[Adopted 1-8-1988 as Secs. 5-1-20 to 5-1-51 of the 1988
Code; amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code (see Ch.
1, General Provisions, Art. II)[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This article was amended to reflect the provisions
of Public Service Commission Schedule Nos. X-1, X-2 and X-3, effective
6-3-2002
The rate schedules for the Siren Municipal Water Utility, as
approved by the Public Service Commission and as they may be amended,
are on file in the office of the Village Clerk-Treasurer, including
but not limited to the following:
A.
Schedule
No. F-1, Public Fire Protection Service.
B.
Schedule
No. Upf-1, Private Fire Protection Service - Unmetered.
C.
Schedule
No. Mg-1, General Service - Metered.
D.
Schedule
No. Mg-2, General Service - Suburban.
E.
Schedule
No. Mpa-1, Public Service.
F.
Schedule
No. NSF-1, Non-Sufficient Funds Charge.
G.
Schedule
No. Ug-1, General Water Service - Unmetered.
H.
Schedule
No. Mgt-1, Seasonal, Emergency, or Temporary Service.
I.
Schedule
No. Mz-1, Building and Construction Water Service.
J.
Schedule
No. BW-1, Bulk Water.
K.
Schedule
No. R-1, Reconnection Charges.
L.
Schedule
No. Cz-1, Water Lateral Installation Charge.
All persons now receiving water service from
this Water Utility, or who may request service in the future, shall
be considered as having agreed to be bound by the rules and regulations
as filed with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
A.
Application for water service may be made in writing
on a form furnished by the Water Utility. The application will contain
the legal description of the property to be served, the name of the
owner, the exact use to be made of the service, and the size of the
service lateral and meter desired. Note particularly any special refrigeration,
fire protection, or water-consuming air-conditioning equipment.
B.
Service will be furnished only if:
(1)
The
premises has a frontage on a properly platted street or public strip
in which a cast-iron or other long-life water main has been laid or
where the property owner has agreed to and complied with the provisions
of the Water Utility's filed main extension rule;
(2)
The
property owner has installed or agrees to install a service lateral
from the curb stop to the point of use that is not less than six feet
below the surface of an established or proposed grade and meets the
Water Utility's specifications; and
(3)
The
premises has adequate piping beyond the metering point.
C.
The owner of a multiunit dwelling has the option of
being served by individual metered water service to each unit. The
owner, by selecting this option, is required to provide interior plumbing
and meter settings to enable individual metered service to each unit
and individual disconnection without affecting service to other units.
Each meter and meter connection will be treated as a separate Water
Utility account for the purpose of the filed rules and regulations.
D.
No division of the water service lateral to any lot
or parcel of land shall be made for the extension and independent
metering of the supply to an adjoining lot or parcel of land. Except
for duplexes, no division of a water service lateral shall be made
at the curb for separate supplies for two or more separate premises
having frontage on any street or public service strip, whether owned
by the same or different parties. Duplexes may be served by one lateral,
provided that individual metered service and disconnection are provided
and it is permitted by local ordinance.
E.
Buildings used in the same business, located on the
same parcel, and served by a single lateral may have the customer's
water supply piping installed to a central point so that volume can
be metered in one place.
F.
The Water Utility may withhold approval of any application
where full information of the purpose of such supply is not clearly
indicated and set forth by the applicant property owner.
A.
Where the Water Utility has disconnected service at
the customer's request, a reconnection charge shall be made when the
customer requests reconnection of service. See Schedule R-1 for the
applicable rate.
B.
A reconnection charge shall also be required from
customers whose services are disconnected (shut off at curb stop box)
because of nonpayment of bills when due. See Schedule R-1 for the
applicable rate.
C.
If reconnection is requested for the same location
by any member of the same household or, if a place of business, by
any partner of the same business, it shall be considered as the same
customer.
An applicant for temporary water service on
a metered basis shall make and maintain a monetary deposit for each
meter installed as security for payment for use of water and for such
other charges which may arise from the use of the supply. A charge
shall be made for setting the valve and furnishing and setting the
meter. See Schedule BW-1 for the applicable rate.
A.
When water is requested for construction purposes
or for filling tanks or other such uses, an application shall be made
to the Water Utility, in writing, giving a statement of the amount
of construction work to be done or the size of the tank to be filled,
etc. Payment for the water for construction may be required in advance
at the scheduled rates. The service lateral must be installed into
the building before water can be used. No connection with the service
lateral at the curb shall be made without special permission from
the Water Utility. In no case will any employee of the Water Utility
turn on water for construction work unless the contractor has obtained
permission from the Water Utility.
B.
Customers shall not allow contractors, masons, or
other persons to take unmetered water from their premises without
permission from the Water Utility. Any customer failing to comply
with this provision may have water service discontinued and will be
responsible for the cost of the estimated volume of water used.
A.
In cases where no other supply is available, permission
may be granted by the Water Utility to use a hydrant. No hydrant shall
be used until the proper meter and valve are installed. In no case
shall any valve be installed or moved except by an employee of the
Water Utility.
B.
Before a valve is set, payment must be made for its
setting and for the water to be used at the scheduled rates. Where
applicable, see Schedule BW-1 for deposits and charges. Upon completing
the use of the hydrant, the customer must notify the Water Utility
to that effect.
Any person who shall, without authority of the
Water Utility, allow contractors, masons, or other unauthorized persons
to take water from their premises, operate any valve connected with
the street or supply mains, or open any fire hydrant connected with
the distribution system, except for the purpose of extinguishing fire,
or who shall wantonly damage or impair the same, shall be subject
to a fine as provided by municipal ordinance. Utility permission for
the use of hydrants applies only to such hydrants that are designated
for the specific use.
All money deposited as security for payment
of charges arising from the use of temporary water service on a metered
basis, or for the return of a hydrant valve and fixtures if the water
is used on an unmetered basis, will be refunded to the depositor on
the termination of the use of water, the payment of all charges levied
against the depositor, and the return of the Water Utility's equipment.
A.
No water service lateral shall be laid through any
trench having cinders, rubbish, rock or gravel fill, or any other
material which may cause injury to or disintegration of the service
lateral, unless adequate means of protection are provided by sand
filling or such other insulation as may be approved by the Water Utility.
Service laterals passing through curb or retaining walls shall be
adequately safeguarded by provision of a channel space or pipe casing
not less than twice the diameter of the service connection. The space
between the service lateral and the channel or pipe casing shall be
filled and lightly caulked with an oakum, mastic cement, or other
resilient material and made impervious to moisture.
B.
In backfilling the pipe trench, the service lateral
must be protected against injury by carefully hand tamping the ground
filling around the pipe. There should be at least six inches of ground
filling over the pipe, and it should be free from hard lumps, rocks,
stones, or other injurious material.
C.
All water service laterals shall be of undiminished
size from the street main into the point of meter placement. Beyond
the meter outlet valve, the piping shall be sized and proportioned
to provide, on all floors, at all times, an equitable distribution
of the water supply for the greatest probable number of fixtures or
appliances operating simultaneously.
A.
The service lateral from the main to and through the
curb stop will be maintained and kept in repair and, when worn out,
replaced at the expense of the Water Utility. The property owner shall
maintain the service lateral from the curb stop to the point of use.
B.
If an owner fails to repair a leaking or broken service
lateral from the curb to the point of metering or use within such
time as may appear reasonable to the Water Utility after notification
has been served on the owner by the Water Utility, the water will
be shut off and will not be turned on again until the repairs have
been completed.
If a property owner changes the use of a property
currently receiving water service such that water service will no
longer be needed in the future, the Water Utility may require the
abandonment of the water service at the water main. In such case,
the property owner may be responsible for all removal and/or repair
costs, including the water main and the Utility portion of the water
service lateral.
See § PSC 185.35, Wis. Adm. Code.
See § PSC 185.88, Wis. Adm. Code.
The curb stop box is the property of the Water
Utility. The Water Utility is responsible for its repair and maintenance.
This includes maintaining, through adjustment, the curb stop box at
an appropriate grade level where no direct action by the property
owner or occupant has contributed to an elevation problem. The property
owner is responsible for protecting the curb stop box from situations
that could obstruct access to it or unduly expose it to harm. The
Water Utility shall not be liable for failure to locate the curb stop
box and shut off the water in case of a leak on the owner's premises.
Meters will be owned, furnished, and installed
by the Water Utility or a Utility-approved contractor and are not
to be disconnected or tampered with by the customer. All meters shall
be so located that they shall be protected from obstructions and permit
ready access for reading, inspection, and servicing, such location
to be designated or approved by the Water Utility. All piping within
the building must be supplied by the owner. Where additional meters
are desired by the owner, the owner shall pay for all piping. Where
applicable, see Schedule Am-1 for rates.
A.
Meters will be repaired by the Water Utility, and
the cost of such repairs caused by ordinary wear and tear will be
borne by the Water Utility.
B.
Repair of any damage to a meter resulting from the
carelessness of the owner of the premises, owner's agent, or tenant,
or from the negligence of any one of them to properly secure and protect
the same, including any damage that may result from allowing a water
meter to become frozen or to be damaged from the presence of hot water
or steam in the meter, shall be paid for by the customer or the owner
of the premises.
Where the original service piping is installed
for a new metered customer, where existing service piping is changed
for the customer's convenience, or where a new meter is installed
for an existing unmetered customer, the owner of the premises at his/her
expense shall provide a suitable location and the proper connections
for the meter. The meter setting and associated plumbing shall comply
with the Water Utility's standards. The Water Utility should be consulted
as to the type and size of the meter setting.
The water may only be turned on for a customer
by an authorized employee of the Water Utility. Plumbers may turn
the water on to test their work but upon completion must leave the
water turned off.
A.
Where the Water Utility is unable to read a meter,
the fact will be plainly indicated on the bill, and either an estimated
bill will be computed or the minimum charge applied. The difference
shall be adjusted when the meter is again read, that is, the bill
for the succeeding billing period will be computed with the gallons
or cubic feet in each block of the rate schedule doubled, and credit
will be given on that bill for the amount of the bill paid the preceding
period. Only in unusual cases shall more than three consecutive estimated
or minimum bills be rendered.
B.
If the meter is damaged (see § 520-30, Surreptitious use of water) or fails to operate, the bill will be based on the average use during the past year, unless there is some reason why the use is not normal. If the average use cannot be properly determined, the bill will be estimated by some equitable method.
C.
See § PSC 185.33, Wis. Adm. Code.
See § PSC 185.77, Wis. Adm. Code.
During reasonable hours, any officer or authorized
employee of the Water Utility shall have the right of access to the
premises supplied with service for the purpose of inspection or for
the enforcement of the Water Utility's rules and regulations. Whenever
appropriate, the Water Utility will make a systematic inspection of
all unmetered water taps for the purpose of checking waste and unnecessary
use of water. See § 196.171, Wis. Stats.
When premises are to be vacated, the Water Utility shall be notified, in writing, at once, so that it may remove the meter and shut off the water supply at the curb stop. The owner of the premises shall be liable for prosecution for any damage to the Water Utility's property. See § 520-12, Abandonment of service, for further information.
See § PSC 185.36, Wis. Adm. Code.
See § PSC 185.361, Wis. Adm. Code.
See § PSC 185.38, Wis. Adm. Code.
See § PSC 185.39, Wis. Adm. Code.
An amount owed by the customer may be levied
as a tax as provided in § 66.0809, Wis. Stats.
A.
When the Water Utility has reasonable evidence that
a person is obtaining water, in whole or in part, by means of devices
or methods used to stop or interfere with the proper metering of the
Water Utility service being delivered, the Water Utility reserves
the right to estimate and present immediately a bill for unmetered
service as a result of such interference, and such bill shall be payable
subject to a twenty-four-hour disconnection of service. If the Water
Utility disconnects the service for any such reason, the Water Utility
will reconnect the service upon the following conditions:
(1)
The customer will be required to deposit with the
Water Utility an amount sufficient to guarantee the payment of the
bills for Water Utility service.
(2)
The customer will be required to pay the Water Utility
for any and all damages to Water Utility equipment resulting from
such interference with the metering.
(3)
The customer must further agree to comply with reasonable
requirements to protect the Water Utility against further losses.
B.
See §§ 98.26 and 943.20, Wis. Stats.
The Water Utility reserves the right to shut
off the water supply in the mains temporarily to make repairs, alterations,
or additions to the plant or system. When the circumstances will permit,
the Water Utility will give notification, by newspaper publication
or otherwise, of the discontinuance of the water supply. No credit
will be allowed to customers for such temporary suspension of the
water supply. See § PSC 185.87, Wis. Adm. Code.
It shall be the duty of the Water Utility to
see that all open ditches for water mains, hydrants, and service laterals
are properly guarded to prevent accident to any person or vehicle,
and at night there shall be displayed proper signal lighting to ensure
the safety of the public.
Contractors must call Diggers Hotline and ensure
a location is done to establish the existence and location of all
water mains and service laterals as provided in § 182.0175,
Wis. Stats. Where water mains or service laterals have been removed,
cut, or damaged during trench excavation, the contractors must, at
their own expense, cause them to be replaced or repaired at once.
Contractors must not shut off the water service laterals to any customer
for a period exceeding six hours.
A.
Protective devices in general. The owner or occupant
of every premises receiving water supply shall apply and maintain
suitable means of protection of the premises supply and all appliances
against damage arising in any manner from the use of the water supply,
variation of water pressure, or any interruption of water supply.
Particularly, such owner or occupant must protect water-cooled compressors
for refrigeration systems by means of high- and/or low-pressure safety
cutout devices. There shall likewise be provided means for the prevention
of the transmission of water ram or noise of operation of any valve
or appliance through the piping of his own or adjacent premises.
B.
Relief valves. On all closed systems (i.e., systems
having a check valve, pressure regulator, reducing valve, water filter,
or softener), an effective pressure-relief valve shall be installed
at or near the top of the hot-water tank or at the hot-water distribution
pipe connection to the tank. No stop valve shall be placed between
the hot-water tank and the relief valve or on the drainpipe. See applicable
plumbing codes.
C.
Air chambers. An air chamber or approved shock absorber
shall be installed at the terminus of each riser, fixture branch,
or hydraulic elevator main for the prevention of undue water hammer.
The air chamber shall be sized in conformance with local plumbing
codes. Where possible, the air chamber should be provided as its base
with a valve for water drainage and replenishment of air.
Every person owning or occupying a premises
receiving municipal water supply shall maintain such municipal water
supply free from any connection, either of a direct or of an indirect
nature, with a water supply from a foreign source or of any manner
of connection with any fixture or appliance whereby water from a foreign
supply or the waste from any fixture, appliance, or waste or soil
pipe may flow or be siphoned or pumped into the piping of the municipal
water system. See § NR 811.09, Wis. Adm. Code.
Water mains will be extended for new customers
on the following basis:
A.
Where the cost of the extension is to immediately
be collected through assessment by the municipality against the abutting
property, the procedure set forth under § 66.0703, Wis.
Stats., will apply, and no additional customer contribution to the
Utility will be required.
B.
Where the municipality is unwilling or unable to make
a special assessment, the extension will be made on a customer-financed
basis as follows:
(1)
The applicant(s) will advance as a contribution in aid of construction the total amount equivalent to that which would have been assessed for all property under Subsection A.
(2)
Part of the contribution required in Subsection B(1) will be refundable. When additional customers are connected to the extended main within 10 years of the date of completion, contributions in aid of construction will be collected equal to the amount which would have been assessed under Subsection A for the abutting property being served. This amount will be refunded to the original contributor(s). In no case will the contributions received from additional customers exceed the proportionate amount which would have been required under Subsection A, nor will they exceed the total assessable cost of the original extension.
A.
Application for installation of water mains in regularly
platted real estate development subdivisions shall be filed with the
Utility.
B.
If the developer, or a contractor employed by the
developer, is to install the water mains (with the approval of the
Utility), the developer shall be responsible for the total cost of
construction.
C.
If the Utility or its contractor is to install the
water mains, the developer shall be required to advance to the Utility,
prior to the beginning of the construction, the total estimated cost
of the extension. If the final costs exceed estimated costs, an additional
billing will be made for the balance of the cost due. This balance
is to be paid within 30 days. If final costs are less than estimated,
a refund of the overpayment will be made by the Water Utility.
