(a) A monthly charge shall be made for each fire service branch serving private premises, based on its size at the main, as provided for by division (b) below.
(b) The minimum charges within City limits for general consumers shall be as follows.
Service Size | Monthly Charge |
5/8 inch | $ 1.75 |
3/4 inch | 2.00 |
1 inch | 2.50 |
1½ inch | 3.25 |
2 inch | 5.00 |
3 inch | 6.00 |
4 inch | 8.00 |
6 inch | 16.00 |
8 inch | 22.00 |
10 inch | 25.00 |
12 inch | 25.00 |
(c) A fire service branch from the main shall not be used for other than firefighting purposes, except when a dual service has been approved by the Director of Public Works.
(d) Where a fire service branch has outlets such as fire hydrants or hose outlets, and was installed prior to the regulations requiring detector check meters, the Director of Public Works shall seal each outlet. The seal shall not be broken except when necessary for firefighting.
(e) It shall be the responsibility of the owners of the property served, or their agents, to obtain permission from the Director of Public Works in advance of using water from a fire protection service for any purpose, including fire drills and pressure testing of a fire protection system. The Director of Public Works, upon granting permission to use water from a fire protection service, shall arrange to have an inspector visit the premises for the purpose of resealing outlets, reading the detector check meter, and estimating the amount of water used, to be billed by the Department. In no case shall the charge be less than $10.00.
(f) The Director may order a fire service branch metered and converted to a domestic account to be billed at the monthly rates for general consumers provided for by division (b) above for any of the following reasons.
(1) Use of water for other than firefighting purposes. Flushing of debris, clean up or flushing of spillage, watering of dumps and other dry areas, shall not be considered as firefighting purposes.
(2) Failure to repair a leak or leaks on the fire service branch or fire protection system.
(3) Use of water to control or extinguish self-made fires.
(4) Unauthorized breaking of a seal or seals on outlets of a fire protection system.
(5) Registration on a detector check meter indicating unauthorized use of water. (1993 Code 53.36)