[Adopted 1-14-1980 by Ord. No. 5-79 as Title 5, Ch. 1, Art. B of the 1980 Code]
For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
CITY
The Council of the City of Taneytown or its duly authorized officers or agents.
[Amended 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99[1]]
CUSTOMER
The user of service receiving water at one household, apartment, house trailer or place of business.
MAIN
The City-owned piping and fixtures in or along public highways and streets, or along privately owned rights-of-way, used for the transmission or distribution of water to customers.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also amended all references to "corporation" in this article to "City."
A. 
All applications for water service must be made in writing.
B. 
No application for service will be accepted by the City until the applicant has paid, or made satisfactory arrangements to pay, all arrears and charges due by the applicant for water service used at any premises now or heretofore occupied by the applicant in the area served by the City.
C. 
The accepted application shall constitute a contract between the City and the applicant obligating the applicant to pay to the City its rates as established from time to time and to comply with the rules of the City.
D. 
Applicants for service installations will be accepted subject to there being an existing main in a right-of-way abutting on the premises to be served.
E. 
When a prospective customer has made application for a new service or has applied for the reinstatement of an existing service, it is assumed that the piping and fixtures on the applicant's premises are in good condition, and the City will not be liable in any case for any accidental breaks or leakage arising in any way in connection with the supply of water or failure to supply the same, or the freezing of water pipes or fixtures of the customer, nor for any damage to the property which may result from the usage or nonusage of water supplied to the premises.
[Amended 7-10-1989 by Ord. No. 5-89]
A. 
The owner will furnish and install, at the lot owner's sole expense, the following equipment: City stop, service pipe to the property line, curb stop and box. All such equipment shall be approved by the City prior to installation and by a licensed plumber who shall be approved by the City prior to any such work being performed.
B. 
Title to all services from main to property line is vested in and the same shall at all times remain the sole property of the City and shall not be trespassed upon or interfered with in any respect. This property shall be maintained by the City after completion of the work.
C. 
The service pipe from the property line to the building shall be installed at the expense of the owner of the premises. For this installation the owner or applicant shall employ a competent plumber to do the work. The minimum size and cover shall be the same as that used from the main to the property line. Materials and methods of construction shall be approved by the City, and if the service pipe has not been installed in accordance with the City's requirements, water will not be turned on until any defects have been remedied. The service pipes between the property line and the building and all piping and fixtures on or in the building of the owner or applicant shall be maintained by him or her and the work performed by a competent plumber in a manner satisfactory to the City.
D. 
All service pipes to the building shall have a minimum cover of three feet. Service pipe shall be "K" type copper tubing. All service pipes shall be at least three-fourths-inch inside diameter.
E. 
No service pipe shall be laid in the same trench with gas pipe, sewer pipe or any other facility of a public service company nor within three feet of any other excavation or fault.
F. 
Every service pipe must be provided with a stop and waste cock on the inside of the cellar or foundation wall adjacent to the location where the pipe passes through it, easily accessible and fully protected from freezing, and all pipes in the building must be laid in such a way that they can be fully drained by that waste cock.
All meters will be furnished by and remain the property of the City and shall be installed on the property at a location designated by the City on the delivery side of the curb cock. In the event that the customer desires any change in the location or position of the meter, meter box or vault, such change in location shall be made by the City at the expense of the customer.
[Added 2-9-2004 by Ord. No. 4-2004]
A. 
Prior to approving a development, the City shall require the developer to furnish a water supply to deliver 250 gallons of water per day for each equivalent dwelling unit and/or commercial unit. The developer shall drill and test the well under the supervision of the City or its agent. This testing is to develop data as to the dependable yield and quality of the source. The City will not accept a well for this requirement that produces fewer than 100 gallons per minute. The developer shall provide three-phase electric service to the site with sufficient amperage to supply the pump house. The City will not accept a well for this requirement unless the well's quality has been tested by a certified laboratory and no contaminant exceeds current Safe Drinking Water Act maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals, volatile organic compounds and turbidity. The well shall be tested within 180 days prior to preliminary development approval and 180 days prior to final development approval by the City of Taneytown.
B. 
When a well meeting the above requirements cannot be located, the developer shall be assessed a water replacement fee in the amount of $1,000 for each equivalent dwelling unit and/or commercial unit; provided, however, that the City has the needed capacity in the existing water system, as determined by the City. This fee shall be payable prior to issuance of a building permit.
C. 
Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have meanings indicated:
COMMERCIAL UNIT
Based on a per capita employed over a period of not more than eight hours. Ten employees consist of one unit, each multiple or part thereof consists of units or parts of units. The minimum unit for commercial is one unit.
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT (EDU)
Applies to dwellings as follows:
(1) 
Multifamily:
(a) 
Each efficiency apartment is equivalent to one EDU.
(b) 
Each one-bedroom apartment is equivalent to one EDU.
(c) 
Each two-or-more-bedroom apartments is equivalent to one EDU.
(d) 
Each single-family dwelling is equivalent to one EDU.
(2) 
All others are equal to one unit.
[Amended 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99]
The schedule of rates and charges for water service furnished by the City shall be established by the Mayor and Council from time to time by resolution.
A. 
If payment in full is not made within 30 days after the date of the bill, the City reserves the privilege, after five days' written notice, to discontinue rendering service. Any unpaid bills shall be and remain a lien upon the premises served until paid and may be collected in the same manner as taxes levied upon real estate by the City, and bills for any service shall be directed to the owners of the premises served.
B. 
Whenever a customer desires to have his or her service contract terminated or his or her water service discontinued, he or she shall so notify the City in writing. Until that notice is received by the City, the customer shall be responsible for the payment of all service rendered by the City. A reasonable time after the receipt of the notice shall be allowed the City to take a final reading of the meter or meters and to discontinue service.
A. 
Service may be discontinued for any one of the following reasons:
(1) 
Misrepresentation in application.
(2) 
Willful waste of water.
(3) 
Failure to comply with restrictions imposed under § 201-13C.
(4) 
Molesting City property or seals on meter or piping.
(5) 
Vacancy.
(6) 
Nonpayment of bills when due.
(7) 
Cross-connecting the City's service with any other supply source.
(8) 
Refusal of reasonable access to property.
B. 
When water has been turned off from any premises for any of the above reasons or for any other violation of the City's rules, a charge will be made for restoring service. This charge for restoring service shall be established and amended by resolution of the Council.
[Amended 10-11-2004 by Ord. No. 18-2004]
A. 
Curb stops shall not be used by the customer or his or her agent for turning on or shutting off the water supply. The control of the water supply by the customer shall be by means of a separate stop located just inside the building wall. Curb stops are for the exclusive use of the City.
B. 
No water will be furnished to any premises where any possibility exists of the mingling of the water furnished by the City with water from any other source, nor will the City permit its mains or service pipes to be connected to any piping or apparatus containing any substance which may flow back into the City's service pipes or mains.
C. 
The customer shall not permit anyone, except an agent of the City or someone otherwise lawfully authorized to do so, to remove, inspect or tamper with the meter or other property of the City on his or her premises. The customer shall notify the City, as soon as it comes to his or her knowledge, of any injury to the City's property.
D. 
The authorized agents of the City shall have the right of access to the premises supplied with water at all reasonable hours for the purpose of reading meters, examining fixtures and pipes, observing the manner of rising water and for any other purpose which is proper and necessary in the conduct of the City's business.
E. 
The City reserves the right to impose reasonable restrictions on the use of water during periods of shortage of supply, excessive demand or other difficulty which results in the impairment of normal service to any group of customers.
F. 
The City reserves the right to place restrictions on customers who consume large quantities of water (swimming pools, etc.) and thereby create conditions which prevent the City from supplying satisfactory service to that customer or to other customers.
G. 
Nothing in these rules contained shall be construed as a guaranty or covenant or agreement of the City to give continuous and uninterrupted service.
[Amended 8-9-1982 by Ord. No. 6-82; 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99]
Any extension of the City's water distribution system shall be made at the expense of the developer or property owner unless and until it is deemed to be in the best interests of the health, safety, economics or community development of the City that the Mayor and Council, by affirmative vote, allow other means of financing such extension of the City's water distribution system, including but not limited to City participation in bearing any portion of the cost of the same.
A. 
In case of accidents, breakdowns, shortage of water supply or any causes beyond its control or because of any act or omission on the part of the public authorities or their agents, or any of them, or in case of the making of repairs, renewals or replacements, the City reserves the right to shut off the water supply from any one or any number of premises, without notice, and shall in no manner be held responsible for any consequences of such shutoff.
B. 
The City will give notice, in the manner deemed in its discretion to be most effective, of any shutoff of the water supply whenever and wherever the giving of such notice is practicable, but nothing in these rules contained shall be construed to require the giving of such notice under any circumstances.
A. 
The City in no manner guarantees to furnish a proper quantity of water for fire protection, nor does it undertake to guarantee anything relative to any service, but it will make every effort to maintain the efficiency of its service under all conditions. The City will not be responsible in any manner for failure of its water supply during a fire or at any other time.
B. 
All fire hydrants or plugs, whether installed by the City or otherwise, are to be used for fire protection purposes exclusively. All use of fire hydrants or plugs for sprinkling, sewer flushing, filling, sprinkling water or other carts or receptacles, for fire drills or fire company testing, other than strictly for fire protection, is prohibited unless any other use is permitted by the City as evidenced by a written permit signed by the City Manager, which permit shall be exhibited to any and all employees of the City at their request.
[Amended 8-9-1999 by Ord. No. 8-99; 12-13-1999 by Ord. No. 9-99]
C. 
Permits for use of water from fire hydrants or plugs for any purposes other than for fire protection will not be granted by the City except in cases where such use is deemed by the City to be urgent and other means of obtaining water are not available, but all permits so granted shall be revocable at the pleasure of the City in every instance and without regard or reference to any terms or provisions in any permits to the contrary.
The City shall not provide water services outside the corporate limits of the City.
[Added 8-14-2000 by Ord. No. 4-2000]
Any violation of this article is declared to be a municipal infraction. The penalty for violation shall be $50 for each initial offense and $100 for each repeat offense.
[Added 11-8-2010 by Ord. No. 6-2010]
The City reserves the right to adopt, from time to time, by resolution, such additional rules, regulations, fees and penalties as it shall deem necessary and proper in connection with the use and operation of the water system. Said rules, regulations, fees and penalties shall be considered and construed as a part of this chapter.