Sec. 27-18. Use of device to bypass metering of water prohibited; civil infraction; minimum penalty; persons liable.
   (a)   No person shall utilize any device or method of connection to the municipal water system, including without limitation, any spacer or straight line pipe connection, which may result in delivery of any water to any person or property without passage of the water through a municipal water meter.
   (b)   It shall be a civil infraction for any person to violate this section. Any person, firm or corporation found liable for a violation of this section shall be assessed a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). Any person, firm or corporation found liable for a second violation of this section shall be assessed a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00). Any person, firm or corporation found liable for a third or subsequent violation of this section shall be assessed a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). No hearing officer may suspend the imposition of any fine prescribed herein.
   (c)   Whenever a device or method of connection is in violation of this section, the owner or owners of the private property upon which any part of the violation occurs and the person who installed the device or method shall be jointly and severally liable for the violation and for the civil fine prescribed as punishment therefor.
(Ord. No. 7283, § 1, 9-18-89; Ord. No. 9015, § 3, 2-9-98; Ord. No. 10897, § 1, 5-24-11, eff. 7-5-11)
   Editors Note: Ord. No. 4656, § 1, adopted May 23, 1977, specifically amended the Code by repealing § 27-18. The former section pertained to outdoor water usage limitation, and had been derived from Ord. No. 4490, § 1, adopted May 24, 1976. Subsequently, § 1 of Ord. No. 7283, adopted Sept. 18, 1989, added a new § 27-18.