A. Application: Any customer seeking temporary service from a fire hydrant either to fill a water truck, or emergency service to a business or residence for nonpotable uses only, must file an application with the city for approval before service from a fire hydrant will be authorized. Service from a fire hydrant may be temporarily discontinued in the event the fire department is required to access the fire hydrant in order to test the hydrant or utilize the hydrant for fire suppression purposes.
B. Duration Of Service: Temporary service from a fire hydrant shall be disconnected and terminated before freezing conditions prevail, unless the city grants an extension of time in writing upon good cause shown for the need for an extension of time.
C. Fees And Charges: Service supplied through a fire hydrant will be charged in accordance with the rate set by the city council by resolution. The user of the fire hydrant meter shall pay a refundable deposit with the city, the amount to be set by resolution of the city council.
D. Installation And Operation: All facilities for temporary service from a fire hydrant to a customer connection shall be made or inspected by the city and shall be operated in accordance with instructions from the city, including, but not limited to, a requirement that the customer use an approved backflow prevention device on the fire hydrant to prevent contamination of the city water supply and use a water meter to measure the gallons of water used for billing purposes.
E. Responsibility For Meters:
1. The customer shall use all possible care to prevent damage to the city's meter or to any other facilities loaned to the customer by the city involved in furnishing temporary service from the fire hydrant from the time the equipment or facilities are installed until they are removed.
2. The customer utilizing the fire hydrant for temporary service shall provide the city a minimum of forty eight (48) hours' advanced written notice of the customer's completion of work requiring temporary service from a fire hydrant.
3. The customer shall be solely responsible for all damages to the fire hydrant, meter or other facilities resulting from their use of such equipment, or the negligence and/or carelessness of the customer, invitees, guests or agents.
F. Use Of Fire Hydrant:
1. A customer may make application to utilize water from a fire hydrant by filing an application with the city and obtaining a permit issued by the city. If approved, the customer is responsible to provide a hydrant wrench and a clean water hose. If available, the customer may lease from the city the equipment necessary to utilize the fire hydrant (hydrant wrench and hose) at the rate set by the city council by resolution.
2. In all cases, the customer must rent from the city or utilize a city approved backflow prevention device (with proof of current backflow prevention certification) to prevent contamination of the city water system through the use of the fire hydrant.
3. Any person who wilfully and unlawfully tampers with or uses water from a fire hydrant without proper authority issued by the city is guilty of a misdemeanor.
G. Billing And Enforcement:
1. The applicant shall be provided a water use reporting form, which shall be used to report all water used from hydrants by any and all contractors. All fire hydrants used by a contractor must be approved in advance of use by the city engineer's office or the designated representative.
2. The water use reporting form shall be submitted to the city the last week of the month of water usage and must include the following:
a. Name of contractor/customer,
b. Permit number,
c. Beginning and ending meter reading for the preceding month, and
d. Location of each fire hydrant utilized to obtain water, the date each hydrant was utilized, and the number of total gallons used at each hydrant location.
3. City crews shall note the name of each contractor/customer they observe utilizing a hydrant, the date of the observed use and the location of the hydrant used. Should the city's notes when compared to the contractor's/customer's submitted use forms not agree, the refundable deposit paid by the contractor/customer may be retained by the city in lieu of the accurate use report.
4. The monthly use reporting sheet will be used to determine the amount owed to the city for water usage on a monthly basis.
5. The contractor/customer shall be billed monthly for the use of any equipment in addition to the actual water used by the contractor/customer. All bills must be paid no later than the twenty fifth day of the month. Failure of the contractor/customer to pay their bill by the twenty fifth of each month may result in termination of their ability to utilize water from a fire hydrant and an increase in any deposit required of the contractor/customer in the future.
H. Deposit: The applicant shall pay the estimated cost of the service in advance or shall otherwise provide a letter of credit from a current customer to ensure payment for the water utilized by the applicant. (Ord. 674, 5-12-2016)