(A) Meters required.
(1) All premises using the Water Facilities shall pay a meter fee for the county to install a water meter. Existing non-metered customers shall be required to install a water meter upon (a) change of use, or (b) at the time the property is transferred.
(2) All meters placed in service on any premises connected directly or indirectly to the Water Facilities will be provided and owned by the county. The county retains the right to inspect, repair and replace the meters upon reasonable notice to the owner of the premises. If a customer fails or refuses to allow the county reasonable access to premises on which a water meter is located, the county reserves the right to terminate water service to such premises.
(3) The property owner shall bear the entire expense of all repairs on water meters on their premises due to freezing or from any other cause owing to the negligence of the the property owner or his or her tenant. The Director shall make the repairs and the cost thereof shall be billed at time and material to and be paid by the property owner.
(B) Resale of water and unauthorized use. No water supplied by the county Water Facilities shall be resold by any customer, unless expressly provided otherwise by an agreement approved by the approving authority. No customer may supply water to other houses, buildings or properties except for use on the premises and for the purpose specified in such customer's approved application. No person shall make or employ any other person to make any tap or connection to a water service or undertake work upon a water service for alterations, repairs, extensions or attachments without written permit from the county. Resale or unauthorized use of water shall be grounds for discontinuance of water service to the customer, or the premises, or both.
(C) Restrictions on water use. The following mandatory water conservation regulation shall be applicable to all customers of the Public Works Department.
(1) Summer general water use restriction.
(a) The use of water from the county water supply system for landscape irrigation (including shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, ground covers, plants, vines, gardens vegetables and flowers) and all outside water use including washing cars and vehicles and filling pools is prohibited between the hours 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., from May 15 through September 15 of each year. New lawns (less than three months old) and hand held water cans shall be exempted from this provision.
(b) Customers with even-numbered addresses shall be limited to watering lawns and gardens and other landscape uses, washing cars and vehicles, and using water for outside use only on even-numbered days. Occupants with odd-numbered addresses shall be limited to watering lawns and gardens and other landscape uses, washing cars and vehicles, and using water for outside use only on odd-numbered days. Addresses shall be determined based on billing address.
(D) Emergency water shortage.
(1) The Director is authorized, when the circumstances warrant, to issue a declaration of chronic water shortage, in order to ensure the maintenance of an adequate water supply to meet residential, business and firefighting requirements. Upon the declaration of a chronic water shortage, the following authorities or restrictions shall immediately be in force and effect.
(a) Following the initial declaration of a chronic water shortage, the Director is authorized, for all landscape water use, washing of cars and vehicles, and outside water usage, to restrict or limit water usage to specific hours or to totally prohibit such outside water usage.
(b) Public use conservation programs. When a chronic water shortage situation arises, the Director is authorized to order all public users to restrict activities calling for high water consumption. The high water consumption category includes, but is not limited to, the testing and clearing of fire hydrants, the cleaning of water mains, the conduct of fire drills, street washing (except in emergencies), sewer flushing, and the watering of public areas.
(c) Administration. The authority to administer and enforce this chapter shall be with the Director or his or her designees as provided in § 52.99
. Because the county provides public water services in some municipalities, the Director is authorized to delegate in writing enforcement of this chapter within municipal boundaries to officers or employees of that municipality, including court enforcement, if necessary.
(d) Emergency response plan. The Public Works Department shall establish an Emergency Response Plan for implementation during declared emergency water shortages.
(E) Water conservation requirements.
(1) Plumbing fixtures.
(a) The Department will follow the Plumbing Code adopted by the county.
(b) Plumbing fixtures in all new construction, as well as replacement fixtures in existing construction, shall be labeled a WaterSense product, as specified by the USEPA. If no USEPA WaterSense labeled products exist for a type of plumbing fixture, then the fixture shall comply with applicable water conservation provisions of the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890).
(2) Lavatories for public use. Restrooms intended for public use shall be equipped with metering or self-closing lavatory faucets. This shall apply to all new construction as well as to replacement faucets.
(3) Car wash facilities. All new commercial car wash facilities shall be equipped with a water recycling system on both the wash and rinse water units. All existing commercial car wash facilities shall be equipped with such recycling systems when the systems are replaced.
(4) Water softeners. Residential water softeners shall use no more than 75 gallons during the entire regeneration cycle, and must be sized to regenerate no more than three times per week.
(5) Air conditioning. In all new construction and in all new remodeling, only closed-loop air conditioning systems shall be installed when water is used.
(F) Requirements and restrictions related to meters.
(1) Installation. Meters shall be installed in a location that will provide unobstructed access to the water meter by county personnel for maintenance, repair and replacement of the water meter and connections to the plumbing system. It is the sole responsibility of the owner of the property to care for the water meter equipment, protect the meter from weather related damage and from abuse or neglectful damage from occupants, pets, remodeling and other activities.
(2) Reading meters. Lake County shall read or cause to be read every water meter served by county water supply at such times as are necessary so that the bills may be sent out at the proper times. If for any reason any actual meter reading cannot be obtained for a customer during a billing cycle, a bill may be rendered based on an estimate of water usage.
(3) Testing meters. Upon complaint of the consumer and payment of the meter testing fee, such meter shall be removed and tested. If, upon testing, the meter is not found to be within AWWA standards for water meter accuracy, it shall be repaired or replaced and the fee returned to the consumer. If the meter is found to be within AWWA standards for water meter accuracy the fee shall be retained by the county and the meter reinstalled.
(G) Unauthorized interference or use with Water Facilities.
(1) No person shall in any manner obstruct the access to any stopcock, hydrant or valve, or any public faucet or opening for taking water in any street, alley, public ground or place connected with or part of the Water Facilities, nor pile or place any lumber, brick or building material or other article, thing or hindrance within 12 feet of such Water Facilities, or so as to in any manner hinder, delay or obstruct the members of the Fire Department in reaching such facilities.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person in any manner to interfere with or obstruct the flow, retention, storage or authorized use of water in the water system, reservoir or plant, or any part thereof, or to injure, deface, remove or displace any water main, hydrant, service pipe, water meter, shutoff box, public fountain, valve, building or any part of the county's waterworks or supply system.
(3) Unless approved in writing by the Director, no person except authorized members of the county or authorized members of local fire protection districts shall connect to any hydrant or other water source owned by the county.
(Ord. 19-1394, passed 9-10-2019) Penalty, see § 52.99