Section
51.01 Outside city connections
51.02 Water and sewer tap connection fees
51.03 Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District water use fees
51.04 Water and sewer reconnect fees
51.05 San Jacinto River Authority pumpage fees, rates and charges
51.06 Water and sewer rates
51.07 No free service; diversion and tampering with water and sewer service prohibited
51.08 Time and place of payment
51.09 Penalties for late payment
51.10 Discontinuance of service
51.11 Appeals
51.12 Effective date
(A) Definitions. For purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
APPLICANT. Any individual, owner of land or his or her representative, legal entity, or development requesting to tie to city utilities.
CITY. The City of Willis, Montgomery County, Texas.
COUNCIL. The Willis City Council, the official governing body of the city.
EASEMENT. The authorization by a property owner for the use by another, and for specified purpose, of any designated part of his/her property.
EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION or ETJ. The legal ability of a Texas municipality to exercise authority beyond its corporate boundaries as provided in Chapter 42 of the Tex. Loc. Gov't Code, Ch 42.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. A strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a street, crosswalk, railroad, road, electric transmission line, oil or gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or storm sewer main, or for another special use. The usage of the term RIGHT-OF-WAY for land-platting purposes shall mean that every right-of-way hereafter established and shown on a final plat is to be separate and distinct from the lots or parcels adjoining the right-of-way and not included within the dimensions or areas of the lots or parcels. Any right-of-way intended for public streets, crosswalks, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains, or any other use involving maintenance by a public agency shall be dedicated to public use by the maker of the plat on which the right-of-way is established.
TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY or TCEQ. The environmental agency for the State of Texas.
UTILITIES. The public service inclusive of water service and sewer service as provided by the city.
UTILITY SERVICE. The public utility service inclusive of water service and sewer service as provided by the city.
(B) Outside city connections.
(1) The water and sewer system in the city is a public utility operated and maintained by the City of Willis and regulated by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Any system wishing to connect to the city outside of the established city limits shall operate in accordance with ordinances and policies adopted by the city, state law, and/or federal law. Subject to such requirements, the City Manager may make such reasonable regulations as necessary to govern the city water and sewer systems to ensure their continued operation.
(2) No water or sewer service shall be furnished beyond the city limits until such applicant shall furnish the city with satisfactory evidence that all rules and regulations required of applicant within the city, as a prerequisite for service, have been fully and strictly satisfied.
(3) Service extensions will be limited to properties within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and within contiguous service areas of the city. Approval of the extensions will be contingent upon a determination by the City Manager's designee that the city's available water and sewer capacity is adequate to provide service to the property.
(4) Cost allocation. On any extensions or additions to its water or sewer system which require expenditures of operating revenue that are not justified on the basis of the anticipated revenue or which are speculative in nature and primarily beneficial to a certain party or parties, the city may require sufficient charges or deposits which the city may deem necessary to assure that the costs are assumed by the developer or customer and not by the city.
(5) Property description. The person desiring water and sewer service from the city shall provide the city with a complete legal description of all property on which improvements are proposed to be located that require water and sewer service. This property description shall become part of the application for service and will be used in calculating the extension charges.
(C) Application for water and sewer service outside city limits.
(1) Any person and/or business requesting water and/or sewer service from the city shall complete an application on a form supplied by the city.
(2) Requests for water or sewer service connections will not be considered until the applicant has made a formal request to be annexed by the city.
(3) In lieu of annexation, City Council may authorize a water or sewer service connection provided the property owner has entered into a mutual development agreement with the city whereupon the city may impose certain regulations including but not limited to the types and nature of any proposed developments. In no case will a service connection be approved outside the city limits without an executed development agreement in effect.
(4) All water and sewer service connect requests outside the city limits must be approved by the City Council. No private service lines shall be connected to any city sewer line unless the connection/tap has been approved by the City Council and all design processes and requirements have been completed.
(D) Installation of service outside city limits.
(1) Prior to the installation of and water lines, sewer lines, drain, waste, vents, plumbing fixtures or appurtenances a plumbing permit must be secured through the city.
(2) If the proposed water or sewer service connections are commercial in nature or a residential development, signed and stamped plans from a registered professional engineer is required to be provided to the city before the permit will be issued.
(3) No private service lines shall be connected or tapped to any city water line unless a meter (or meters) is installed by the city at that connection.
(4) If the private service utilizes a water well for water service, a water meter approved by the city must be installed on the water well at the cost of the customer who uses the water well.
(5) If the private service utilizes a water well for water service and wishes to continue using the water well and city service, the customer must also provide at his own expense a testable reduced pressure zone device at the city meter. The reduced pressure zone device must be tested once per year.
(6) The customer must provide the city access to the water well for meter reading. Sewer rates for customers connected to the city sewer only with a private water supply will be subject to the outside rates established based on water consumption.
(7) Not more than one premise may be connected to any one water and/or sewer tap. Exceptions may, however, be granted to this stipulation for situations involving a master meter to serve apartment complexes, mobile home parks, etc.
(8) No person shall make or permit to be made any subsidiary connection of another's premises with his/her water or sewer service.
(E) Subdivision or development of properties.
(1) Any developer desiring to develop land as a subdivision and install water main and sanitary sewer facilities shall do so at the developer's own expense and in accordance with current city subdivision ordinances.
(2) All water and sanitary sewer mains that are six inches or larger constructed under the provisions of this section, upon approval and acceptance by the city shall become the property of the city. All such facilities shall be constructed in public easements and to all city and state specifications.
(3) All developers will install at their own expense laterals and service lines necessary to serve the land they are developing as subdivisions. All developers will construct at their own expense any and all lift stations and pump stations necessary to serve the land to be developed. In addition, the developer or the property owner will pay the city a connection charge for all water and for sewer taps in the amount as set forth in current city ordinances.
(F) Design.
(1) Any person or business requesting to connect to the city water or sewer system shall design all water and sewer projects that tie to the city system, including all lines, connections, or any other items related to the water or sewer system, must meet or exceed the design specifications of the city, the Plumbing Code, and TCEQ Design Specifications.
(2) Developers must submit plans and documentation to the city showing the proposed route, kind of material used for construction, and how construction will take place.
(3) Once the preliminary design has been approved by the city, a final set of plans stamped by a registered professional engineer must be used for construction. Once a stamped set of plans has been provided to the city and all corrections have been addressed satisfactory to the city, the city will then issue a building permit.
(G) Wholesale. Water service to wholesale water customers of the city who resell the city water delivered to their retail users, such as households, commercial or industrial users, shall be required to comply with the following:
(1) The wholesale water customer must sign a negotiated contract with the city specifying the contract time, maximum quantity desired, cost of service and other conditions of service.
(2) The wholesale customer shall pay applicable charges and deposits as stipulated by the city.
(3) The wholesale water customer shall be responsible for providing potable water past the master meter in conformance with Federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements, and in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.
(4) The wholesale water customer is responsible for ground water protection through prevention of spills and collection system leaks and shall otherwise comply with all pollution control and other applicable state and federal laws.
(5) Wholesale customers shall comply with, impose and enforce all water conservation regulations of the city.
(Ord. 14-1216, passed 12-16-2014)
(A) Establishing new service. Residential and commercial:
(1) The city requires the following information to be presented in person in order to establish new service:
(a) A completed water service application including a valid copy of the lease agreement or deed.
(b) Positive valid identification (ID). A valid photo ID such as a state-issued driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or a passport.
(c) A deposit of $65 and a service charge of $10, which can be paid with cash, check, money order, or Visa/Mastercard.
(2) For applicants that are unable to apply in person, the new service application process may be completed by facsimile (fax) or email. If applying for service via fax or email, a notarized completed water service application is required to be submitted along with copies of all the items listed above in divisions (1)(a) through (1)(c).
(B) Generally. The city shall make the connection from the water line in the alley, street, or right-of-way to the property line and will set the meter, when required, at this point. The city shall make the connection from the sanitary sewer main in the alley, street, or right-of-way to the property line.
(1) Maintenance of private sewer service lines. The city is responsible for maintaining the functional integrity of all sewer mains and service laterals located in public rights-of- way and public utility easements. In order for the city to inspect and maintain the functional integrity of the service laterals within the public rights-of-way and public easements, it shall be the responsibility of each property owner with a new or existing sewer service connection to install a sewer clean-out at the property line. Property owners are responsible for maintaining their service lateral lines which extend from the city mains to the residence or business in a free and flowing condition.
(2) Sewage stoppage on private property. Sewer stoppages on private property shall be the responsibility of the property owner or occupant. Sewer stoppages within the service laterals located in a public right-of-way or public easement shall also be the responsibility of the property owner or occupant unless it is determined by the city that the functional integrity of the service lateral is compromised. State law prohibits the city from expending public funds or resources for repairs on private property.
(C) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
LONG TAP.
A tap to serve a structure on the opposite side of the street and/or where the utility line is located more than ten feet in the pavement shall be considered a
LONG TAP
.
SHORT TAP.
A tap to serve a structure on the same side of the street where the utility line is located no more than a maximum of ten feet in the pavement shall be considered a
SHORT TAP
.
(D) Residential and commercial water tap connection fees. The following water tap connection fees shall be due and paid to the city before any water tap or water meter is provided, installed, inspected, and activated for use by the city.
(1) Water service fees. The fee for providing water service shall be based upon the size of the meter required and shall be as follows:
Tap Size | Short | Long | |||
Meter | Without Meter | With Meter | Without Meter | With Meter | *Meter Only |
Tap Size | Short | Long | |||
Meter | Without Meter | With Meter | Without Meter | With Meter | *Meter Only |
” | N/A | $680 | N/A | $800+ | $390 |
1" | N/A | $915 | N/A | $1040+ | $480 |
1” | N/A | $1545 | N/A | $1665+ | $870 |
2" | N/A | $1710 | $1830+ | $1065 | |
Larger than 2" | $1000 | 4850 | $1200 | $1200++ | Estimated |
NOTES TO TABLE: + Add the boring fee and/or, if the connection is on a state right-of-way: for meter sizes 5/8 inch through 2 inches, add $200 to connection fee schedule; for meters larger than 2 inches, add $350 to the connection fee schedule ++ Current market cost plus boring cost plus $500 | |||||
(2) Fire main connections. A connection for a fire main shall be a minimum of six inches.
(3) Meter only installation charge. There is a nonrefundable charge for installing a meter where a tap already exists or for reinstallation following termination of service.
(4) Rates outside city. Water connection fees outside the corporate limits of the city shall be double the rates stated in division (D).
(5) Vaults. The purchase, installation, and any related expenses for vault(s) which may be required are strictly the responsibility of the property owner/developer.
(6) Boring fees. If a bore is required, a $35 per foot of right-of-way width boring fee will be required up to a two-inch service lead. Service leads larger than two inches will be $70 per foot of right-of-way width.
(7) Individual meters. Each single-family residence shall be served by an individual water meter. Multifamily units, such as apartments, duplexes, condominiums, townhouses, and manufactured/mobile home parks and commercial complexes which house two or more businesses shall have either a separate water meter for each dwelling or business or a separate water meter of not more than two inches for each building in the complex with a maximum of 12 units per meter in any one given building.
(8) Compound meters.
(a) A COMPOUND METER
is defined as any water metering device or combination of water metering devices assembled to form a single mechanism designed for the purpose of measuring both high and low flows, whether collectively registered for both high and low flow volumes indicating a singular totalized and low flow volumes to be combined for determining total flow through the device.
(b) Compound meters are not permissible in the city with the exception of certain large volume commercial or industrial users, with each instance being reviewed by the City Director of Public Works and with permission granted on a case-by-case basis provided there is no other means for effectively metering water usage.
(9) Location of meters. All city-owned meters shall be placed on the right-of-way of a public street or alley, or in a dedicated easement sufficient to provide access up to and including a minimum 10-foot by 10-foot easement around the meters or meter bank(s), as approved by the City Director of Public Works or City Building Official.
(10) Meter testing. Customers requesting their meter to be flow tested shall not be charged and the customer’s bill shall be adjusted accordingly if the meter tests inaccurate. However, if the meter is found to be accurate, a service fee sufficient to cover the cost of the utility employee’s time for replacing and testing the meter will be assessed to the customer on the following month’s water utility bill. For meters larger than two inches in diameter, the cost for testing the meter shall first be quoted to the customer and then assessed to the customer on the customer’s monthly water utility bill if the meter is found to be accurate. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, the city will bear the cost for having the meter tested and the customer’s bill will be adjusted accordingly.
(E) Residential and commercial sanitary sewer tap connection fees. The following sanitary sewer tap connection fee shall be due and paid to the city before any sewer tap or sewer connection is provided, installed, inspected, and activated into the city’s wastewater collection system.
(1) The connection fee for providing water service shall be based upon the size of the sewer connection required and shall be as follows:
Connection | Short* | Long* |
For a four-inch connection | $695 | $800** |
For a six-inch connection | $800 | $910** |
For an eight-inch connection | $910 | $1015** |
NOTES TO TABLE: * If a manhole is required, add $2,000 ** Add the boring fee and/or if the connection is on a state right-of-way add $350 to connection fee schedule | ||
(2) If a bore is required, a $70 per foot of right-of-way width boring fee will be required up to a six-inch service lead. For an eight-inch lead, a $75 per foot of right-of-way width boring fee will be charged.
(3) Sanitary sewer connection fees outside the corporate limits of the city shall be double the rates stated herein.
(F) Effective date. The effective date of this section shall be July 1, 2022.
(Ord. 08-0520A, passed 5-20-2008; Ord. 11-1220D, passed 12-20-2011; Ord. 13-0319B, passed 3-19-2013; Ord. 13-1217, passed 12-17-2013; Ord. 17-1017A, passed 10-17-2017; Ord. 22-0621, passed 6-21-2022)
Loading...