Article 2. Water Service and Water System Connection.
16.2.1. Municipal water service.
All properties within the City of Bel shall be connected to municipal water service, unless there is no water main to which a connection can be made, as determined by the City Engineer, or such property is exempted from this section by specific action of the Governing Body. Properties within the City utilizing alternative sources for water service, including private wells for uses other than landscaping, shall connect to municipal water service when such service becomes available to the property.
16.2.2. Voluntary termination of service.
Voluntary termination of service will be effective only upon written notice from the account holder to the City made at the office of the City Clerk on a form provided by the City Clerk. No other voluntary termination of water services notices will be effective. No one other than the account holder(s) may discontinue water service, except a legal agent of such water customer may terminate water service upon presentation of proper written legal authority, including a power of attorney.
Appointments for voluntary termination of service shall be made by the account holder to discontinue water service no less than 24 hours before such service is expected.
The water customer will be responsible for payment for all services rendered to the effective date of discontinuance of services.
(Ord. 97; Ord. 370)
16.2.3. Application for connection to municipal water system.
Before the City shall serve any premises with water, an application for a connection to the municipal water system shall be made in writing by the owner of the premises to be served (“property owner”) at the office of the City Clerk. The application shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the City Clerk in conformance with this Chapter.
16.2.4. Temporary commercial water service.
A. Non-transferable Permit. Commercial users, including contractors, builders, and others requiring water where no permanent service is available, or where a temporary connection is needed to check for water leaks in plumbing or to clean, repair or remodel a building, may apply to receive a non-transferable permit in the name of a single individual permit holder for such service. Upon the issuance of such commercial temporary permit the responsible individual shall be identified as the permit holder. The permit holder shall be responsible for maintaining compliance with the terms of this section and the permit.
B. Application and Inspection. The application for temporary permit shall be in such form as adopted by the City Clerk. Such application shall be completed and signed by the individual to be identified as the permit holder. Prior to approval of such application the individual shall submit the fee established for the service to the City Clerk. Upon receipt of such application the Code Enforcement Officer will inspect the site to review for all safety and policy concerns. Upon approval by the Code Enforcement Officer and payment of the associated fee the site may receive temporary water service. Requests for extension of term of Temporary Permit shall be written and submitted in person to the City Clerk, in such form as adopted by the City Clerk, prior to the end of the existing permit term.
C. Time Limitations. Temporary Water Service is provided to the permit holder on a weekly or biweekly basis, for up to 4 weeks, all in accordance with the terms of the permit. The permit holder must reapply for temporary water at the end of each approved permit cycle. After 4 weeks, the inspector shall re-evaluate the permit and advise the City if additional provision of temporary water service is warranted to permit time for project completion. If approved by the Code Enforcement Officer, the City Clerk will allow for temporary water in 2 week increments, with the Code Enforcement Officer re-evaluating after each 2 week increment, until the project is considered complete by the City Engineer or his/her designee. The City will disconnect temporary water service upon the end of the term of the permit, if no subsequent permit has been approved. Due to the nature of Temporary Commercial Water Service, the City will not provide notice for disconnection of such water service.
D. Costs. Such temporary water service is rendered on payment in advance to the City for the costs associated with making the temporary connection. Such costs shall be as set out in the City’s fee schedule, or adopted by other Resolution of the Governing Body. Where practicable such water service shall be metered as a temporary measure and costs imposed in accordance with such use. Unmetered temporary service shall be avoided, but when metering is not possible, estimated water costs shall be prepaid. Temporary water service will be immediately discontinued upon failure of permit holder to pay all water costs accrued during the billing cycle associated with such temporary water service. No notice, other than that provided in the agreement for temporary service, shall be provided prior to discontinuing temporary water service.
E. Limitations. No recipient of temporary water service may be open for business while using temporary water service. Regular water service must be operational before any business is issued an occupancy permit. Violation of this section shall result in immediate discontinuance of temporary water service. Violation of this provision is grounds for prosecution of the permit holder for theft of service. Additionally, violation of this section is grounds for immediate revocation of an occupancy permit by the City. Each day of offense shall constitute a separate offense.
16.2.5. Water service outside city/agreement for annexation.
A property owner making application for water service to be provided outside the City, shall agree in writing to the City’s immediate or future annexation of the property for which the water service is provided. Only a property owner may request water service for property located outside the City boundaries. Such request will require approval by the Governing Body.
16.2.6. Extension or enlargement of waterworks system.
Whenever the owner of real property desires a main to be extended to an identified site to furnish water to such property for residential, commercial, or industrial use, such owner shall make application to the City Manager. For extension to single properties, upon approval by the Governing Body, the owner shall make a deposit in cash, or cash equivalent, of the estimated cost of providing such service as determined by the City Engineer. For services to be provided to multiple properties, including housing developments and subdivisions, extension of waterworks shall be in conformance with City infrastructure development policy and bond procedures.
16.2.7. System tap-on and connection fees; equity fee; impact fee.
A. Connection Costs. The costs of connecting a property to the City’s Water Utility shall be borne by the property owner requesting such connection, including Rural Water District buy-out costs. Water Connection and System Tap-on Fees may be established and revised by action of the Governing Body. All such fees must be paid before water service will be provided. Such fees shall be established in the City’s Fee Schedule Resolution.
B. Utility Equity Fee. All new build residential and commercial property will be assessed a Utility Equity fee. The fee is determined as part of the permitting process and is based on size as well as use of the structure. Fees shall be established by the City Council in a separate Fee Resolution.
C. Impact Fee. Certain areas may be assessed an impact fee for the use of water and sewer mains. Such fees shall be assessed as part of an identified benefit district.
16.2.8. Duty to maintain connection with water system.
Any residence, family unit, dwelling unit, apartment or commercial building which is or shall be connected to the water system of the City and is connected to or shall be connected to the sewer system and sewage disposal facilities of the City shall maintain both the connection with the City’s water system and the connection with the City’s sewer system as long as such service is available, and the owner or occupant thereof shall remain liable for the payment of minimum water and minimum sewer fees and charges as established by the Governing Body.