§ 12-10. Water and sewer service lines.
(a)
Metered water service lines.
(1)
The minimum size water service line shall be one inch in diameter. Other service line sizes shall be as determined by the city engineer.
(2)
Water service lines two inches in diameter or less shall be domestic made, NSF61 Approved, type K copper tubing, with no joints.
(3)
Water service lines larger than two inches shall be of a material as determined by the city engineer.
(4)
Each house or building or group of buildings on a separate lot or tract of land shall have a separate water service line connection to a water main abutting the property.
(5)
Two or more small service lines shall not be installed to serve one customer as a substitute for one adequately sized service line.
(6)
The size of water service line required, if larger than the minimum, will be determined by the city engineer.
(7)
A customer desiring his water service line and/or water meter enlarged, reduced or relocated shall pay for such enlargement, reduction or relocation on the basis of the water line connection charges stated in section 12-2 herein.
(8)
Each service line shall have a stop or valve that is easily locked or padlocked.
(b)
Water meters.
(1)
Water meters shall be furnished in the following sizes: five-eighths-inch × three-fourths-inch, one inch, one and one-half-inch, two-inch, three-inch, four-inch, six-inch, eight-inch and ten-inch.
(2)
Water meters two inches and larger shall:
a.
Have a brass strainer before the meter that is removable without removing the water meter.
b.
Have a flow test port of three-fourths-inch or larger.
c.
Be remote read or touch pad read.
d.
Be compound, unless otherwise determined by the city engineer.
e.
Be a make and model currently used by the city.
f.
Have isolation valves on the city side and on the customer side of the meter.
g.
Be of a size as determined by the city engineer.
h.
Be 18 inches or more below grade and in a box or vault.
(3)
Water meters three inches and larger shall be in a concrete vault with a metal hatch for access.
(4)
Five-eighths-inch × three-fourths-inch water meters shall be on a one-inch service line, with a one-inch × three-fourths-inch copper setter with an angle stop with pad locking wings, just before the meter and in the same box as the meter.
(5)
All water meters are to meet current AWWA Standards for intended use.
(6)
All consumers not otherwise provided for in this chapter shall be supplied with water only when measured through a meter. Meters two inches and under shall be provided by the city. Meters three inches or above shall be provided by the developer with meter box, bypass, backflow preventers, and detector checks as required by the city engineer. Water meters and vaults shall become the property of the city once installed to city specifications. The city engineer shall direct and select the location of installation of all meters.
(7)
Consumers shall install an approved "stop cock" inside the property line, at a location accessible in case of emergency, and shall not use the curb cock at meter in lieu thereof.
(8)
Single-family residences and single-occupancy commercial or industrial facilities shall be served by an individual water meter. Multifamily units, such as apartments, condominiums, townhouses, and trailer parks, or commercial or industrial complexes, which house two or more businesses, such as shopping malls and strip centers, may be served by a master water meter or by individual meters. All multi occupancy units shall have a separate water meter for each unit, but may have one city master meter. All city owned meters shall be placed on the right-of-way of a public street or alley or as approved by the city engineer.
(c)
Nonmetered water service lines.
(1)
Non-metered water service lines shall be used for fire protection only. A monthly charge for standby protection shall be made in accordance with the fee schedule found in appendix 1 to this Code of Ordinances.
(2)
Where there are hose bibs, fire hydrants or other means of drawing water from fire protection systems other than through sprinkler heads, the nonmetered service line shall be equipped with an approved indicating check valve to indicate if any flow has occurred. The cost of such check valve and its housing shall be included in the engineer's estimate as described in section 12-2 and shall be borne by the customer.
(3)
Where the fire protection system is completely closed with no manual outlets, the indicating check valve described in subsection (c)(2) above may be omitted.
(4)
A customer desiring his water line enlarged or relocated shall pay for such enlargement or relocation on the basis of the water line connection charges stated in section 12-2 of this chapter.
(d)
Sanitary sewer service lines.
(1)
The minimum size sanitary sewer service line shall be four inches in diameter. Other service lines shall be as determined by the city engineer.
(2)
Each house or building or group of buildings on a separate lot or tract of land shall have a separate sanitary sewer service line to a sanitary sewer main abutting the property.
(3)
The size of sanitary sewer service line required, if larger than the minimum, shall be determined by the city engineer.
(4)
A customer desiring his sanitary sewer service line enlarged or relocated shall pay for such enlargements or relocation on the basis of the sanitary sewer service line connection charges stated in section 12-2 herein.
(e)
Installation, ownership and maintenance.
(1)
All water and sanitary sewer service lines shall be installed by employees of the city under the supervision of the director of utilities or by a contractor authorized by the city engineer. Such installation shall include the metered water service line from the water main to the water meter, the non-metered water service line from the water main to the property line, and the sanitary sewer service line from the sewer main to the property line.
(2)
All water meters shall be installed, relocated, and removed by employees of the city under the supervision of the director of utilities.
(3)
The City of Terrell shall own and maintain all metered water service lines from the water main to the meter and shall own and maintain the water meter.
(4)
The property owner shall own and maintain all metered water lines on the property side of the water meter.
(5)
The City of Terrell shall own and maintain the valve at the water main on all nonmetered water service lines.
(6)
The property owner shall own and maintain all non-metered water lines on the property side of the valve at the water main on all nonmetered water service lines.
(7)
The property owner shall own and maintain the sanitary sewer service line from the main to the property line and all sanitary sewer lines on the property side of the main.
(8)
The city engineer shall determine the size, type, and number of meters and services to be installed or used on any water service to any building or division of space in a building, or property subdivision.
(9)
Repair and testing fees.
a.
All water meters furnished by the water department shall remain at all times the property of the city and shall be maintained and repaired, when rendered unserviceable through fair wear and tear, and renovated by the water or utility departments. When replacements, repairs, or adjustments of any meter are rendered necessary by the act, neglect, or carelessness of the owner or occupant of any premises, any expense caused to the waterworks thereby shall be charged against and collected from the owner of the premises, and if not paid, services shall be discontinued.
b.
When any consumer of water is of the opinion that the meter through which the water is supplied is incorrect for any reason, he or she may make application to the utility office to have the meter examined and tested at an annually established rate to be determined by the appropriate fee setting official. The utility office shall have the duty to test the meter at the earliest convenience, at the following rates;
For three-fourths-inch to two-inch meter: $15.00
For all larger meters:
The fee shall be based upon the actual cost of the work or a minimum of $15.00 whichever is greater.
If any meter of one inch or smaller, upon such test, is found to register over three percent more water than actually passes through it, based on a series of test over the range of flow recommended by the meter manufacturer, another meter will be substituted therefor, and the above referenced test fee shall be refunded. If any meter larger than one inch in size upon such test shall be found to register over three percent more water than actually passes through it, based on a series of tests over the range of flow recommended by the meter manufacturer, the meter will be repaired or another meter will be substituted therefor, and the above referenced fee will be refunded.
c.
Whenever a meter is found to be out of order and not registering correctly, the consumer shall be charged with an average daily consumption as shown by the meter registering correctly, but not to exceed three months back.
d.
Any person shall have the right to request that his or her meter be re-read by the utility office. It shall be the duty of the utility office to cause the meter to be re-read at the earliest convenience. There shall be no charge for the re-read service unless more than one re-read has been requested within the last 12 month period and if the re-read indicates that the initial meter reading was correct, in which case the person requesting such re-read shall be charged the sum of $5.00.
(f)
Relative locations of water and sewer lines. Water and sewer service lines shall have a minimum separation of nine feet.
(Code 1968, § 25-10; Ord. No. 2229, § I, 8-3-04)