(A) Charges established; exception; requirements.
(1) Charges; permit; connection requirements.
(a) The Town Council has the authority to set a connection charge (previously known as a tap fee) for hooking onto the water main, by ordinance. All such connection charges are due and payable during regular working hours in the office of the Town Clerk-Treasurer. Connection charges shall be paid to the Town Clerk-Treasurer and a permit obtained prior to tapping or otherwise making any connection whatsoever to the water main. The permit shall be issued for a specific permittee and shall not be transferable to other property nor to another permittee.
(b) After payment of the connection charge fee in the office of the Town Clerk-Treasurer and issuance of a permit for a tap, the town will tap the water main, run a lateral water line from the water main to the property line or to the existing service on town property and install a curb stop and a water meter, pit, or meter assembly and other necessary appurtenances including meter reading equipment.
(c) The town will also require for various nonresidential users, installation of an approved backflow prevention device as required by the State Department of Environmental Quality or the applicable regulatory agency.
(d) All materials and fixtures required to bring water service to the property line or to the existing service on town property shall be furnished by the town at the expense of the property owner or permittee pursuant to the connection charge set out in division (A)(1)(e) below. Thereafter, the property owner or permittee shall be responsible for running and connecting the water service from the connection from the meter pit assembly into the property, including the required and town approved expansion pressure relief device.
(e) Until modified by the Town Council by resolution, the connection charge payable hereunder shall be retained by the town in a fund for expansion and/or repair of the water system. The connection charge includes fees plus reimbursement for all labor and materials, and the amounts of connection charges are available at the Town Hall.
(2) Exceptions to payment of fee. No fee shall be required for tapping the water main when the tap is:
(a) For the sole purpose of providing service for a fire protection system within the structure;
(b) Required by the State Department of Fire Prevention and Safety or a similar governmental agency, and such request is evidenced by a written document from that agency; or
(c) The connection or tap is not into a consumer.
(B) Reimbursement of charges to town. Labor and materials, as well as equipment charges, necessary and reasonably charged by the town for tapping the water main, extending water service to the property line or to the existing service on town property, installing water service to the meter pit or meter assembly and installing the curb stop and a water meter, pit or meter assembly, and other necessary appurtenances, including meter reading equipment and all other necessary appurtenances, shall also be reimbursed to the town as part of the connection charge. This reimbursement charge shall include all pavement and other necessary surface access and restoration costs. The connection charge fee will be paid prior to issuance of a permit and the reimbursement for all labor and materials, as well as equipment charges, shall be paid in full prior to the water supply being turned on.
(C) Large water taps; negotiations. For any water taps made over two inches in size, the connection charge shall be negotiated between the applicant and the Town Council according to existing conditions at the time of the request for the tap and taking into account the ability of the town waterworks system to furnish the water required, additional administrative expense incurred by the town, labor, materials furnished and provided by the town, and all other factors which may reasonably be expected to result in an additional financial burden or necessitate additional capital expenditures. The connection charge for multiple units, whether residential or commercial, shall be the fee set forth in division (A)(1)(e) above for the first unit and an additional 20% of the fee for each additional unit, plus the reimbursement charges as set forth in division (B) above.
(Prior Code, § 9-1-8) (Ord. 342, passed 3-18-2004; Ord. 2024-01, passed 4-4-2024)