921.03 OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.
(a) The public water supply system of the City, including all water mains, laterals, valves, hydrants, meters, and services, is under the exclusive control of the Director of Administration and his/her authorized agents and employees. Such control shall include all piping from the City mains to the point of ultimate consumption or to where the City water is finally discharged freely at atmospheric pressure. Such control shall be governed by these Codified Ordinances and such water regulations as may be adopted by the Director of Administration.
(b) Whenever a break or leak occurs in a public water main, or the portion of a water service line between the water main and the curb box, the City will repair this at its own expense as soon as possible.
(c) Whenever a break or leak occurs in a private water main, or in the portion of a water service line between the curb box and the meter at any place upon the premises supplied, it shall be repaired at the expense of the customer or property owner. If the City, in order to prevent excessive waste or substantial damage, deems it to be an urgent and necessary action to shut off the water, such action will be taken. The City shall give written notice in advance to the customer and property owner. The customer or property owner must then make repairs before water service will be restored. In cases where the break or leak is creating a safety hazard or a high volume of water is being lost, the City, after using its best efforts to notify the customer and property owner, may elect to repair the break or leak with either its own personnel or a contractor, with the cost of such work being paid for by the property owner. The property owner may be charged for the water lost due to breaks or leaks, with the estimated rate of water loss being based on a standard engineering calculation and applied to the period of time from when the property owner is first notified of the break or leak, to when the break or leak is repaired or the water is shut off (whichever occurs first).
(d) The City reserves the right to test and replace meters without the consent of the customer or property owner. The City will endeavor to provide reasonable notice prior to testing or replacing a meter.
(e) The customer and property owner are responsible for providing access to meters for authorized City personnel. Failure to comply may result in water service disconnection.
(f) The customer and property owner are responsible for maintaining plumbing at a property served by City water in a condition that allows metering equipment to be installed, maintained, and repaired or replaced by the City. Failure to comply may result in water service disconnection.
(g) The property owner is responsible for providing access for inside shutoffs at rental properties. If the property owner fails to provide access for an inside shutoff due to a delinquent account, the tenant's name will be removed from the account, and the owner's name will be placed onto the delinquent account.
(Ord. 2017-24. Passed 9-5-17.)