Chapter 13.08
SERVICE AND SERVICE CONNECTIONS
Sections:
13.08.010 Application – Form and contents.
13.08.020 Application – Deposit required – Amounts.
13.08.030 Size of standard residential connections.
13.08.040 Installation charges – Designated.
13.08.050 Installation charges – Advance payment required.
13.08.060 Single service for more than one premises.
13.08.070 Amount of water furnished – Limitations.
13.08.080 Repealed.
13.08.090 Water for construction work – Measurement by meter – Deposit required.
13.08.100 Water for construction work – Permit required to use hydrant or standpipe.
13.08.110 Water benefit districts – Established when – Area.
13.08.120 Water benefit districts – Charges for installing facilities.
13.08.130 Fire service connections – Fire chief review and approval.
13.08.140 Fire service connections – Water use and testing restrictions.
13.08.150 Fire service connections – Detector check valve requirements.
13.08.160 Discontinuance of service.
13.08.170 Shutoff of service – Notice to fire department.
13.08.180 Shutoffs – Permitted when – Notice and hearing.
13.08.010 Application – Form and contents.
Each application for water service shall be made in writing and shall be in such form and shall contain such stipulations, terms and provisions as may be from time to time contained in a form provided by the water department. (1960 code § 24.9)
13.08.020 Application – Deposit required – Amounts.
A. If the applicant is not the owner of the premises, the City may require a deposit at the time of application. The amount of deposit shall be set by resolution.
B. Refund of deposit will be made when service is ordered discontinued and all bills have been paid or the final closing bill submitted can be applied against the deposit. Any balance due the applicant will be mailed to the forwarding address or the address of record. Any balance due after applying the deposit shall become due as a regular billing. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1199 § 1, 1986; Ord. 1172 § 1, 1985; 1960 code § 24.10)
13.08.030 Size of standard residential connections.
All new standard residential connections shall be one-inch meters. (1960 code § 24.19)
13.08.040 Installation charges – Designated.
A. When the premises to which water is to be furnished does not have a meter for use on such premises, the applicant shall pay an installation charge based upon full costs of the installation, including meters and appurtenances.
B. When a water service connection is made to premises outside the City, the applicant shall pay, in addition to such installation costs, a charge or fee as established by resolution duly adopted by the City Council.
C. The costs to be defined as installation costs shall include labor, material, equipment and indirect and administrative overhead.
D. The Director of Public Works is empowered to estimate and to fix the charges to be made for service connections, based on the assumption that the water distribution main is located on the centerline of a public street, alley or way, notwithstanding that such water distribution main is actually located other than on such centerline.
E. Two-inch or larger services, and unusually long or difficult service connections, as determined by the Director of Public Works, shall be charged for on an actual-cost basis. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.20)
13.08.050 Installation charges – Advance payment required.
All service connection charges shall be due and actually paid before any work is commenced. (1960 code § 24.21)
13.08.060 Single service for more than one premises.
A. No one service connection shall serve more than one premises without the approval of the City.
B. For the purposes of this section, “premises” means a lot or parcel under one ownership; provided, however, portions thereof having well-defined boundaries such as fences or hedges which prevent the common use of the property by all occupants shall be deemed separate premises. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.23)
13.08.070 Amount of water furnished – Limitations.
The City shall have the right to limit the amount of water furnished to any consumer should circumstances warrant such action, although no limit is stated in the application or permit. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.16)
13.08.080 Backflow prevention devices required when.
Repealed by Ord. 1468. (1960 code § 24.22)
13.08.090 Water for construction work – Measurement by meter – Deposit required.
A. Whenever practical, all water furnished for construction work shall be measured through a meter provided by the City and paid for at the same rates as metered consumption.
B. A deposit will be placed with the City at the time application is made to insure the safe return of materials supplied, in an amount set by resolution.
C. The size of the meters and other materials provided shall be approved by the City.
D. When it is not practical to measure such water through meters, the City shall estimate consumption for billing purposes. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1172 § 2, 1985; 1960 code § 24.12)
13.08.100 Water for construction work – Permit required to use hydrant or standpipe.
All persons desiring to use water in construction work and wishing to use a city hydrant or standpipe shall obtain a written permit from the fire department before making such connection, and such permit shall be exhibited upon the work for which issued. (1960 code § 24.13)
13.08.110 Water benefit districts – Established when – Area.
When the City finds that it is necessary to install or extend water facilities, or whenever an applicant is required to construct water facilities with capacity in excess of his development needs, the Director of Public Works will delineate the area which may be served from such water facilities and thereby be benefited, such area to exclude existing streets, highways and public ways. The City shall designate such area as a “water benefit district.” (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.14)
13.08.120 Water benefit districts – Charges for installing facilities.
A. If the City or the applicant elects to install the required water facilities under benefit-district procedures and does install such facilities, the Director of Public Works shall establish and administer reimbursement procedures as follows:
1. A calculation shall be made as to the difference in cost to be experienced by the City or applicant between the minimum facilities needed to service a specified area and excess-sized facilities required to be installed. Such difference in cost shall be proportionately applied to all the area contained within the subject water-benefit district whereby such costs shall be collected whenever development occurs;
2. The water benefit district fees shall be assessed against all benefiting properties upon their development until such time as the total difference in costs as expended by the City or applicant has been fully reimbursed, without interest, or until the expiration of a term of 10 years from and after the date of acceptance by the City, whichever is first to occur.
B. For the establishment and processing of a water benefit district for an applicant, the City shall assess and retain an additional fee of two percent of the amount to be collected, as a handling charge.
C. The water benefit district fees calculated for assessment may be subject to the review and approval of the City Council prior to their final establishment if an applicant so elects.
D. Any surplus remaining in a specific water benefit district account after installing, the applicant having been reimbursed in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall be expended for construction or reconstruction of water facilities. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.15)
13.08.130 Fire service connections – Fire chief review and approval.
When an application is made for fire service connections, such sprinkler and fire service installation shall be subject to the review and approval of the city fire chief. (1960 code § 24.24)
13.08.140 Fire service connections – Water use and testing restrictions.
Water furnished through fire services shall be used only for extinguishing fires or for authorized testing of the fire-fighting system. Whenever a consumer wishes to test, he shall notify the City at least 24 hours before making such test. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.25)
13.08.150 Fire service connections – Detector check valve requirements.
A. Each fire service shall have installed therein a detector check valve of such pattern and design as approved by the City.
B. “Detector check valve” means a spring-loaded or weight-loaded swing check-valve equipped with a metered bypass.
C. Where an existing fire service connection is not equipped with a detector check valve, the following applies:
1. If it is found an unauthorized connection has been made or that an unauthorized use has been made of the fire service connection, the consumer shall be notified to discontinue such unauthorized connection or use;
2. If such consumer fails or refuses to do so, the water to such service shall be shut off and not turned on again until appropriate corrections have been made. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.26)
13.08.160 Discontinuance of service.
A. Application to discontinue water service shall be made to the City not less than two days before the date on which discontinuance is desired. After the effective date of such discontinuance, all water consumption charges accruing shall cease for the period during which such service is shut off. If an applicant desires temporary discontinuance, such a period shall not be less than one month.
B. If the consumer owes nothing for water service charges, any deposits held by the City shall be refunded to him. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.11)
13.08.170 Shutoff of service – Notice to fire department.
The fire department shall be notified when water mains are to be shut off. Such notice shall be furnished the headquarters station and, in addition to giving the location of the mains, the estimate of time the water will be shut off. When the water is turned on, the fire department shall be so notified. (1960 code § 24.18)
13.08.180 Shutoffs – Permitted when – Notice and hearing.
A. Notice. If the water resources manager determines that this chapter has been violated and an emergency shutoff is not warranted, the water resources manager shall send a written notice to the customer explaining the violation. If, within 10 days of receipt of the written notice, the customer has not remedied the violation or requested an administrative hearing, water service to the premises shall be discontinued until the violation has been remedied.
B. Appeal. The customer may appeal the shutoff notice in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 1.22 LMC. At the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the City Manager, or his or her designee, may find that the customer has violated this chapter, and order termination of water service to that customer. The City Manager, or his or her designee, shall determine the administrative costs and costs of termination to be charged against the customer. If, after the appeal hearing, it is determined that this chapter has not been violated, the City Manager, or his or her designee, shall not assess costs of administration or costs of water service termination against the customer. The City Manager, or his or her designee, may impose such conditions and take such other action as he or she deems appropriate under the circumstances to carry out the purpose of this chapter. The decision of the City Manager, or his or her designee, shall be final.
C. Emergency Shutoffs. In case of fire, or alarm of fire, or any situation which in the opinion of the water resources manager has the potential to contaminate the City’s water supply, or in making emergency repairs, the City shall have the right to shut off water from any consumer or number of consumers without notice, and to keep it shut off as long as it may be necessary. An emergency shutoff may be appealed pursuant to the procedure outlined in LMC 13.08.180(B). (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 2052 § 1(R), 2017; Ord. 1468 § 2, 1996; 1960 code § 24.17)