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§ 51.26 BULK WATER USAGE.
   HRW allows consumers or commercial establishments to use bulk water from public fire hydrants through the use of portable hydrant meters after an application has been made and deposit has been paid. The actual deposit shall be determined by HRW according to the size of the hydrant meter and is refundable upon the satisfactory return of the meter. Failure to return the meter in a timely fashion will result in the customer being charged for the full prevailing cost of the hydrant meter. A chain of custody form will be used to annotate the serial number of the hydrant meter, the customer name and relevant billing information, and the signature of the customer requesting the meter. A daily, monthly, or yearly rental rate will be billed to the customer according to the desired usage. Any customer requesting to keep the meter for a year will be required to pay that rental rate at the time of meter issuance or the beginning of each new yearly billing period. The water user also agrees to pay for water obtained at the rate of $6 per 1,000 gallons. The applicant shall be responsible for any damage to the hydrant, meter, backflow, connections, and the like, used in the installation, and the cost of any such damage shall be taken from the deposit. After deducting the water bill, appropriate rental rate, and any cost of damage to the installation, HRW shall refund the balance of the deposit to the applicant as soon as the meter is removed and returned to the HRW's stock. While in use, no wrench shall be used on the hydrant except a hydrant wrench furnished by HRW. If scarred by unauthorized methods, the cost of nut and labor to repair shall be charged to the person responsible. Should the water bill, rental rate, and cost of damage exceed the deposit, the user shall pay the amount of such excess to HRW.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020)
§ 51.27 TAMPERING WITH METERS AND STOPCOCKS.
   No person, except an employee of HRW, shall turn the stopcock installed in each meter box nor shall any person construct or have constructed any bypass around any meter except as may be installed and sealed by HRW. The fact that water is cut on to any premises by a person without the prior knowledge of either HRW or the consumer shall not relieve the consumer of liability for such unauthorized use of water. A minimum fee of $100 shall be imposed upon the consumer where such tampering or unauthorized use of water has occurred.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 51.28 NO GUARANTEE OF QUALITY, QUANTITY, OR PRESSURE OF WATER SUPPLY.
   Neither the district nor HRW guarantees the quality, quantity, or pressure of its water supply. It is hereby made a portion of the terms on which HRW and the district furnish water to consumers that HRW and the district shall in no case be liable to any consumer for any defect on quality or any deficiency in quantity or pressure; that HRW and the district shall not be liable to any consumer for damages resulting from turning on or the complete or partial cutting off of water; and no deduction shall be made from any water bill by reason of any such defect or deficiency. No HRW employee shall take responsibility for telling a property owner or occupant how best to care for his boiler, heater, or other equipment which is affected by the discontinuance, either temporary or permanent, of his water supply. The owner or occupant shall be entirely responsible for his equipment and shall hold HRW and the district in no way responsible for damage thereof.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020)
§ 51.29 PROTECTION OF WATER SUPPLY.
   No person shall contaminate any portion of HRW or of the districts' water supply whether the same is in a reservoir, or tank, or pipe.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 51.30 PROCEDURES.
   (A)   Service will be supplied only to those who apply.
   (B)   Users will make application for service, in person or online, at HRW, and at the same time make the deposit guarantee required below. A $15 account set-up fee and/or transfer fee of the same amount is due upon initial account set up or subsequent transfer of a consumer's water service to another address.
   (C)   The amount of deposit shall be determined by entering all responsible consumer information into an online utility database. If the consumer or consumers have a history of outstanding debt to other utilities, a copy of the amount of debt and the utility to which it is owed shall be provided to the consumer at the time of application. A credit score is determined by this procedure.
   (D)   Property owners, if approved by the procedure described in division (C) above shall not be required to make a deposit. If the property owner is not approved by the above described procedure, they will be charged a minimum deposit of $50. This deposit will be refunded after one year of no penalties such as delinquent or reconnection fees. All other consumers, if approved by the procedure described above, shall make a minimum cash deposit of $50 per service requested. All other consumers with a delinquent credit history will be charged a minimum deposit of $100 per service requested. Deposits shall not accrue interest. All consumers who qualify as commercial users under the current rate structure shall be exempt from this deposit requirement.
   (E)   All property owners with no established accounts, must provide HRW with a deed or purchase agreement for the property where water and/or sewer service will be provided. All other users must provide HRW with a copy of a rental or lease agreement for the property where water and/or sewer service will be provided. All consumers identified as financially responsible parties on the rental or lease agreement shall be listed as responsible parties on the account as setup by HRW.
   (F)   HRW may reject any application for service not available under a standard rate or which involves excessive service cost, or which may affect the supply of service to other customers or for other good and sufficient reasons.
   (G)   HRW may reject any application for service when the applicant is delinquent in payment of any bills incurred for service or connection fees previously supplied at any location, provided that when the owner of the premises has been served water and has not paid for the same, HRW shall not be required to render service to anyone at said location where the water was used until said water bill has been paid.
   (H)   The person or persons whose name the account is under shall be responsible for payment of all bills incurred in connection with the service furnished.
   (I)   A separate deposit is required for each meter and/or service connection requested.
   (J)   The deposit receipt is not negotiable and can be redeemed only at HRW.
   (K)   The deposit required by this chapter or part remaining thereof will be refunded upon payment of final bill and final accounting except in instances described in division (D) above in which it may be refunded earlier.
   (L)   Final bills are prorated based upon the number of days service is provided.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020)
§ 51.31 INITIAL OR MINIMUM CHARGE.
   (A)   The initial or minimum charge, as provided in the rate schedule, shall be made for each service installed, regardless of location.
   (B)   In resort or seasonal areas where service is furnished to a consumer during certain months only, the minimum charge per service for the period of non-use shall be the regular minimum as set out in the published rates of HRW.
   (C)   Water furnished for a given lot shall be used on that lot only. Each consumer's service must be separately metered at a single delivery and metering point. Each commercial unit and each storeroom or stall used for business purposes shall have a separate meter. All commercial use including storerooms and stalls for business purposes shall be metered separately from any residential use and vice versa, whether now in service or to be installed in the future.
   (D)   Consumers shall be responsible for paying the minimum monthly water bill whether or not water is actually used during a month.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020)
§ 51.32 HRW’S RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY.
   (A)   HRW shall run a service line from its distribution line to the property line where the distribution line runs immediately adjacent and parallel to the property to be served, and for which a tap-on fee, and system development fee(s) then in effect, will be charged. The tap-on fee is subject to deviate from the set rate due to cost of the service installation.
   (B)   HRW may install a meter at the property line or, at HRW's option, on the consumer's property or in a location mutually agreed upon.
   (C)   When two or more meters are to be installed on the same premises for different consumers, they shall be closely grouped and each clearly designated to which consumer it applies.
   (D)   HRW does not assume the responsibility of inspecting the consumer's piping or apparatus and will not be responsible therefor.
   (E)   HRW reserves the right to refuse service unless the consumer's lines or piping are installed in such manner as to prevent cross-connections or backflow.
   (F)   HRW shall not be liable for damage of any kind whatsoever resulting from water or the use of water on the consumer's premises, unless such damage results directly from negligence on the part of HRW. HRW shall not be responsible for any damage done by or resulting from any defect in the piping, fixtures, or appliances on the consumer's premises. HRW shall not be responsible for negligence of third persons or forces beyond the control of HRW resulting in any interruption of service.
   (G)   Under normal conditions, the consumer will be notified of any anticipated interruption of service.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020)
§ 51.33 CONSUMER’S RESPONSIBILITY.
   (A)   Piping on the consumer's premises must be so arranged that the connections are conveniently located with respect to HRW's lines or mains.
   (B)   If the consumer's piping on the consumer's premises is so arranged that HRW is called upon to provide additional meters, each place of metering will be considered as a separate and individual account.
   (C)   Where meter is placed on premises of a consumer, a suitable place shall be provided by consumer for placing such meter, unobstructed and accessible at all times to the meter reader.
   (D)   The consumer shall furnish and maintain the service line on the consumer's side of the meter; HRW to provide a like service on HRW's side of such meter.
   (E)   The consumer's piping and apparatus shall be installed and maintained by the consumer at the consumer's expense in a safe and efficient manner and in accordance with HRW's rules, regulations, specifications, and ordinances and in full compliance with the sanitary regulations of the North Carolina State Board of Health.
   (F)   The consumer shall guarantee proper protection for all property controlled by HRW and placed on the consumer's premises by HRW or any predecessor in interest to HRW and shall permit access to it only by authorized representatives of HRW.
   (G)   In the event that any loss or damage to such property or any accident or injury to persons or property is caused by or results from the negligence or wrongful act of the consumer, his agents, or employees, the cost of the necessary repairs or replacements shall be paid by the consumer to HRW and any liability otherwise resulting shall be assumed by the consumer.
   (H)   The amount of such loss or damage or the cost of repairs shall be added to the consumer's bill; and if not paid, service may be discontinued by HRW.
(Ord. passed 6-30-2015; Ord. passed 7-16-2018; Ord. passed 6-15-2020; Ord. passed 11-16-2020) Penalty, see § 10.99
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