The furnishing of water to customers by the City through its waterworks system shall be governed by the regulations set out in this article.

The city does not guarantee the delivery of water through any of its mains and connecting services at any time except only when its mains, pumping machinery, power service connection are in good working order, and the supply of water is sufficient for the usual demand of its consumers.

(a)   The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purpose, situated within the City abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located public water mains, is hereby required at his or her own expense to make connection to such public water main.

(b)   Before any connection is made to the City’s water system an application must be made in writing to the utility clerk by the owner of the premises, or his or her authorized representative, for a permit to make such connection.

(a)   Any person desiring a connection with the municipal water system shall apply in writing to the utility clerk, on a form furnished by the City for that purpose, for a permit to make the connection.

(b)   The application shall:

(1)   Contain an exact description including street address of the property to be served;

(2)   State the size of tap required;

(3)   State the size and kind of service pipe to be used;

(4)   State the full name of the owner of the premises to be served;

(5)   State the purpose for which the water is to be used;

(6)   State any other pertinent information required by the utility clerk;

(7)   Be signed by the owner or occupant of the premises to be served, or his or her authorized agent.

(c)   Each application for a connection permit shall be accompanied by payment of fees and/or costs specified in Section 15-208.

(a)   Property owners will pay the cost of installing any water lines or connections which are made between the water system of the City and any new additions or newly plotted districts inside the City limits. The city may at its discretion reimburse the property owner for the lines laid as the area is developed. Reimbursement shall not exceed $2.50 per running foot.

(b)   All construction of water lines shall meet city specifications before the plot is developed and be approved by the City Governing Body. Water connections and taps will be performed by the City at the cost of the property owner.

All service taps on the public water main shall be made by city employees only.

The fees for connection to the City waterworks system shall be as follows:

(a)   For connecting service line with five-eighths inch water meter and meter pit assembly, the charge shall be $3,150.00 plus tax;

(b)   For connecting service line with larger than five-eighths inch meter and pit assembly the charge shall be $3,150 plus costs of labor, materials, and larger meter, plus tax, if applicable;

(c)   For connecting the City main the customer shall construct, at their expense, the excavation of the main, the pipe from the main to the meter set (including road crossings), the service line from the meter to the structure, the installation of meter pit and setter. These costs are in addition to the fees set forth in (a) and (b) above. The location of the service line, size of service line and specifications of material shall be approved by the City. The city will provide meter pit, setter and meter;

(d)   All provisions of the Code of the City of Louisburg, Kansas and regulations pertaining to water shall be complied with.

(a)   Master Meters. The city will allow master meters for multiple unit residential buildings subject to the following conditions:

(1)   The total number of units per meter shall not exceed eight (8) units;

(2)   All units shall be owned by the same owner;

(3)   Units shall share common walls;

(b)   Connection Fees. The connection fee for master meters shall be the standard residential fee for a single unit residence plus an additional fee of 60 percent of said standard residential fee for each additional unit plus the costs incurred for the larger meter, labor, materials, and tax.

There shall be a curb cock in every service line attached to the City main, the same to be placed within the meter box.

Check valves are required on all connections to steam boilers or on any other connection deemed necessary by the public works director. Safety and relief valves shall be placed on all boilers or other steam apparatus connected with the water system where the steam pressure may be raised in excess of 40 pounds per square inch.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation, other than duly authorized city officials or employees to turn water on or off at the water meter or curb cock shut off, with a key or in any other manner, without first obtaining written permission from the public works director, mayor, or the City Council.

(a)   All meters shall be property of the City.

(b)   All water furnished to customers shall be metered.

(c)   Meters shall be located between the sidewalk or property line and curbing when the main is in the street, and on private property within three feet of the alley line when the main is in the alley. In the business district the meters may be installed in the basement at a location specified by the City.

(d)   The city’s responsibility stops at the outlet to the meter.

Meters shall be tested before being set and at any other time thereafter when they appear to be measuring incorrectly. If a test is requested by the customer and the meter is found to be accurate within two percent, the meter will be deemed correct and a charge of $10 will be made to the customer.

It shall be unlawful for any person except authorized employees of the water department to break the seal of any meter, to alter the register or mechanism of any meter, or to make any outlet or connection in any manner so that water supplied by the City may be used or wasted without being metered. Except as authorized under Section 15-212, it shall be unlawful for any person to turn any curb cock on or off.

No allowances shall be made for water used or lost through leaks, carelessness, neglect, or otherwise after the same has passed through the meter, except every customer shall have the right to appeal to the Governing Body of the City.

(a)   The Governing Body may establish by ordinance, water service disconnection and reconnection charges.

(b)   Should the City terminate the water service from a delinquent customer there shall be a charge of $15.00 for turning the water off at the meter. In the event the customer shall pay the delinquent water billing after the meter has been turned off by the City, then the customer shall pay a charge of $15.00 to have said meter turned back on. In the event it is necessary to disconnect both gas and water, the City shall charge only one fee for disconnecting or reconnecting both.

(c)   The connect fee to turn on a water meter for service to a customer shall be $50.00. The charge to turn off a water meter to terminate service shall be $50.00.

(Ord. 984; Code 2020)

At the time of making application for water service, the customer shall make a cash deposit in the amount and manner specified in Section 15-108 to secure payment of accrued bills or bills due on discontinuance of service.

The city reserves the right to interrupt water service for the purpose of making repairs or extensions to water lines or equipment.

It shall be a violation of this article for any unauthorized person to:

(a)   Perform any work upon the pipes or appurtenances of the City’s waterworks system beyond the meter outlet unless such person is employed by the City;

(b)   Make any connections with any extension of the supply pipes of any consumer without written permission to do so having been first obtained from the public works director, mayor or the City Council;

(c)   Remove, handle or otherwise molest or disturb any meter, meter lid, cut-off, or any other appurtenances to the water system of the City.

Water users shall prevent unnecessary waste of water and shall keep sprinklers, hydrants, faucets, and any other apparatus, including the service line leading from the structure to the meter in good condition at their expense.

The city reserves the right to restrict or prohibit the use of water and to specify the purposes for which it may be used whenever the Governing Body determines the public exigency so requires.

Authorized employees of the City may enter upon any premises at reasonable hours for the purpose of reading the meter or servicing or inspecting meters or water lines.

The rates per month for use of water in the City shall be as follows:

(a)   Base Charge - $27.56

(b)   For the first 1,000 gallons per month - $8.84

(c)   1,001 gallons and over per month (per 1,000 gallons) - $8.84

(d)   Water furnished to persons sharing, reselling, or sub metering water from the City shall be $1.00 per each 100 gallons.

(e)   Water furnished to bulk stations and to the fire hydrant meters from the City shall be $1.00 per each 100 gallons.

(f)   Fire hydrant meters will be charged a base charge equal to that of the account base rate in effect at the time.

(g)   A water protection fee of $0.032 per 1,000 gallons of water shall be charged to all water customers.

(K.S.A. 82a-954; Ord. 975; Ord. 999; Ord. 1025; Code 2020; Ord. 1169; Ord. 1186)

All water accounts shall be due and payable on the 1st day of each month for the preceding month. If the account is not paid on or before the 10th day of the month, there shall be added a late payment charge of 4%.

Water service shall be terminated for non-payment of service fees or charges as provided in sections 15-105:107.

No person owning or occupying premises connected to the municipal water system shall use or allow to be used during a fire any water from the water system except for the purpose of extinguishing the fire. Upon the sounding of a fire alarm it shall be the duty of every such person to see that all water services are tightly closed and that no water is used except in extraordinary cases of emergency during the fire.