Chapter 13.16
WATER USE REGULATIONS
Sections:
13.16.010 Control valves required.
13.16.020 Meter requirements.
13.16.030 Garden meters.
13.16.040 Water for pools and tanks.
13.16.050 Apparatus on customer’s property.
13.16.060 Service discontinuance at customer request.
13.16.070 Abandoned and non-revenue-producing services.
13.16.080 Disconnection – Destroyed or removed structures.
13.16.090 Disconnection – Reuse of old facilities.
13.16.100 Discontinuance – For customer noncompliance.
13.16.110 Discontinuance – Wasting water.
13.16.120 Discontinuance – Fraud and abuse.
13.16.130 Unauthorized turn-on prohibited.
13.16.140 Resale of water prohibited.
13.16.150 Illegal taps prohibited.
13.16.160 Injuring or destroying structures or equipment.
13.16.170 Liability for damages.
13.16.010 Control valves required.
The customer shall install a suitable valve on the building service line as close to the meter location as practical, the operation of which will control the entire water supply from the service. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 13, 1984)
13.16.020 Meter requirements.
A. It is unlawful for any person to obtain water from a city main except through a meter, unless water is sold in bulk by authorized city personnel.
B. All meters shall be furnished and owned by the city; however, the meter shall be paid for by the customer and maintained by the city.
C. Meters shall be sealed by the city at the time of installation, and no seal shall be altered or broken except by one of the city’s authorized agents.
D. Nothing shall prevent the city from requiring additional submeters on the building supply to facilitate calculation of sewer service charges which are based either wholly or in part on water consumption. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 12, 1984)
13.16.030 Garden meters.
A. At the request of an existing water customer, the city shall furnish and install a metered garden service.
B. Such service shall only be installed on building lots with an existing water service connection.
C. Such service shall only be used to provide water to gardens, lawns, landscaping, and similar outdoor plantings.
D. The customer requesting such service shall pay all fees and charges as provided in Chapters 13.04 through 13.24 SMC for a regular service connection, except for a system improvement fee. (Ord. 89-109 § 1, 1989; Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 7, 1984)
13.16.040 Water for pools and tanks.
When an abnormally large quantity of water is desired for filling a swimming pool, log pond, or for other purposes, arrangements shall be made with the city prior to taking such water. Permission to take water in unusual quantities shall be given only if it can be safely delivered and if other customers will not be inconvenienced. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 § 6, 1984)
13.16.050 Apparatus on customer’s property.
A. The city may refuse to furnish water and may discontinue service to a premises where an apparatus, appliance or other equipment using water is dangerous, unsafe, or is being used in violation of laws, ordinances or legal regulations.
B. The city does not assume liability for inspecting apparatus on the customer’s property. The city reserves the right of inspection, however, if there is reason to believe that unsafe or illegal apparatus is in use. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 §§ 1, 1(a), 1984)
13.16.060 Service discontinuance at customer request.
A. A customer may have water service discontinued by notifying the city at least five days in advance of the desired date of discontinuance.
B. If notice is not given, the customer shall be required to pay for the water service until the date the city has learned that the customer has vacated the premises or otherwise has discontinued service. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 18, 1984)
13.16.070 Abandoned and non-revenue-producing services.
A. Where a service connection to a premises has been abandoned or not used for a period of one year or longer, the city may remove it.
B. New service shall be commenced only when a new customer application and payment for the new connection has been received. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 §§ 19, 19(a), 1984)
13.16.080 Disconnection – Destroyed or removed structures.
A. When any structure connected to the water system is destroyed by an act of God, is removed, or is torn down, and/or no longer usable, it shall be required to disconnect from the water system. The owner shall advise the city, stating the date of destruction or removal of the structure, and pay all user service charges to the date of destruction or removal, and thereafter no user service charge shall be made to the property until new improvements, if any, are placed on the property.
B. When the property is relieved from user service charges and then reconnected to the water system, the city shall check its records and determine whether or not the property had paid into the water fund the amount required while the property was using city water. If the property had paid user service charges equal to the amount required under the water rates that were in effect at the time of the disconnection from the water system, no additional charges will be levied.
C. In addition, when a building with water service is destroyed or relocated to a different property and thereafter replaced by a new building within three years after the date of destruction or removal, the city shall not levy a system improvement fee for the new building, unless the new building constitutes an increase in use under the system improvement fee schedule currently in effect. If the replacement building requires a greater system improvement fee than compared to the destroyed or relocated building previously on the same site, then a credit will be given on the replacement building’s system improvement fee equal to that of the previous building fee, and when the above provisions of this section and SMC 13.16.070 are met.
D. The current system improvement fee schedule shall be used for all comparisons and credit determinations under SMC 13.16.070 through 13.16.090. When a destroyed or relocated building is not replaced by a new building within three years of the date of destruction, then any replacement building shall pay the full system improvement fee in effect at the time of application for water service. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 19(b), 1984)
13.16.090 Disconnection – Reuse of old facilities.
A. Before a moving or wrecking permit is allowed to be issued, the building water service shall be shut off by city forces. If a new building permit is not issued for the site within six months of the old building removal date, city forces may remove the meter and cap the water service.
B. In addition, when a building with water service is destroyed or relocated to a different property and is not replaced by a new building within three years from the date of destruction or removal, the city engineer or the city engineer’s designee may inspect the water service to determine whether it is in usable condition and is to be reused. If the water service is found unusable, the property owner shall be required to pay all costs for replacement of the water service connection. In addition, a new water meter shall be charged to any service abandoned or disconnected more than three years. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 19(c), 1984)
13.16.100 Discontinuance – For customer noncompliance.
A. Except where Chapters 13.04 through 13.24 SMC stipulate a lesser period, the city may discontinue water service to a customer for noncompliance with a city water regulation if the customer fails to comply with the regulation within five days after receiving written notice of the city’s intention to discontinue service.
B. If such noncompliance affects matters of health or safety, or other conditions warrant such action, the city may discontinue water service immediately.
C. It is unlawful for any person or persons to occupy, reside in, or permit the occupancy of a living unit, structure or other premises when such premises, living unit or structure is connected to a private or public sewer system and does not have water service.
D. The penalty for a violation of this section shall be as set forth in Chapter 1.08 SMC. (Ord. 89-107 § 1, 1989; Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 20, 1984)
13.16.110 Discontinuance – Wasting water.
Where wasteful or negligent water use seriously affects the general service, the city may discontinue the service if such conditions are not corrected within five days after the customer is given written notice. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 § 5, 1984)
13.16.120 Discontinuance – Fraud and abuse.
The city shall have the right to refuse or to discontinue water service to a premises to protect itself against fraud or abuse. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 § 4, 1984)
13.16.130 Unauthorized turn-on prohibited.
No person, other than an authorized city employee, shall turn on a water service connection which has been turned off by the city. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 17, 1984)
13.16.140 Resale of water prohibited.
Except by special arrangements with the city, no customer shall resell water received by such customer from the city, nor shall water be delivered to premises other than those specified in the application for service. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 15, 1984)
13.16.150 Illegal taps prohibited.
All unauthorized taps on the city water system shall be designated illegal taps and subject to removal and fine. (Ord. 807 Art. 2 § 16, 1984)
13.16.160 Injuring or destroying structures or equipment.
No unauthorized person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the water system. Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate arrest. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 § 3, 1984)
13.16.170 Liability for damages.
The customer shall be liable for any damage to a meter or other equipment or property owned by the city which is caused by an act of the customer, or agent thereof. The city shall be reimbursed by the customer for such damage promptly on presentation of a bill, and may be subject to the provisions of SMC 13.16.160. (Ord. 807 Art. 4 § 2, 1984)