Chapter 13.08
WATER SYSTEM – CONNECTIONS AND REGULATIONS
Sections:
13.08.010 Emergencies – Rights of city.
13.08.030 Meters – Number per lot – Exception.
13.08.040 Meters – Property of city – Repairs.
13.08.050 Meters – Testing at request of consumer – Deposit.
13.08.060 Cutting off or interfering with meter – Permission required.
13.08.065 Keeping meters clear.
13.08.070 Use of fire hydrants.
13.08.090 Right to adopt fees, rules and regulations.
13.08.110 Running water in streets or alleys.
13.08.120 Violation – Penalty.
13.08.010 Emergencies – Rights of city.
The city shall have the right in any emergency to turn the water off or on without notice, but it shall be the duty of the city to make reasonable effort to notify all consumers in advance of such an emergency and that the water is to be turned off or on. (Ord. 332 § 3, 1973).
13.08.020 Prohibited acts.
It is unlawful for any person to open any fire hydrant, street hydrant, curb stop valve or to interfere in any manner with any street water service, water connection or any water meter attached to any service pipe connected with the water mains, or to turn on or off water mains or water pipes of the city, or to tap, break or injure any water main or water pipe of the city, or any reservoir of the city, or to tap any water service pipe, or take, draw or receive water from any water main, pipe or hydrant of the city without paying the established water rental therefor, or in any wise to trespass upon the public property of the water department. (Ord. 332 § 4, 1973).
13.08.030 Meters – Number per lot – Exception.
There shall be at least one meter on each lot or parcel of real property which is improved with a dwelling or building thereon, except where one building occupies more than one lot, then only one meter for such building shall be required. (Ord. 332 § 5, 1973).
13.08.040 Meters – Property of city – Repairs.
All water meters are the property of the city and the city shall maintain and repair them when, in its judgment, such repairs are needed. (Ord. 332 § 6, 1973).
13.08.050 Meters – Testing at request of consumer – Deposit.
Any consumer of water may require, upon deposit of $5.00 at the office of the city clerk, that the meter through which domestic water is being furnished to such consumer be tested by the city for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not it is registering correctly the water being delivered through it. If, upon such test, the meter is found to register over three percent more water than actually passes through it, another meter shall be substituted therefor by the city, and the deposit of $5.00 returned to the person making the application and deposit and the water bills for the current month adjusted in an equitable manner by the finance department. If, upon such test, the meter is found to be registering accurately or registering less water than actually passes through it, the $5.00 deposit shall be retained by the city and deposited in the water fund. If, upon such test, the meter is found to be registering 95 percent or less of water passing through the meter, the city may replace meter with properly tested and functioning meter and adjust current bill upward accordingly to deficiency. If a customer’s meter is found to be not recording the flow, the billing for the period the meter is not functioning shall be adjusted as to previous use accounting for seasonal fluctuations in water use. (Ord. 332 § 7, 1973).
13.08.060 Cutting off or interfering with meter – Permission required.
It is unlawful for any person to interfere with or cut off or remove a water meter from any water service, where it has been installed, without first receiving written permission from the water supervisor of the city. Such permission shall be granted only for the purpose of tests, replacements, repairs to meter or service pipes, readjustments of service or similar emergency. (Ord. 332 § 8, 1973).
13.08.065 Keeping meters clear.
Each property owner and water user served by a water meter shall have the duty at all times to keep the meter clear of weeds, rubbish, debris and obstructions of any sort which impede access to meter and/or hinder reading of the meter. Upon failure to do so, and after 30 days’ written notice to the party being billed for water use, the city may impose a charge upon the water user for the cost of doing so, such charge to be fixed by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 418, 1992).
13.08.070 Use of fire hydrants.
All hydrants erected in the city for the purpose of extinguishing fires therein are public hydrants, and no person or persons (except members of the fire department for the uses and purposes of the fire department only, and those authorized by the city) shall open any of the hydrants or draw or attempt to draw water from the same or in any way or manner interfere with or injure any of the hydrants. (Ord. 332 § 9, 1973).
13.08.080 Wasting of water.
It is unlawful, and a violation of this chapter, for any water user of the city from the water system of the city to maintain or allow any leaks, or water to be wasted, and it is lawful for the officers of the city to inspect, in any manner consistent with the ordinances of the city, the water connections, faucets and toilets of water user, and if found to leak or wastewater to give the water user notice to immediately repair faucets, toilet or water pipe, so as to stop the leak or wasting of water, and if the leak is not immediately repaired, it is lawful for the city to disconnect the water user, and to keep the connection disconnected until the officers of the city be satisfied that the leak has been repaired and a reconnection fee has been paid to the city. (Ord. 332 § 10, 1973).
13.08.090 Right to adopt fees, rules and regulations.
The city council reserves the right and power to, and may from time to time, by resolution adopt rules and regulations for the operation and maintenance of the water department of the city, and for furnishing water to users; and may likewise by resolution modify the rates, charges and penalties established and imposed; and may from time to time by resolution prescribe rules for the extension of water mains within the boundaries and outside the boundaries of the city. (Ord. 332 § 11, 1973).
13.08.100 No trespassing.
It is unlawful for any person to enter upon any property of the city used for the storage of domestic water unless such person is an employee, agent or official of the city, or unless the person goes thereon at the request of an official of the city upon official business for the city. (Ord. 332 § 12, 1973).
13.08.110 Running water in streets or alleys.
It is unlawful for any person to run or allow to run any water which is under his control or used by him in any street or alley within the city except in regular ditches or pipes authorized or permitted by the council, or to allow the wastewater or the excess of the water used in or on land under his control to drain or run into or upon any street or alley of the city or to wash or cause to be washed in the streets, sidewalks, alleys, or other adjacent property used by the public, a motor vehicle or any other object. (Ord. 332 § 13, 1973).
13.08.120 Violation – Penalty.
Any violation of this chapter or Chapter 13.04 HMC shall be punished as provided in HMC 1.12.010. (Ord. 332 § 14, 1973).