Unless otherwise specified, it shall be assumed these guidelines apply to three-quarter inch or smaller connections. Any connections over three-quarter inch will require negotiations with the Council.
(A) Where a building consisting of several units which are not individually metered is serviced by the town, the property owner is to be billed directly for said building on a per unit basis plus overage, and it shall be the responsibility of the property owner to collect from his or her tenants.
(B) If a property changes ownership at a time when there is a delinquent account against the original owner, the proper legal procedures are to be taken to collect the amount due.
(C) A service deposit shall be required for all new accounts. The service deposit shall be in an amount equal to the normal charges for three months of service for the same or similar service, as determined by the Town Manager, or in his or her absence, the Town Clerk. The service deposit, less any delinquent water/sewer bills, unpaid water/sewer bills, and late penalties, shall be refunded to the depositor when the account is closed. After 24 months of continuous service, without same having been disconnected for delinquent payment, the service deposit shall be credited to the depositor’s account and applied to said depositor’s monthly water/sewer bills until same is depleted. In the discretion of the Town Manager, or in his or her absence, the Town Clerk, if no service deposit exists for a particular account and said account becomes delinquent, a service deposit, in the amount provided above, may be required for said account.
(D) Reconnection fees shall be imposed as provided in § 51.10.
(E) If a party moves in after the billing period begins (midmonth), it is to be billed on a pro-rated basis (per day) for the length of time involved unless the meter reading for the period indicates they have used over the minimum allowed for one month; it will then be billed for the full minimum charge plus the overage.
(F) If the service is available to a unit serviced by the town system, the customer will be required to pay the monthly fee. The only exception to this rule will be a case of illness lasting 30 days or more in which case the customer would be in a hospital, rest home, nursing home or other such facility and the unit to which the service is provided would be unoccupied for the entire period. In such case, the meter bill will still be read at the regular time and the customer will be billed if the meter shows any usage.
(G) Bill are to be adjusted by the Maintenance Supervisor (Public Works Director) only in the following instances:
(1) Mistake in meter reading;
(2) Mistake in office;
(3) Meter determined to be faulty; and
(4) Excessive usage determined to be town’s responsibility.
(H) Whenever possible, the meter is to be cut off and removed when property becomes vacant to prevent property from being occupied without the town’s knowledge.
(I) On metered units, it shall be the property owner’s responsibility to inform tenants of the necessary procedures:
(1) To notify the town of name and address;
(2) To pay service deposit; and
(3) To notify town date property becomes occupied or vacant.
(J) When two consecutive requests are received for a meter to be checked and said checks show no mistake or malfunction, the party shall be charged an amount set by Council from time to time for the third consecutive check requested (when, again, no malfunction is shown) and advised in writing of the findings of the Water Department.
(K) All new connections have to be properly plumbed providing for individual connections (and metering) for each unit before the application for service will be accepted by the town.
(L) A permanent connection will not be made until the final grading is done.
(M) All connections are to be made at the property line (not to extend beyond) and meters are to be set at the said line.
(N) The town has the right to refuse service if it determines that if is not economically feasible or if service connection is requested on a line where, in the opinion of the Department, a maximum customer load is already established and any additional connection would jeopardize service to present customers.
(O) Any one industrial customer within the town may not consume in excess of 50,000 gallons of water within one operating period of 24 hours, or a maximum of 250,000 gallons per week without Council approval. If a company exceeds the stated maximum amount within the 24-hour operating period, a disconnection notice will be delivered to the violator five hours prior to disconnection.
(P) Written application for service is required before a connection will be made, and on the form prescribed by the town.
(Q) Prescribed connection fees must be paid before connection will be made.
(R) Physical disconnection, by actual removal of any connecting lines, must be made from any and all other systems.
(S) The Department will make all connections to its main and will specify the location and size of all materials entering into service connection.
(T) The service connection, and all materials used thereof, including special connections for fire service or for service of a temporary nature, shall remain the property of the Department and be under its sole control and jurisdiction.
(U) No fixture shall be attached to, or any branch made in, the service pipe between the meter and the main street.
(V) Any repairs, maintenance, replacement or relocation necessary on the customer’s premises shall be performed by the customer at his or her expense and risk.
(W) Service may be discontinued by the Water Department after five days’ notice of for any of the following reasons:
(1) For willful or indifferent waste of water due to any cause;
(2) For failure to protect and maintain the service pipe or fixtures on the property of the customer in a condition satisfactory to the Department;
(3) For molesting or tampering by the customer, or others with the knowledge of the customer, with any meters, connection, service pipe, curb cock, seal or any other appliance of the Department controlling or regulating the customer’s water supply;
(4) For nonpayment of any account for water supplied, for water service, or for any fee or charge accruing under these rules and regulations and the effective schedules of rates; or
(5) For violations of any rule or regulation of the department.
(1996 Code, § 172-14) (Ord passed 6-24-2004)