(a) If, in the judgment of the Utilities Commission, an approved backflow prevention device is necessary for the public water system, the Commission shall give notice to the water consumer to install such an approved device immediately. The water consumer shall at his own expense, install such an approved device at a location and in a manner approved by the commission and shall have inspections and test made of such approved devices as required.
(b) No person, firm or corporation shall establish or permit to be established or maintain or permit to be maintained any connection whereby a private, auxiliary or emergency water supply other than the regular public water supply of the City of Mount Vernon may enter the supply or distributing system of said municipality, unless such private, auxiliary or emergency water supply and the method of connection and use of such supply shall have been approved by the Utilities Commission and by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Commission to cause or conduct surveys and investigations to be made of industrial and other properties served by the public water supply where actual or potential hazards to the public water supply may exist. Such surveys and investigations shall be made a matter of public record and shall be repeated as often as the Commission shall deem necessary.
(d) The Commission shall have the right to enter at any reasonable time any property served by a connection to the public water supply or distribution system of the City of Mount Vernon for the purpose of inspecting the piping system or systems thereof. On demand, the owner, lessees or occupants of any property so served shall furnish to the Commission any information, which may be requested regarding the piping system or systems of water use on such property. The refusal of such information, when demanded, shall within the discretion of the Commission, be deemed evidence of the presence of improper connections as provided in this section.
(e) The City of Mount Vernon is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue, after reasonable notice to the occupant thereof, the water service to any property wherein any connection in violation of the provisions of this section is known to exist, and to take such other precautionary measures as he may deem necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water supply distribution mains. Water service to such property shall not be restored until such conditions shall have been eliminated or corrected in compliance with the provisions of this section. (Ord. 2016-21. Passed 11-28-16; Ord. 2019-38. Passed 12-23-19.)