CHAPTER 53: WATER
Section
General Provisions
   53.01   Fire hydrants; standards
   53.02   Water meters
   53.03   Rates and charges
   53.04   Billings; when due
Cross-reference:
   Disconnection upon noncompliance with sewer regulations, see § 52.88
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 53.01 FIRE HYDRANTS; STANDARDS.
   All subdividers, contractors, developers, private businesses, or public agencies having responsibility for providing fire hydrants within the city limits shall conform to the following specifications:
   (A)   Hydrants shall be Mueller Centurion with a five and one-fourth (5 1/4) inch hydrant valve and six (6) inch mechanical joint boot. The hydrant drain orifice shall be located so that no water remains in the barrel to freeze or corrode. All threads are to be national standard threads with seven (7) threads per inch.
   (B)   Thrust restraints for all hydrants, valves, tees, and plugs shall be provided in accordance with Pages 347-350 of the Fifth Edition of Cast Iron Pipe Research Association Handbook.
   (C)   Valves shall be Mueller catalog number C-500 with mechanical joints. Each valve shall have a precast box.
   (D)   Each fire hydrant shall have two (2) two and one-half (2 1/2) inch outlets and one (1) four and one-half (4 1/2) inch outlet.
   (E)   All hydrants shall be served by at least a minimum six (6) inch water line. In the event a larger water line should be available, the Mueller hydrants of a larger size, as is practical considering the availability of the water line, shall be substituted for the above specifications.
   (F)   Each subdivider, contractor, or other individual installing fire hydrants in the city shall provide the Fire Department, at no cost, one (1) breakaway kit for each two (2) hydrants and also two (2) suitable operating wrenches for the valve on that hydrant.
(Ord. 310.3, passed 3-9-81; Am. Ord. 0-2008-003, passed 1-14-08) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 53.02 WATER METERS.
   (A)   The Public Works Department shall not furnish water to more than one (1) customer or user on the same meter or the same water line connection. A separate meter is required for each residential and/or commercial account, except where there is an apartment complex with more than twenty-five (25) units. The City Manager may permit a master meter in that case. The City Manager may also waive the requirement of one (1) meter per customer and permit a master meter for an existing apartment or residential complex/duplex where the cost to convert the existing apartment or residential complex/duplex for separate meters is not economically feasible. However in both events the special apartment building master meter rates provided in § 53.03(B)(4) below will apply and the owner/operator of the complex will be liable for payment of the total usage and billed amount.
   (B)   In all cases of multiple-family units or apartment houses, the Department of Public Works shall furnish a meter to, or make a connection on the city water line for each customer or user residing in that building or apartment house, but the connection shall be made only at the city water line. However, the Department shall not furnish the pipe or install the line from the city water line to that building or apartment house.
(Ord. 610.1, passed 2-22-51; Am. Ord. 0-2008-003, passed 1-14-08; Am. Ord. 0-2008-011, passed 3-13-08; Am. Ord. 0-2013-020, passed 8-2-13; Am. Ord. 0-2017-32, passed 12-21-17)
§ 53.03 RATES AND CHARGES.
   (A)   Service fees shall be as follows for all accounts:
 
Service
Fees and Charges
Water account deposit
$25.00
Water tap fees
   5/8" x 3/4" standard tap
   1" and above
$400.00 in city
$535 out-of-city rate
Cost plus $200.00
Any large rock removal for all installations
Cost of removal
Tap fee for all places of business or other places using sprinkling systems will be at cost plus cost of materials and labor plus the fee charge
Cost plus $500.00
Service charge for standard read in service for Monday through Friday of operating hours
$20.00
Service charge for standard read in service for after 5:00 p.m., holidays and weekends
$30.00
 
 
Service
Fees and Charges
Service charge for standard re-connects of non-payment, Monday through Friday of operating hours
$30.00
Service charge for standard re-connect of non-payment after 5:00 p.m., holidays and weekends
$40.00
Service charge for meter reading re-checks
$20.00
Service charge for test request
Cost plus $20.00
Service charge for all investigations
$20.00
(Ord. 610.2, passed 10-10-77)
   (B)   Water rates shall be as follows:
      (1)   Effective September 1, 2022, the monthly water service rates and charges for each customer inside the city shall be as follows:
 
Gallons per Month
Monthly Charge
First 2,000
$16.00 (min. mo. bill)
Next 8,000
$0.95 per 100 gallons
Next 10,000
$0.61 per 100 gallons
Next 30,000
$0.61 per 100 gallons
Next 50,000
$0.61 per 100 gallons
Over 100,000
$0.334 per 100 gallons
 
      (2)   From and after September 1, 2022 the monthly water service rates and charges for every account outside the city corporate boundaries, other than the wholesale users named in division (B)(3) below, shall be as set forth in the following schedule:
 
Gallons per Month
Monthly Charge
First 2,000
$31.50 (min. mo. bill)
Next 8,000
$0.882 per 100 gallons
Next 10,000
$0.756 per 100 gallons
Next 30,000
$0.756 per 100 gallons
Next 50,000
$0.700 per 100 gallons
Over 100,000
$0.490 per 100 gallons
 
(Ord. 610.3, passed 5-22-78; Am. Ord. 19, passed 10-21-85; Am. Ord. 0-91-005, passed 3-25-91; Am. Ord. 0-99-013, passed 11-22-99; Am Ord. 0-00-009, passed 5-22-00)
      (3)   From and after the dates as shown in the Increase Date column below in the water service rates and charges for wholesale users shall be as follows if accepted and approved by the Water Districts and/or PSC:
 
Water District Name
Wholesale Rate
Increase Date
Southern Water
$2.26 per 1,000 gallons
September 1, 2022, or as otherwise authorized by law
Mountain Water
$2.26 per 1,000 gallons
September 1, 2022, or as otherwise authorized by law
 
      (4)   Pursuant § 52.02 (A), the following rates shall apply if the City Manager grants written approval for an exception for an apartment complex owner/operator with greater than twenty-five (25) units. This exception will be to the complex equipped with a master meter instead of individual meters. At the time he or she requests water service to be installed, the owner/operator shall supply the total number of apartments that the master meter will service. If this number changes at any time, it shall be the owner/operator’s responsibility to notify the city at the time in which the number changes. In this event, the following rates shall apply:
         (a)   Rates inside the city corporate boundaries:
            1.   The owner of the apartment complex shall be responsible for the total usage and any and all fees cost or billing associated with water service.
            2.   If any unit is occupied for any amount of time during the billing calendar month, the owner of the apartment complex shall be billed the minimum of sixteen dollars ($16.00) for each unit. Each unit billed shall get a credit of usage of two thousand (2,000) gallons for that unit. Every gallon used thereafter shall be billed as outlined in division (B)(1).
         (b)   Rates outside the city corporate boundaries:
            1.   The owner of the apartment complex shall be responsible for the total usage and any and all fees cost or billing associated with water service.
            2.   If any unit is occupied for any amount of time during the billing calendar month, the owner of the apartment complex shall be billed the minimum of thirty-one dollars and fifty cents ($31.50) for each unit. Each unit billed shall get a credit of usage of two thousand (2,000) gallons for that unit. Every gallon used thereafter shall be billed as outlined in division (B)(2).
         Note: In the event a unit is not rented during a calendar billing cycle, it will be the owner/operator’s responsibility to submit a written and notarized statement of how many units were never occupied for the entire billing cycle month, together with the billing statement for an adjustment. Each month the city shall consider that all units are in use unless notified by the monthly billing process described herein.
(Ord. 610.2, passed 5-22-78; Am. Ord. 19, passed 10-21-85; Am. Ord. 0-87-001, passed 1-27-87; Am. Ord. 0-89-005, passed 5-22-89; Am. Ord. 0-91-010, passed 5-29-91; Am. Ord. 0-2001-027, passed 10-22-01; Am. Ord. 0-2002-012, passed 10-28-02; Am. Ord. 0-2008-003, passed 1-14-08; Am. Ord. 0-2008-011, passed 3-13-08; Am. Ord. 0-2008-28, passed 12-2-08; Am. Ord. 0-2009-17, passed 6-22-09; Am. Ord. 0-2013-020, passed 8-2-13; Am. Ord. O-2018-22, passed 10-8-18; Am. Ord. O-2019-03, passed 1-28-19; Am. Ord. O-2019-17, passed 7-8-19; Am. Ord. O-2019-26, passed 8-26-19; Am. Ord. O-2022-11, passed 8-22-22)
§ 53.04 BILLINGS; WHEN DUE.
   All charges for water and sewer service shall be billed and payable in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 54.(Am. Ord. 0-2008-003, passed 1-14-08)