[Amended 6-25-2008 by Ord. No. 06-2008; 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 20-2010; 2-23-2011 by Ord. No. 03-2011]
A.
Each unit shall be charged for water use in accordance with the schedule in Chapter 168, Article II.
(1)
A "unit" shall mean a single-family residence, an
apartment, a rented room with private bath facilities, a school or
any building receiving water service not included in the above definition.
(2)
Where there is more than one unit for one water meter,
the applicable rate per unit shall be determined by dividing the total
metered quarterly consumption by the number of units.
B.
Second meters. All second meters shall be installed
at the expense of the property owner and used for outside watering
only, including but not limited to sprinkling systems, filling swimming
pools, washing cars, etc., and shall be charged at normal rates with
the following exception: During the regular quarterly reading, any
second meter with a zero consumption between the previous and the
current readings, shall not be charged a fee or minimum charge for
the quarter.
A.
The owner of any house, tenement, building or lot
shall be liable for the payment of the price, rent or service charge
as heretofore or hereafter fixed by ordinance or ordinances of the
Borough for the use of water facilities by such owner or by the occupier,
and the price or rent so fixed and the other costs, expenses, interest
and penalties shall be a lien upon the house, tenement, building or
lot until paid and satisfied.
B.
Additional charges for unpaid bills.
(1)
In addition, should the water and/or sewer charges
remain unpaid for 30 days after bills for the same have been rendered,
there shall be added to such charges, as interest, a sum equal to
8% per annum on the first $1,500 and 18% per annum on any amount in
excess of $1,500, the amounts to be calculated from the date the water
and/or sewer charges were payable until the date of actual payment.
(2)
In addition, should the water and/or sewer charges
remain unpaid for 30 days after bills for the same have been rendered,
the water may be shut off for the premises until all arrears, together
with interest, have been paid in full.
C.
The Water Department shall assess an estimated quarterly charge to
the owner of any house, tenement, building or lot in the event that:
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
D.
The assessment herein prescribed estimated quarterly charge shall
be based upon the water usage of the corresponding quarter of the
year preceding the imposition of the estimated quarterly charge.
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2019]
E.
All ratepayers shall be notified of an estimated bill, or any change
in the normal billing procedures, in writing, on their quarterly billing
statement.
[Added 12-18-2019 by Ord.
No. 19-2019]
F.
Any change in normal billing procedure, such as the issuance of an
estimated quarterly bill, shall be presented to the Mayor and Council
by the Business Administrator for review regarding the reason and
necessity for the change to the billing procedure in any billing quarter
where this may occur.
[Added 12-18-2019 by Ord.
No. 19-2019]
All stock meters 5/8 inch in size shall be furnished
by the Borough at its cost to the property owner. All additional meters
shall be furnished by the Borough, and charged to the property owner
at its cost plus 10%.
It shall be the duty of the owner of each property
having a service pipe connection with the water main, upon notice
being mailed to the last known address of such owner by the Superintendent
of the Water Department, to cause suitable water connections to be
made forthwith. The meters shall be placed within the building or
otherwise enclosed in a place convenient for reading and inspection,
shall be protected from damage by frost or other cause and shall be
kept free from obstruction. The connection shall be made in accordance
with the regulations of the Water Department, and a hard stop will
be constructed on each side of the meter. All openings in the service
pipe shall be on the outlet side of the meter. Should any owner refuse
or neglect to have such meter connections made within 10 days after
the mailing of the notice aforesaid or should he neglect or refuse
to comply with the terms of this article, the Borough may refuse to
sell and deliver water to such owner until the provisions of this
section shall have been complied with, and the water may be turned
off from the premises.
The Superintendent of the Water Department and
his authorized employees shall have free and clear access at all reasonable
hours to all meters for the purpose of reading, removing, repairing,
testing and for any other lawful purpose.
The owner of the property within which any meter
may be located shall be liable for any damage done or resulting to
such meter, except for damage done by employees of the Water Department.
In the event that the owner should refuse or neglect to pay such damage,
the water may be shut off from the premises and not supplied until
such damage shall be paid. Such damaged meter shall be repaired by
the Water Department at the expense of the owners aforesaid. The cost
of such repair shall be collected in the same manner as the water
rent.
It shall be the duty of each property owner
to keep in good repair and condition the street curb box and stopcock.
Upon notice being mailed to the last known address of any owner by
the Superintendent of the Water Department, such property owner shall
forthwith make such repairs, resetting, raising or lowering of the
street curb box and stopcocks as may be necessary under the direction
of the Water Department. Upon the refusal or neglect of any such owner
to comply with the requirements of this section within 30 days after
mailing of the notice aforesaid, the Superintendent of the Water Department
may cause the same to be done, and the cost of the work so done and
of the material furnished shall be charged against the property upon
which work was done and shall remain a lien and be collected in the
same manner as the water rent, provided that where street or sidewalk
grades or lines shall be changed after the water connection shall
have been made, the expense of the first resetting shall be borne
by the Borough.
Only employees of the Water Department shall
make repairs on meters. Plumbers shall set and remove meters at the
property owner's expense after first obtaining written permission
from the Superintendent of the Water Department.
When any property shall be vacated between November 1 of any year and March 1 of the following year, the owner thereof shall give at least 24 hours' notice of the vacating of such premises to the Superintendent of the Water Department in order that the water may be turned off at the street curb, and upon the reoccupancy of such premises, the owner shall give at least 24 hours' notice thereof to the Superintendent in order that the water may be turned on; and for this service, when done by the Water Department, the owner of the premises shall pay such fee as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, to be collected in the same manner as the water rent.
The Superintendent of the Water Department may
from time to time make reasonable regulations with respect to water
sprinkling when the supply of water is or may become insufficient
for domestic household use and, to enforce such regulations, may shut
off water on the property when the occupant may refuse or neglect
to comply therewith.
No person other than the Superintendent of the
Water Department, or some person duly authorized by him or the Borough
Council, shall be allowed to shut off or turn on the water in the
public mains or to open the stopcocks which are under control of the
Water Department, and all plumbers or persons engaged in making attachments
thereto must leave the stopcocks closed until permission shall be
granted by the Superintendent of the Water Department. The ferrule
in the public main, the pipe, curb boxes, stopcock and the box attached
thereto, and all like fixtures between the public main and the private
pipes and fixtures, either on public or private property, shall be
under the charge and subject to the directions of the Superintendent
of the Water Department and shall be kept in good repair and condition
at the expense of the owner or owners of the premises supplied, the
expense to be collected in the same manner as the water rent.
No person except the Superintendent of the Water
Department or other person authorized by him or the Borough Council
shall open or close the stopcocks or valves in any public or private
street main.
The Superintendent of the Water Department or
other persons authorized by him or by the Borough Council shall, at
all reasonable hours, have free and clear access to all parts of the
premises to which water may be supplied for the purpose of inspection,
examination of fixtures and for any other lawful purpose, and no person
shall resist or refuse such free access to the Superintendent of the
Water Department or other persons authorized by him or by the Borough
Council.
All permits shall be granted upon the express
condition that, if from any cause the supply of water shall fail,
the Borough shall not be held liable for any damage that may arise
in consequence thereof.
All persons who may be supplied with water from
any of the Borough mains shall keep their own service pipes, curb
boxes, stopcocks and apparatus in good condition and repair and shall
protect them from frost at their own expense and shall prevent all
unnecessary waste of water.
The Borough shall in no way be liable for damage
resulting by reason of the breakage of any service pipe, stopcock
or other fixtures or for damages arising from shutting off water to
repair mains and make private connection with the same; provided,
however, that reasonable notice shall be given to persons using water
for steam purposes.
In all cases where water shall be turned off
for nonpayment of rent or for the violation of any provisions of this
article or any of the rules and regulations relating to the use of
water, it shall not be turned on again until all expenses incident
to the turning off and turning on of the water, together with rent
and interest thereon, or the fine which may be imposed shall be paid,
and should the water be unlawfully turned on again without payment
as herein provided, it shall be lawful for the Superintendent of the
Water Department, the Borough Administrator or the Borough Council
to cause the ferrule to be drawn, and it shall not be inserted again
until all the arrears of rent or fines and penalties and all expenses
in connection with the nonpayment or violation shall be paid.
In every case where the water shall be turned off for nonpayment of water rent or for violation of any of the provisions of this article or rules or regulations of the Water Department, such sum as is provided in Chapter 168, Article II, shall become due and payable as an expense in addition to other expenses herein provided for and shall be paid before the water shall be turned on again.
It shall be unlawful for any person to open
or close any of the stopcocks or valves under the charge of the Water
Department without being duly authorized by the Superintendent of
the Water Department or his designee.
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit
the water to flow unnecessarily from the part of the private pipe
or fixtures thereof, or permit any waste of water on his or her premises
or on the premises occupied by him or her, either within the building
or enclosures, or any street or alley.
In the event that the Superintendent of the
Water Department, the Borough Administrator, or the Borough Council
shall have reason to believe that there is actual or probable violation,
evasion or disregard of the provisions of this article or of any of
the rules and regulations relating to the distribution of water to
any building or premises into or through which pipes for conducting
a supply of water may be laid, it shall and may be lawful for the
Superintendent of the Water Department or other persons duly authorized
by him or the Borough Council to enter at all reasonable times such
building or premises for the purpose of examination of the pipes of
conduit or other fixtures to ascertain whether the same are in proper
condition and repair or for cutting off pipes of communication or
for shutting off the stopcocks or attaching ferrules when water rent
remains unpaid as aforesaid. It shall be unlawful for any person to
resist or oppose the making of such examinations as hereinabove set
forth or the doing of such work as hereinabove set forth.
A.
Where a service pipe has been laid on a premises,
water shall not be taken therefrom to supply any other premises, notwithstanding
that the ownership of both may be in one and the same person.
B.
The Borough Council may, if it deems advisable, upon
application, make appropriate provisions for supplying water to property
in front of which no main exists.
No person shall be allowed to attach to, alter
or extend any service pipe or make any alterations in any corporation
cock or curb box, or do any other work for the purpose of increasing
the facilities for obtaining water, except upon first securing a permit
therefor from the Superintendent of the Water Department the Borough
Administrator, or from the Borough Council.
No person, except firemen in the discharge of
their duties or other person lawfully authorized to do so, shall open
or in any other manner interfere with any fire hydrant.
Water taps will be made by authorized persons of the Water Department or, at the discretion of the Water Department, by a licensed plumber authorized in writing to make the tap. The fee for all water taps will be as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, for up to a one-inch water tap. In addition, an administrative fee as provided in Chapter 168, Article II, will be charged for inspection purposes, if the tap is not made by the Water Department. In all cases, the property owner shall provide all necessary street work.
Any person(s) who is found to be in violation
of any provision of this article shall be subject to a fine not to
exceed $1,500.
