Chapter 13.10
WATER
Sections:
13.10.010 Supervisor.
13.10.020 Powers and duties.
13.10.030 Rate schedules and connection fees.
13.10.040 Connections and extensions.
13.10.050 Pipes to be kept in good repair.
13.10.060 Waste of water prohibited.
13.10.070 City to have free access.
13.10.080 City not liable for damage.
13.10.090 Water not for motors.
13.10.100 Water shortage.
13.10.110 Two users on same connection.
13.10.120 Subscriber only to use water.
13.10.130 Prohibitions.
13.10.140 Users outside city limits.
13.10.150 Cross-connection control and backflow prevention.
13.10.160 Extension of water mains.
13.10.010 Supervisor.
The city water system shall be under the supervision of the public works superintendent. [Code 2000 § 9-4-1].
13.10.020 Powers and duties.
It shall be the duty of the public works superintendent to supervise, manage, operate and maintain the city’s water system in accordance with the provisions of the city ordinances and the rules and regulations adopted by the city council. It shall be his duty to authorize all connections to the city’s water system, to keep suitable maps and records of the system and of all connections, repairs and extensions made to the water system. He shall supervise the maintenance of the water system and any extensions or repairs thereof, inspect all connections made to the system and shall make periodic inspections of the water system and keep a record showing when each part of the system was inspected. He shall, upon request, report to the city council the condition of the water system and shall furnish such information regarding the same as the city manager may from time to time require. The public works superintendent may employ, subject to the approval of the city manager, such help as shall be necessary to carry out the duties prescribed by the city ordinances and by the rules and regulations adopted by the city council. [Code 2000 § 9-4-2].
13.10.030 Rate schedules and connection fees.
Rate schedules and connection fees deemed necessary or expedient shall be adopted by the city council by resolution without publication thereof and all such schedules and rules and regulations whether heretofore or hereafter adopted shall become effective upon adoption thereof by the city council. [Code 2000 § 9-4-3].
13.10.040 Connections and extensions.
No connection shall be made to the city water system and no extension shall be made to any installation served by the water system until a permit has been issued by the public works superintendent. The public works superintendent shall not issue a permit until the required connection and other fees have been paid. [Code 2000 § 9-4-4].
13.10.050 Pipes to be kept in good repair.
All water users shall keep their service pipe and connections and other apparatus in good repair and protected from frost at their own expense, but no person, except under the direction of the public works superintendent, shall be allowed to dig into the street for the purpose of laying, removing, or repairing any service pipe. [Code 2000 § 9-4-5].
13.10.060 Waste of water prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any water user to waste water, or to allow it to be wasted, by imperfect stop-taps, valves, leaky joints or pipes, or to allow tanks or watering troughs to leak or overflow, or wastefully to run water from hydrants, faucets or stops or through basins, water closets, urinals, sinks, or other apparatus, or to use the water in violation of the rules and regulations for controlling the water supply. [Code 2000 § 9-4-6].
13.10.070 City to have free access.
The city, by its agents, shall at all ordinary hours have free access to places supplied with water from the water system for the purpose of examining the apparatus to ascertain the amount of water used and the manner of its use. [Code 2000 § 9-4-7].
13.10.080 City not liable for damage.
The city shall not be liable for any damage to a water user by reason of stoppage or interruption of his water supply caused by fires, scarcity of water, accidents to works or mains, alterations, additions, repairs or from any other cause. [Code 2000 § 9-4-8].
13.10.090 Water not for motors.
No water shall be supplied from the pipes of the city water system for the purpose of driving any motor, syphon, turbine or other wheels, or any hydraulic engines, or elevators, or for driving or propelling machinery of any kind whatsoever, nor shall any license be granted or issued for any such purpose except by special permission of the city council. [Code 2000 § 9-4-9].
13.10.100 Water shortage.
The city council may, by resolution, regulate, restrict or limit the use of water during water shortage periods and shall have the power to take all necessary means and make any necessary regulations as circumstances may require to protect the users of the city water. [Code 2000 § 9-4-10].
13.10.110 Two users on same connection.
Where two or more families or premises are supplied from the same water service pipe, the failure on the part of either of said parties to comply with these regulations shall warrant the city to withhold a supply of water through said service pipe until a separate service pipe with stopcock and key box is put in for each user of water under a separate application. [Code 2000 § 9-4-11].
13.10.120 Subscriber only to use water.
It shall be unlawful for any water user to permit any person from other premises, or any unauthorized persons, to use or obtain water regularly from his premises or water fixtures, either outside or inside his building. [Code 2000 § 9-4-12].
13.10.130 Prohibitions.
A. Turning on Water without Authority. It shall be unlawful for any person, after the water has been turned off from his premises for either nonpayment of utility charges as provided for herein or for a violation of the rules and regulations pertaining to the West Point water and sewer systems, to turn on or allow the water to be turned on or used without authorization from the public works superintendent.
B. Destruction of or Interference with System. It shall be unlawful for any person to destroy, deface, injure or interfere with the operation of any part, pipe, fixture, appliance or appurtenance of the West Point water system.
C. Introducing Substances. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, cause to be placed or to introduce into the West Point water system or any source of water supplying said system any matter, substance, chemical or compound without authorization from the public works superintendent. [Code 2000 § 9-4-13].
13.10.140 Users outside city limits.
The city may sell water to users outside the city limits at such rates and under such terms and conditions as the city council may determine by resolution. [Code 2000 § 9-4-14].
13.10.150 Cross-connection control and backflow prevention.
A. No water service connection to any premises shall be installed or maintained by West Point City unless the water supply is protected as required by state laws, regulations, codes, and this chapter. Service of water to a consumer found to be in violation of this chapter shall be discontinued by West Point City:
1. If a backflow prevention assembly required by this chapter for control of backflow and cross-connections is not installed, tested, and maintained; or
2. If it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed or bypassed; or
3. If an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises; or
4. If the periodic system survey has not been conducted.
Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.
B. The customer’s system(s) shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the public works superintendent to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violation of this chapter, exist and to audit the results of the required survey.
C. Whenever the public works superintendent deems a service connection’s water usage contributes a sufficient hazard to the water supply, an approved backflow prevention assembly shall be installed on the service line of the identified consumer’s water system, at or near the property line, or immediately inside the building being served; but, in all cases, before the first branch line leading off the service line. It shall be the responsibility of the consumer to purchase, install, test and maintain any backflow prevention device/assembly required to comply with this chapter.
D. The type of protective assembly required under subsection (C) of this section shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists at the point of cross-connection (whether direct or indirect), applicable to local and state requirements or resulting from the required survey.
E. All presently installed backflow prevention assemblies which do not meet the requirements of this section but were approved assemblies for the purposes described herein at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under subsection (F) of this section, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the public works superintendent is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the public water system. Whenever the existing assembly is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance, or when the public works superintendent finds that the operation or maintenance of this assembly constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly meeting the local and state requirements.
F. It shall be the responsibility of the consumer at any premises where backflow prevention assemblies are installed to have certified surveys/inspections, and operational tests made at least once per year at the consumer’s expense. In those instances where the public works superintendent deems the hazard to be great, he may require certified surveys/inspections and tests at more frequent interval. It shall be the duty of the public works superintendent to see that these tests are made according to the standards set forth by the State Department of Health, Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation.
G. All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested within 10 working days of initial installation.
H. No backflow prevention assembly shall be installed so as to create a safety hazard such as installation over an electrical panel, steam pipes, boilers, pits, or above ceiling level.
I. If violations of this chapter exist or if there has not been any corrective action taken by the consumer within 10 days of a written notification of deficiencies noted within the survey, then the public works superintendent shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition(s) in conformance with the state and city statutes relating to plumbing, safe drinking water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. [Code 2000 § 9-4-15].
13.10.160 Extension of water mains.
A. Any person or persons, including any subdivider or developer, desiring to have water mains extended or modified within the city limits, and being willing to advance the whole expense of such extension or modification, may make application to the city by petition containing:
1. A description of the proposed extension or modification accompanied by a map showing the location thereof.
2. An offer to pay the whole expense incurred by the city in providing such extension or modification and to advance such payment as said expense shall be agreed upon by the petitioner and the city.
B. Upon receipt of such petition and map, and before the petition is granted, the city council may:
1. Obtain from the public works superintendent a statement showing the estimated cost and expense of making such extension or modification.
2. Obtain from the public works superintendent a description of the area and number and type of users that may be served in the future by the extension or modification and the estimated prorated share of the cost that should be borne by said future users.
3. Determine the amount to be charged future users of the extension or modification and what portion thereof shall be reimbursed to the petitioner upon payment by future users, and the time limit thereof.
4. Prepare an agreement specifying the manner and circumstances under which the extension or modification will be constructed and under which said reimbursement will be made.
C. The city council may grant or deny said petition as in its discretion seems best for the welfare of existing users in the city.
D. If the city council grants said petition, the petitioner and the city may execute said agreement. The petitioner shall deposit with the city treasurer the amount of the estimated cost and expense of making such extension or modification before any work shall be done on such extension or modification, and within 30 days after the granting of said petition or such other time as the city council shall indicate.
E. Before any work shall be done on said extension or modification, the petitioner shall furnish at no cost to the city adequate rights-of-way or easements, in the name of the city, for construction and perpetual maintenance and replacement of said extension or modification.
F. If the petitioner or his agent is to construct the water line, the petitioner or agent shall guarantee the proper installation and construction of the water line and fixtures and that the water line and fixtures shall be maintained in a state of good repair free from defective material or workmanship for a period of 24 months from the date the city council has accepted the improvements and a final walk-through is performed.
G. Any such extension or modification shall be deemed the property of West Point City upon acceptance by the city. [Code 2000 § 9-4-16].