Chapter 13.13
WATER SERVICE CONNECTIONS
Sections:
13.13.010 General requirements.
13.13.020 Application for in-city service – Payment of fees.
13.13.030 Out-of-city water service.
13.13.040 Service connections – Specific requirements.
13.13.050 Main extension, main replacement and other system improvements required.
13.13.060 Service connection sizing.
13.13.080 City and customer responsibilities.
13.13.100 Lawn sprinkler specifications.
13.13.110 Fire protection service.
13.13.120 Temporary connections for construction and other uses.
13.13.130 Transfer of water taps not allowed.
13.13.010 General requirements.
A. City Water Service Area – Water Service Required. Any person applying for a building or other land use permit for development within the city limits shall be required to connect to the city’s water system and comply with all sections of this code and the engineering design standards. Wells may be allowed for irrigation purposes only; provided, that there is no physical connection to the city’s water system, and the city reserves the right to require cross-connection controls.
B. Out-of-City Service Area. In the city’s out-of-city service area, the city has the right of first refusal regarding water service. If the city elects not to provide water service, the applicant may seek service from another service provider in accordance with the adopted coordinated water system plan (“CWSP”). (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.020 Application for in-city service – Payment of fees.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to make any connection with any water main without complying with the provisions of this chapter and having first received an approved water connection permit and paying all applicable fees and charges as identified in Chapter 13.05 PTMC and council resolution.
B. Water Service Application Required. An application shall be made for water service to any premises for a change in use of a premises, for a change in size of a service connection or for the use of fire hydrants.
C. Form of Application. All applications for water service shall be submitted to the city department identified in the engineering design standards manual and shall be submitted on forms provided by the city. Information required for the water service application shall include:
1. The name of the owner or agent and his or her mailing address, the street address or name of the premises to be served, and the legal description of the premises to be served.
2. The purpose for which the water is to be used, the type of development proposed and the number of living units within the premises to be supplied. The applicant shall also designate all fixtures and outlets to be installed. Such information must be sufficient to determine the size of water service, cross‑connection control requirements and fireflow requirements.
3. A site plan showing the proposed location for the service connection and meter.
4. Upon request by the director, a hydraulic analysis of the system used to serve the development and mitigation measures if the assessment shows that the city system does not have sufficient capacity.
5. Any other information deemed reasonably necessary by the director for action upon the application, or required by other provisions of the water code, SEPA, the environmentally sensitive areas ordinance or other city ordinance.
6. The design drawings and specifications and utility development permit application for the water system improvements required under Chapter 13.14 PTMC.
D. Complete Application Required. The city will not process any application unless and until the information required by subsections B and C of this section is substantially complete. The public works director may reject an application as incomplete within a reasonable time of review, in which case the director shall return it to the applicant with an indication of the additional information needed to make the application complete.
E. Payment of Fees and Charges Required. All fees and charges shall be paid at the time of building permit approval or at such other time as noted in this code. The fees for service connections are as established in the schedule of fees and charges set out by council resolution. Such fees and charges shall cover the cost of tapping the city’s water main for the necessary size of service, installing the piping necessary to reach to within two feet of the property line, to a maximum distance of 60 feet, and provide and install a yoke, shut-off, meter and meter box. For any additional extra length of service pipe beyond sixty feet, the customer shall be billed for the additional cost plus administrative overhead.
F. Contract with the City. The approved application shall constitute a contract whereby the applicant agrees as a condition for the service of water to comply with the rules and regulations of this chapter and the engineering design standards manual.
G. Approved permits must be posted at all times during the performance of the work, and until completion thereof in some conspicuous place at or near the work and must be readily and safely accessible to city staff. (Ord. 3051 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.030 Out-of-city water service.
A. Application for out-of-city water service shall be governed by Chapter 13.12 PTMC.
B. Outside the city limits, if a trailer, mobile home or similar structure is moved upon property on which there is already a house or other structure being served by city water service, and the same is to be used as a permanent residence and is not physically connected to the existing house or other structure, then such trailer, mobile home or similar structure will require a separate service and meter.
C. Outside the city limits, if a developer installs water mains, service lines and meter boxes, he or she will be charged the fees and charges identified by council resolution.
D. All water service in out-of-city service areas shall comply with this code and the engineering design standards. (Ord. 3051 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.040 Service connections – Specific requirements.
A. Installation of Service Connections. All water service connections shall be made by the department, except as approved by the director for projects which are not on live water lines.
B. All Services to be Metered. All service connections to the city water system shall be metered and all premises shall be separately metered.
C. Connection to Transmission Lines Prohibited. No service connections shall be made to transmission lines unless approved in writing by the director.
D. Payment for Service Connections. Initial service connections shall be installed at the expense of the property owner.
E. Connections to Main Required – Exceptions. Each served premises must have a separate connection to a main except as approved by the director in the following instances:
1. Where separate connection is impossible or impractical.
2. Adjacent residential or commercial premises services may share a common connection to the main.
F. Replacement of Buildings. When buildings are replaced by new buildings, the existing water service connection may be used unless determined by the director to be unacceptable, in which case the customer shall be required to install a new water service connection and applicant shall pay installation charges and the difference in system development charges in the case of upsizing. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.050 Main extension, main replacement and other system improvements required.
A water main extension, main replacement and/or other system improvements may be required as further set forth in Chapter 13.14 PTMC. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.060 Service connection sizing.
A. Sizing. The size of service connection and the main to the premises served shall be determined based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (as adopted by the city in Chapter 16.04 PTMC) and the engineering design standards manual, using the information supplied in the application for service described in PTMC 13.13.020.
B. Oversizing. The city may require oversizing of any service connection to improve service to the customer; however, SDCs and base rates will be assessed in accordance with Chapters 13.03 and 13.05 PTMC.
C. Change in Use. A change of use that increases water use may require a larger tap size and a new service connection, unless the existing service is adequate for the changed use, as determined by the director. If a new tap and service connection is required, fees and charges shall be paid as set forth in Chapters 13.03 and 13.05 PTMC and council resolution.
D. Downsizing. Upon payment of required fees and charges identified by council resolution, the city will reduce the charges for a customer who makes an application and receives approval for a downsizing of their meter effective the date payment is made. (Ord. 3051 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.070 Other requirements.
A. Booster Pumps Allowed. In instances where water pressure is insufficient because of the elevation of the premises, a booster pump may be used; provided, that the applicant pays for the booster pump and all installation and maintenance costs. See Chapter 13.11 PTMC for city liability limitations.
B. Pressure Reducing Valves. The city may recommend a customer to install a pressure reducing valve because of high pressures in the city water system or in certain high pressure areas the city may require pressure reducing valves. It shall be the property owner’s sole responsibility to install, own and maintain such devices. See Chapter 13.11 PTMC for city liability limits.
C. Cross-Connection. Cross-connection control requirements may apply to the service connection per Chapter 13.17 PTMC and the engineering design standards manual. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.080 City and customer responsibilities.
A. City Responsibility. The city shall own all water mains, service connections and appurtenances in public streets or utility rights-of-way or easements to the property owner’s side of the water meter. The person responsible for construction of such utility lines shall relinquish all interest in the ownership of such lines upon acceptance by the city.
B. Customer Responsibility. The ownership and responsibility for the maintenance of individual service pipe extensions from the meter to the premises served shall be that of the owner of the premises served and the city shall not be liable for any part thereof. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.090 Use of the service.
The service shall be considered to be “in-use” when the meter is placed by city crews and connection made to the meter. Monthly billings for water service shall begin when the service is considered to be “in-use”. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.100 Lawn sprinkler specifications.
Lawn sprinklers shall comply with the cross-connection requirements of the engineering design standards manual and the cross-connection requirements of Chapter 13.17 PTMC. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.110 Fire protection service.
A. A water service connection to be used solely for fire protection purposes may be installed, servicing any premises, subject to the provisions of this section.
B. Fire protection systems shall be provided in accordance with I.S.O. Guidelines.
C. For private fire protection systems, in areas outside the city limits, the city will specify the hydraulic capacity and flow capability of its distribution system under specified flow and demand conditions at the request of the customer. It is the customer’s responsibility to evaluate private fire protection requirements and to verify the adequacy of the city’s water system to meet those requirements.
D. A plan of the proposed required fire protection system showing the general installation detail shall be required and shall be approved by the director and the fire marshal prior to construction.
E. Sprinkler service of more than one premises by a fire service shall not be permitted.
F. Fire protection systems shall be installed and maintained by the customer in a manner approved by the department, and the system shall contain an approved, tested backflow prevention device.
G. Fire protection systems shall be installed with a detector check meter of a size and type approved by the department.
H. Indication of unauthorized use of water through a detector check meter more than once per calendar year shall be cause for installation of a fire line meter at the expense of the customer.
I. Fire protection systems shall comply with the cross-connection requirements of the engineering design standards manual and Chapter 13.17 PTMC. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.120 Temporary connections for construction and other uses.
A. Application – Conditions. Water service may be supplied to a premises on a temporary basis. Application for temporary service shall only be approved upon payment of all fees and deposits required by council resolution. The application shall state fully the purposes for which water is desired, the circumstances which require service by temporary means, and the duration for which temporary service is necessary. All costs necessary to install and remove the temporary service shall be paid by the applicant.
B. Payment – Delinquent Charges. All water for building and construction purposes shall be charged at the rate set forth by council resolution. All water use shall be charged against the property owner, and all delinquent and unpaid charges shall become a lien upon the premises supplied, and shall be collected in the same manner as other delinquent and unpaid charges for water. (Ord. 3051 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).
13.13.130 Transfer of water taps not allowed.
No transfer of water taps is allowed from an existing premises to another premises; in other words, water taps stay with the premises. (Ord. 2579 § 1, 1997).