connect with the city street main at their own expense, for such purposes. Under the direction of the director of public works, such applicants shall be allowed use of water for fire purposes only, free of charge.
O. Turning Water On; Order Required: Water shall not be turned into any house or place of business or private service pipe except upon the order of the director of public works, nor shall water be turned into any house or place of business or private service pipe until the water user has paid his water rents for the current term.
Plumbers shall be allowed to turn water on into any house, place of business, or private service pipe, and leave the water turned on for up to forty eight (48) hours, in order to test their work. At the end of such testing time, they shall turn off the water. For all other purposes, plumbers are strictly prohibited from turning the water into any service pipe except upon the order or permission of the director of public works. Any damage to the B-box or water service shall be the contractor’s responsibility to repair at his cost.
P. Hydrants Within Street Prohibited: No hydrant shall be placed within the limit of any street that is not authorized for installation at such location by the director of public works; no drinking fountain shall be erected for public use which has openings by which it can be used as a source of domestic water supply.
Q. Depth Of Pipes: Pipes shall be laid at not less than five feet below the ground surface and shall remain uncovered until inspected by the director of public works, the city engineer or their designee.
R. Penalty For Violating Rules And Regulations: For a violation of any of the above rules and regulations, or such other rules as the mayor and city council may hereafter adopt, the mayor and city council reserve the right to stop water service without any preliminary notice and not restore water service until all back water rents, costs and damages are paid, together with $50.00 for the expense of turning off water and turning it on again, and upon a satisfactory understanding with the party that no further cause of complaint shall arise. The mayor and city council hereby reserve the full right, power and authority to cut off the supply of water at any time without incurring any liability or cause of action or damages of any kind, any permit granted or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.
S. Verification Of City Water Service: The director of public works or his authorized agents shall have the right to sample the water at any property within the city in order to verify the source of that water. If necessary the director of public works shall have the right to enter a property to obtain a suitable sample.
T. Lead And Galvanized Water Service Lines - Replacement Program: In accordance with the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. 20 ILCS 605/1 et seq., and in accordance with the City's proposed lead service tine replacement plan (to be submitted to the State by April 15, 2027, or by such other deadline as required by the State), the City will pay for and replace the portion of lead water service lines (and galvanized water service lines if previously connected to a lead service line) located on private property, which portion typically includes the portion of the service line extending from the b-box to the first shut-off valve inside the structure or eighteen inches (18") inside the structure. whichever is shorter.
1. Replacement Materials: The lead service line (or galvanized water service lines if it was previously connected to a lead service line) will be replaced with a pipe with minimum of one inch (1") in diameter. If the property owner or water customer for the property wants to increase the size of the replacement water service line, the property owner or water customer will be responsible for paying the difference in costs (including, without limitation, labor and material costs) prior to the installation of the replacement pipe.
2. Scope Of Work: The City will not be responsible for completing or for paying any costs associated with any restoration of drywall; painting; remodeling; moving of plumbing fixtures; carpet; flooring; decorative exterior plantings. including. without limitation. bushes. trees. plants; hardscape, including, without limitation, retaining walls, and pavers; temporary water facilities; private electrical, including, without limitation, post lights and landscape lighting; or any other improvements on the property. The City reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, which costs are eligible for payment by the City under the program.
3. Hold Harmless: In order to be eligible to participate in the lead service line replacement program and receive a replacement service line at no cost to the property owner or water customer, the property owner or water customer must sign a hold-harmless agreement with the City, in the form provided by the City, prior to the commencement of the service line replacement work.
4. Program Not Retroactive: Water service line replacements completed before adoption of the ordinance to add this Subsection T are not eligible for the program and will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred to replace their service lines. (Ord. M-38-89, 9-5-1989; Ord. M-21-91, 6-17-1991; Ord. M-59-93, 12-6-1993; Ord. M-41-97, 7-7-1997; 2002 Code; Ord. M-14-14, 5-19-2014; Ord. M-5-24, 4-1-2024; Ord. M-11-24, 7-15-2024)