(a) Periodically, the City is replacing water mains throughout the City and during this replacement process, it has been discovered that some private service water lines (private line) also need to be replaced. In each such case, the City Engineer will determine if the private line needs to be replaced and the time frame for replacement. The property owner/occupant of the premises will be notified of this determination.
(b) Within forty-eight hours of notification, the property owner may elect to have the City's contractor replace the private line from the curb stop to the meter, at the property owner's expense, at the cost negotiated by the City with the City's contractor.
(c) In the event that the property owner elects to have the City's contractor replace the private line, the property owner shall enter into an agreement with the City acknowledging that the property owner agrees to pay the costs for said installation and that if the property owner does not pay the City within thirty days of receipt of an itemized statement for such services, then 110 percent of the actual costs paid by the City for such services shall be placed as a lien/assessment against said property to be paid with real property estate taxes, over ten years. The amount certified to the County Auditor shall be the actual costs paid by the City, plus any charges by the County Auditor to process said lien/assessment.
(d) Within fifteen days of receipt of the bill for replacement costs of the private line, the property owner may file an appeal through Public Utilities Department due to undue hardship. Said appeal shall be heard under the procedure for utility appeals. If the hearing office finds undue hardship, the costs may be abated not more than twenty percent. If said reduced amount is not paid within thirty days, the same shall be certified to the County Auditor as herein provided.
(Ord. 2020-133. Passed 9-21-20.)