A. Water Restrictions. The Mayor is hereby authorized and empowered during times of emergency in the Town to issue on behalf of the Town, and at the direction of the Town Council, an order restricting the use of water. The order shall be given by proclamation and signed by the Mayor.
B. Spring Protection Zone Concentrated. Sources of pollution, including, but not limited to, septic tanks, drain fields, garbage dumps, pit-privies, corrals, etc., shall not be allowed within the spring protection zones. Spring protection zones include all land within fifteen hundred (1500) feet of a spring collection area. Sewer lines may be permitted within spring protection zones at the discretion of the Town Engineer. Sewer lines shall be greater than three hundred (300) feet from a spring. The provisions of this Ordinance shall be superseded by State or Federal statutes.
C. Maintenance of Water Mains, Meters and Service Connections. The responsibility of maintenance of water mains and the property being serviced by the new water service line is borne by the applicant until the Town accepts, by dedication, the new water line. Service connections therefrom shall be as follows:
1. Once dedicated, all water mains and service connections which are located on public property shall be maintained by the Town, except that the Town will not maintain a service connection at any point between the meter and the facility it serves. Service lines from the meter to the facility shall be kept in good repair and free from leaks by the owner of the property serviced;
2. Water mains and service lines which are located on private property shall be maintained and repaired by the owner and not by the Town, provided, however, that water mains which are on private property, located within a utility easement, and part of the Town water distribution system shall be maintained and repaired by the Town. Water service to or through main lines or service lines on private property may be discontinued if the owner of the lines fails or refuses to repair the lines when reasonably requested by the Town; and
3. The Town shall maintain all water meters including those on private property. The Town shall have the right to enter private property to inspect, repair or replace water meters.
D. Service Line Connections Service. Line connections shall not be made to the Town water distribution system or to main water lines on private property without the authorization of the Water Director. The party making the connection shall be required to obtain a permit and pay the appropriate fees. Expense of trenching, line, meter set and container shall be borne by the applicant. This will include trenching from the new service location or building to the Town main. Inspection shall be by the Water Director who will give final approval of the installation. Water service connections including the main line tap, service line, meter box, yoke, ring and lid, must be installed by a qualified and licensed plumber or a prequalified utility contractor at the expense of the owner. No tapping or connecting to water mains will be allowed in temperatures below forty (40) degrees Fahrenheit.
E. Separate Service Lines Required. Service lines must be arranged to supply each separate unit or premises with a separate meter placed near the street curb. Where water is now supplied through one service to one or more units or premises, the Town may either refuse to furnish water until separate services are provided, or continue to supply water on the condition one person shall be responsible to pay for all water used through the service.
F. Abandoned Service Lines. When a water service line is abandoned in favor of a different service line, the old service line shall be disconnected from the main line and the old service tap shall be plugged at the main line. The cost of all work shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property being serviced by the new water service line. Application for abandonment and new connections must be applied for. All work described in this chapter shall be inspected before backfilling.
G. Moving or Replacement of Water Lines. In the event that the Town Council determines that any component of the water system must be moved or replaced, and as a result of such a move or replacement, a customer’s connection must be moved, the Town shall bear the cost of such a move or replacement which applies to main lines up to the property boundary of the customer and the cost of reconnecting or establishing such new branch or branches from the house of the customer to his property boundary.
H. Unauthorized Users. It shall be unlawful for any water service user to permit any person from other premises or any unauthorized person to use or obtain water service regularly from his premises or water facilities, either outside or inside his premises.
I. Cross Connections and Backflow Prevention. It shall be unlawful for any water user to intentionally or through negligence cause there to be a cross connection of Town culinary water with any other water source. The Town Building Official shall review all new construction plans to ensure that there are no unprotected cross connections.
Furthermore, a Town culinary water source shall not be connected by pipe, hose or submersion, or brought in contact with another water source. Whenever the Town deems that a service connection's water usage contributes a sufficient hazard to the water supply, installation of an approved backflow assembly shall be required. Backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed by the Town as deemed necessary. The Town shall test all backflow assemblies within ten (10) working days after initial installation in order to determine adequacy. All backflow prevention assemblies existing at the time this Ordinance/Code is adopted shall be subject to the periodic inspection and testing required by this Ordinance/Code.
J. Water Meters. When a new service line is installed connecting any unit or premises to an unmetered private line which is supplied water from Fairfield Town, or when a service pipe is connected directly to the water system of the Town, a water meter must be installed. Regulations, procedures for any water line connected to the Town system are as follows:
1. All water meters shall be installed in easily accessible locations selected by the Director of Water or the Town Engineer;
2. Water meters shall be furnished and installed by Fairfield Town;
3. Water meters shall not be installed until new main lines have been pressure tested, disinfected, and approved and service lines, including meter boxes and appurtenances, have been inspected and approved;
4. No meters shall be installed until all applicable fees have been paid including water connection fees and main line extension fees as appropriate;
5. If any meter malfunctions and fails to register, the water shall be charged for the time the meter is out of order at the average daily rate as registered by the meter for the previous meter reading period when the meter was in order;
6. It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with, modify, or deface in any manner a water meter or meter box. Modifications or connections to piping inside the meter box are prohibited or at any point on the service line between the meter and the distribution main Any such connections shall be removed at the expense of the owner of the property being served;
7. Additionally, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to deface, mutilate, tear down or in any way destroy any signs or markers erected by the department; and
8. All damages or injury to the lines, meters or other materials of the Town on or near the customer's premises caused by any act or neglect of the customer shall, at the discretion of the Town, be repaired by and at the expense of the customer, and the customer shall pay all costs and expenses, including a reasonable attorney fee, which may arise or accrue equipment of the culinary water system or collect such costs from the customer.
K. Use of Unmetered Water. Use of un-metered water through any service line, main line, or fire hydrant is prohibited unless authorized by the Town Council. Use of a "jumper" in place of a meter to convey water through a service line is prohibited.
L. Water line installation. All water lines shall be installed and completed before a building permit is issued.
M. Use of Metered Water. All use of water shall be metered unless otherwise authorized by the Town Council. Those wishing to use the water shall have a Fairfield Culinary water connection or a valid water permit issued by the Fairfield Town Water Department.
1. Culinary Water Connection.
a. Water usage shall be confined to properties within the Fairfield Town Boundaries;
b. Primary use is for culinary water for residential or commercial buildings;
c. One water connection is required per residential or commercial building.
2. Water Permit.
a. Water usage shall be confined to properties within the Fairfield Town Boundaries. (See exceptions below.)
b. A water permit may be issued by the water department for the following uses:
i. Construction; Building Permit Required.
ii. Dust Control; Permit Required.
iii. Livestock watering.
c. Use shall be a short-term or one-time use.
d. Exceptions. Livestock Watering.
i. The watering of livestock may be permitted both within Fairfield Town boundaries and surrounding areas.
ii. Water may or may not be metered for the watering of livestock.
iii. Use may be short-term.
e. Restrictions.
i. Watering of fields or land is not allowed.
Rev. ord. 04112023-2, passed 4-11-2023.