A. Water For Fire Hydrants; Easements: Water for fire hydrants will be furnished free of charge by the city. Installation and repairs on such hydrants shall be at the expense of the city and shall be made under the direction of the city. All customers shall grant the city, upon demand, a right of way or easement to install and maintain such hydrants on their premises if the city concludes that hydrants shall be so installed for the protection of the residents of the city.
B. Use Regulations:
1. Except for emergency use by emergency personnel, any person or entity desiring to use water from any fire hydrant located within the boundaries of the city shall be required to obtain a fire hydrant meter from the city in accordance with the provisions of this section.
2. No fire hydrant meter shall be issued to any person or entity except upon:
a. Submission to the city of a signed, written application on such form as may be provided by the city and containing such information as deemed necessary or desirable by the city; and
b. Payment to the city of a deposit to guarantee return of fire hydrant meter in an amount set from time to time by the city council.
3. Upon approval of a submitted request, a fire hydrant meter will be issued by the water department.
4. All fire hydrant meters will be removed from the hydrant each night.
5. All fire hydrant meters will be read monthly by the user and the readings will be reported to the water department on a monthly basis by telephone or fax.
6. All fire hydrant meters will only be used on city fire hydrants. All fire hydrants will be operated with a hydrant wrench.
7. All persons or entities to which a fire hydrant meter has been issued shall:
a. Obtain, prior to using the fire hydrant meter, approval from the city for use at such location and for such period of time as may be authorized by the city.
b. Pay a water usage fee to the city at a rate set from time to time by the city council.
c. Pay a monthly rental for fire hydrant meter at a rate set from time to time by the city council.
If the customer or contractor does not report hydrant meter readings as required by the water department, an additional penalty in an amount set from time to time by the city council shall be assessed. Failure to report readings for two (2) consecutive months will cause the meter to be located and impounded. Impounded meters will be returned to the customer upon payment of a fee in an amount set from time to time by the city council. In the event a customer fails to pay amounts due for two (2) consecutive months, the account will be suspended and privilege to use a hydrant meter will be revoked for one year.
Customer agrees to pay for any damage incurred to fire hydrant meter or fire hydrant as a result of customer's use of a fire hydrant meter.
Use of the fire hydrant meter issued hereunder is permitted only within the corporate limits of the city. Failure to comply with this section will result in impound of hydrant meter, loss of deposit and forfeiture of privilege for one year.
C. Penalty: Any person or entity that uses water from a fire hydrant without having first obtained a fire hydrant meter as required by this chapter shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, subject to penalty as provided in section 1-4-1 of this code. Each violation of this section shall be considered to be a separate offense. Any person or entity who, having first obtained a fire hydrant meter in accordance with the provisions hereof, thereafter violates the provisions of this chapter, shall be required to immediately return the fire hydrant meter to the city, and any unpaid water usage fees shall be immediately due and owing or deducted from the deposit, with the balance of said deposit, if any, to be refunded to said person or entity. (Ord. 2012.03, 4-12-2012, eff. 4-12-2012; amd. 2014 Code)