[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of
Grafton as Title 12, Ch. 12.04, of the 1979 Code. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
The water and sewer utilities of the Village are combined into
one public utility pursuant to § 66.0819, Wis. Stats.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
The operation of the Village water and sanitary sewer system
shall be under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Works subject
to the final authority of the Village Board.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
The Utility Director is responsible for administration, supervision
and general management of the Water and Wastewater Utility operation.
[Amended by Ord. No. 011, Series 2005; Ord. No.
028, Series 2005]
A.
Water service maintenance. The property owner is fully responsible
for any and all maintenance, repair and/or replacement of water service
piping from the home or building to the property line or point of
connection with the curb stop or shutoff valve. The Water Utility
owns the curb stop and water service piping in the public right-of-way.
The Utility is responsible for the maintenance, repair and/or replacement
of the curb stop including repair of water service breaks and leakage
between the curb stop and the point of connection with the public
water main. The Water Utility also owns the water meter and the initial
shutoff valve inside the building. The Utility is responsible for
the maintenance, repair and replacement of the water meter and meter
valve as deemed necessary by the Utility.
B.
Sewer lateral maintenance. The property owner is fully responsible
for any and all maintenance, repair and/or replacement of sewer lateral
piping from the home or building to the point of connection with the
public sewer main. In cases where sewer lateral replacement work involves
a street opening and pavement replacement in the public right-of-way,
the Utility will reimburse the homeowner for excess costs relative
to public right-of-way and pavement restoration costs. The excess
cost subsidy amount will be capped at an equivalent cost as determined
and updated annually by the Village Engineer.
C.
Service laterals replacement relative to water and sewer main construction.
Whenever the Village undertakes water and sewer main replacement construction
projects it shall be the policy of the Village and its Water/Wastewater
Utility to replace all existing water and sewer service laterals from
the property line to the point of connection with the public main.
The cost of this service lateral replacement work shall be borne by
the Water/Wastewater Utility. If it becomes necessary for a property
owner to replace his water and/or sewer lateral prior to when a planned
replacement project is undertaken, the Village will reimburse the
property owner for the cost of the service lateral replacement from
the main to the property line as determined on a unit basis and per
actual bidding and contract award. This retroactive reimbursement
is limited to three years from the date of the actual service lateral
replacement by the property owner to the date of utilities replacement
contract award by the Village.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1.01,
Code Adoption)]
Any person who, without authority of the Utility Director, allows
contractors, masons or other unauthorized persons to take water from
his 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 wantonly injures or impairs
the same, shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit not less than $100
for a first offense, $200 for a second offense and $500 for a third
or successive offenses, together with the costs of prosecution, and
in default of payment of such forfeiture and costs of prosecution,
shall be imprisoned in the county jail until said forfeiture and costs
are paid, but not exceeding 60 days. Owners or operators of motor
vehicles shall be liable for the cost of repair of any hydrant damaged
by being hit by such motor vehicle, and the Water and Wastewater Utility
will not be responsible for the damage to the motor vehicle by reason
of such accident.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
A.
Service connection specifications. Service connections or water laterals
shall be installed in accordance with the rules and regulations of
the Village of Grafton.
B.
Tapping mains. No person shall be permitted to tap or make any connection
with any street main or distribution pipe unless authorized by the
Utility Director.
A.
Establishing rates. All water sold or furnished by the Water Utility
shall be paid for at the rates and charges approved by the Wisconsin
Public Service Commission.
B.
Delinquent bills to be lien on premises. Customers whose water bills
are in arrears on October 15 of any year shall be notified of such
delinquency by the Village Director of Administrative Services in
accordance with the provisions of § 66.0809(3), Wis. Stats.,
and delinquencies remaining on November 15, together with any penalty
imposed, shall be levied as a tax against the lot or parcel to which
water was furnished as provided in § 66.0809(3), Wis. Stats.
C.
Building and construction service. Metered service rates shall apply
to building and construction service.
A.
Public fire protection service. The Village shall pay $200 and $10,000
annually to cover the use of mains and hydrants. This service shall
include the use of hydrants for public fire protection service only
and such quantities of water as may be demanded for the purpose of
extinguishing fires within the Village limits only. For all other
purposes, the metered or other rates set forth shall apply.
[Amended by Ord. No. 008, Series 2003]
B.
General public service. Water service supplied to Village buildings,
schools, etc., shall be metered and the regular service rates applied.
Water used for flushing sewers, street sprinkling, flooding skating
rinks, etc., shall be metered where meters can be set to measure the
service. Where it is impossible to measure such service, the Water
and Wastewater Utility shall estimate the gallons of water used, based
on the pressure, size of opening and period of time water is allowed
to flow. The estimated quantity shall be billed at the rates and charges
established by the Water Utility and approved by the Wisconsin Public
Service Commission.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1.01, Code
Adoption)]
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1.01,
Code Adoption)]
Until further direction of the Village Board, the Utility shall
introduce approximately one to 1 1/2 parts of fluoride to every
million parts of water being distributed in the water supply system
of the Village.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
A.
Repairs to water mains. The Water and Wastewater Utility reserves
the right to shut off the water in the mains temporarily to make repairs,
alterations or additions to the plant or system. When circumstances,
in the opinion of the Utility Director, will cause excessive delay,
he shall give notification by newspaper publication or otherwise of
the discontinuance of the supply.
B.
Regulation during emergency. The Village President is authorized
to declare a water emergency whenever in his opinion the Water and
Wastewater Utility shall have an inadequate water supply to meet the
needs and requirements of the users of said water. Said emergency
may be declared by proclamation, and when circumstances in the opinion
of the President will permit sufficient delay, he shall give notification
by newspaper publication or posting or otherwise on the restrictions
of the supply. During the period of such emergency, the Village President
may place such restrictions and limitations upon the use of water
being furnished as he may deem necessary. He may suspend the use of
water fountains, sprinkling of streets, yards, gardens, watering or
washing buildings, cars or other implements, use of water in air-conditioning
units or any other use of water not vital to the health and welfare
of the consumer.
A.
General policy. The Board of Public Works shall determine when water
mains are to be extended for new customers and whether the extension
shall be an eight-inch or larger pipe where fire protection service
is needed or a two-inch pipe or larger where only general service
is needed. No main shall be extended outside the limits of the service
needed. No main shall be extended nor service provided outside the
limits of the Village except to a municipality that has a public water
system and by ordinance of the Village Board designating the exact
limits of such extension or service. All such extensions shall be
commemorated by a written water service agreement between the Village
and the benefiting municipality.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003; Ord. No.
001, Series 2006]
B.
Assessment of cost of extension. The Village Board shall determine whether the extension cost is to be immediately assessed against abutting property, as provided in Chapter 3.36 of the Code, or is to be extended on a customer-financed basis as hereinafter provided.
C.
Customer-financed water main extensions.
1.
CONTRIBUTOR
CUSTOMER
Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
The owner of property at time of a contribution or refund
unless otherwise specified by written agreement.
As used in this rule means the owner of premises to which
water is or is to be furnished unless specific written agreements
specify otherwise. The customer at all times means the property owner
at the time a contribution is to be made or a refund becomes available.
2.
Basis for determining contributions from original customer.
The applicant or applicants will advance the amount that would have
been assessed under Subsection C.1 of this section. The contribution
must be paid in advance of construction.
3.
Additional customers and refunds. When additional customers
are connected to a water main that was originally financed in part
by customers, the Utility will require a contribution from each new
customer equal to the existing average contribution. When the amount
of customer contribution computed under Subsection C.2 of this section
is less than would have been assessed under Subsection C.1 of this
section, the applicant for service shall pay an amount equivalent
to the assessment. This amount shall then be refunded pro rata to
all contributors along the extension whose remaining contribution
still exceeds what would have been assessed under Subsection C.1 of
this section.
When refunds have reduced the contribution of any contributor
to the applicable assessment per front foot, no further refund will
be made to that individual. After all refunds have been made, the
remaining premises that may connect will be charged at the rate per
front foot established for the extension.
4.
Limit of extension. When an extension beyond an existing extension
is required to serve a new customer, and the cost of a customer exceeds
the average remaining contribution in the original extension, then
the new extension will be considered as an entirely new project, without
refunds or other connection with the original extension.
D.
Connection to Utility-financed mains or loops. When customers connect
to a transmission main or connecting loop laid at Utility expense,
there shall be assessed against the property of said customer on a
front-foot basis an amount equal to the average front-foot assessment
in the area.
E.
Limitation of refunds. The development period during which refunds
shall be made will be limited to 20 years.
A.
Sewer service charges. Contributors of sewerage to the Village sewerage
system shall pay such service charges as shall be established by the
Village Board.
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
B.
Billings and payment.
1.
Sewer charges are billed quarterly and included on the same
statement used for billing of water charges. Payment is due on the
20th of the month following the date of billing. A one-time three-percent
penalty is applied if payment is not received by the due date.
2.
Delinquent charges to be placed on tax roll. All bills not paid
by November 15 shall be placed on the current tax roll in the same
manner as unpaid water bills for the corresponding periods.
A.
General policy. The cost of installing, constructing or laying of
all sanitary sewer mains and storm sewer mains shall be charged in
whole to each lot or part of lot or parcel of land to be benefited
thereby fronting or abutting upon such street, alley or highway or
cost by such sewer pursuant to § 66.0703, Wis. Stats., and
Titles 12 and 18 of the Code. Assessments on corner lots shall be
as determined by the Village Board. No main shall be extended nor
service provided outside the limits of the Village except to a municipality
that has a wastewater treatment plant and by ordinance of the Village
Board designating the exact limits of such extension or service. All
such extensions shall be commemorated by a written sewer service agreement
between the Village and the benefiting municipality.
[Amended by Ord. No. 002, Series 2006]
[Amended by Ord. No. 010, Series 2003]
If land to be benefited by a connection to the Village water
or sewer system has not been specifically assessed for water or sewer
main extension in the street abutting such property, for the reason
that the property to be so benefited was not within the corporate
limits of the Village at the time the assessment was levied for such
water or sewer main extensions, the owner thereof shall, prior to
annexation, pay a connection fee to the Village in an amount equal
to the amount which the property would have been assessed for such
service had the connection been made to the Village water or sewer
system when the mains were laid, together with interest thereon at
an applicable rate as determined by the Village Director of Administrative
Services from such date to the date of payment. The estimate of the
Village Engineer as to the cost of such sewer and water service shall
be binding on all parties.
Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter or any order, rule or regulation made hereunder shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1.08, General Penalty, of the Code of the Village of Grafton.
