Blythe Municipal Code Ch. 13.04 Water Service Regulations

All consumers, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, shall be supplied with water measured through a meter furnished by the city, which meter, together with the service connection, shall remain the property of the city and shall be installed in the manner specified in this chapter.

(Ord. 51 § 3 (part), 1920)

Before water is supplied to any person or for any premises from the city mains, the owner or occupant shall make a written application for such service upon forms provided by the superintendent of waterworks.

(Ord. 51 § 3(a), 1920)

All charges for installation of service connections and meters shall be paid in advance at the time the application for service is made.

(Ord. 51 § 3(b), 1920)

All applications shall be subject to the approval and acceptance of the city council.

(Ord. 51 § 3(c), 1920)

Where any applicant makes application for water service he shall in addition to complying with other requirements in this chapter, provide a deposit with the city in the amount to be set by the city council of the city by resolution, and the amount shall be retained by the city as a guarantee for the payment of water charges and may be applied only for the payments of closing bills on premises where water service was furnished, and in no case shall such deposit affect the right of the city to discontinue water service in the event bills for same are not paid as provided in this chapter. After two years from the time of deposit should there be no default in payment of water bills, the city may refund the deposit to the then assessed owner of record.

(Ord. 573 § 2, 1980: Ord. 419 § 1, 1972: Ord. 51 § 8, 1920)

The applicant having properly executed the application form or forms, and having complied with all the requirements of this chapter, relating to application for meter and service, and said application having been approved and accepted by the city council, the superintendent of waterworks shall cause the property described in the application to be connected with the city water mains in the following manner:

A. Where the property is located upon a street, alley or right-of-way in which a water main of not less than two inches in diameter is laid, the property shall be connected with the water system by a service pipe extending at right angles from the main. The service pipe, with meter attached, shall extend to the property line of the premises to be served; provided, however, nothing in this section shall interfere with the city installing a service pipe of sufficient size from the water main for the purpose of leading branches to the right and left in the street, alley or right-of-way, to supply not more than three separate properties.

B. Where the property is located on an alley in which there exists no water main opposite the premises applied for, the superintendent of waterworks shall extend the nearest water main in the direction of the property, provided that in no instance shall an extension of any water main exceed fifty feet for any one applicant who has in all other respects complied with this chapter, excepting that the superintendent of waterworks may estimate the cost of any extension in excess of the fifty feet allowed by this chapter and, upon payment by the applicant of the charges estimated, the extension may be installed by the city.

C. Not more than two services shall be allowed upon a three-quarter-inch pipe and not more than four services upon a one-inch pipe.

D. No more than the occupants of three twenty-five foot city lots or the equivalent thereof may under any circumstances be served through one meter except where one building covers a greater area than three twenty-five foot city lots.

E. No one service shall supply water to properties under separate ownership.

(Ord. 51 § 4, 1920)

Charges to be paid by applicants for installation of services, including meters and boxes for the same, shall be in such sum or sums as the city council may from time to time establish, by resolution adopted at regular meetings of said city council.

(Ord. 176 § 1, 1948: Ord. 51 § 5(a), 1920)

Where services are made in paved streets or alleys the applicant shall pay in addition to the charges provided for in Section 13.04.070, the cost of tearing up and replacing the pavement.

(Ord. 51 § 5(b), 1920)

For water furnished for any purpose by the city, the rate shall be in such sum or sums as the city council may from time to time establish by resolution adopted at regular meetings of said city council.

(Ord. 447 § 1, 1974: Ord. 51 § 6, 1920)

A. For water furnished for construction work where meters are not installed or used, the rate to be charged shall be as follows:

1. For mixing and wetting concrete used in street paving, one dollar and fifty cents per one thousand square feet of paving laid;

2. For sidewalk and curbing, one dollar and fifty cents per one hundred square feet of concrete laid;

3. For water supplied for street grading or any construction work for the city not otherwise specified in this chapter, when not used through a meter, the amount of water used and the charges for the same shall be fixed by the city council;

B. Contractors or any person desiring to use water in construction work for the city, where connections must be made with city hydrants or stand pipes, in each and every instance shall obtain a written permit from the superintendent of waterworks before connecting with any such hydrant or stand pipe or using water therefrom, and such permit shall be exhibited upon the work for which issued.

C. In each and every instance enumerated in subsections A and B of this section the amount of the charge shall be estimated by the city council.

(Ord. 51 § 7, 1920)

All bills for water service shall be due and payable in the finance office of the city on the billing date and become delinquent after tenth day of the month following that for which the bill is rendered.

A. Failure to pay the bill within the ten-day period will cause a delinquent notice to be mailed. The delinquent notice will be mailed not earlier than nineteen days after mailing the bill for services. The delinquent notice will notify of impending disconnection of the service fifteen days (ten days plus a five-day time allowance for mail delivery) after the mailing of the notice. Personal notice of impending disconnection for nonpayment will be issued by means of a door hanger at least forty-eight hours prior to the turn-off date.

1. Upon written request by the customer, the utility billing clerks are authorized to extend a normal payment period fifteen days beyond the impending disconnection date.

B. The water department will not terminate service for nonpayment in any of the following situations:

1. During the pendency of an investigation by the water department of a customer dispute or complaint;

2. When the customer has been granted an extension of the period for payment of a bill;

3. On the certification of a licensed physician and surgeon that to do so will be life threatening to the customer and the customer is financially unable to pay for service within the normal payment period and is willing to enter into an amortization agreement with the water department pursuant to subsection E of this section with respect to all charges that the customer is unable to pay prior to delinquency.

C. Any residential customer who has initiated a complaint or requested an investigation within five days of receiving the disputed bill, or who has, before termination of service, made a request for extension of the payment period of a bill asserted to be beyond the means of the customer to pay in full within the normal period for payment, shall be given an opportunity for review of the complaint, investigation, or request by the city director of finance, review manager for the water department. The review shall include consideration of whether the customer shall be permitted to amortize an unpaid balance of the delinquent account over a reasonable period of time, not to exceed twelve months. No termination of service shall be effected for any customer complying with an amortization agreement, if the customer also keeps the account current as charges accrue in each subsequent billing period.

D. Any customer whose complaint or request for an investigation pursuant to subsection B of this section has resulted in an adverse determination, in the review process, by the water department may appeal the determination to the city council.

E. Any customer meeting the requirements of subsection (B)(3) of this section shall, upon request, be permitted to amortize, over a period not to exceed twelve months, the unpaid balance of any bill asserted to be beyond the means of the customer to pay within the normal period for payment.

F. If a residential customer fails to comply with an amortization agreement, the water department shall not terminate service without giving notice to the customer at least forty-eight hours prior to termination of the conditions the customer is required to meet to avoid termination. This notice will be the final notice and does not entitle the customer to further investigation by the water department.

G. No termination of service may be effected without compliance with this section, and any service wrongfully terminated shall be restored without charge for the restoration of the service.

(Ord. 701 § 1, 1994: Ord. 51 § 9, 1920)

In the event that water service of consumer has been turned off for nonpayment of water service charges, as provided in Section 13.04.110, the consumer shall be entitled to have the water turned on again only upon the payment of all moneys due plus a reconnect fee to be set by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 585 § 1, 1981: Ord. 419 § 2, 1972: Ord. 51 § 10, 1920)

Should any consumer desire to have the water service discontinued, he shall notify the superintendent of waterworks in writing at least twenty-four hours before service is to be discontinued, and service shall continue to be charged against such consumer until twenty-four hours after such notice is given. Where the consumer desires the water service temporarily discontinued, or where the water service is turned off on account of nonpayment of bills, a charge for turning on water shall be paid by the consumer before the superintendent of waterworks causes the water to be turned on and service again reestablished. Such charge shall be set by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 585 § 2, 1981: Ord. 419 § 3, 1972: Ord. 51 § 11, 1920)

All water meters installed by the city shall remain at all times the property of the city, and shall be maintained and repaired when rendered unserviceable through fair wear and tear; provided that, where replacements, repairs and adjustments of any meters are rendered necessary by the act, neglect or carelessness of the owner or occupant of any premises, the same shall be paid for by the owner of the premises.

(Ord. 51 § 12, 1920)

A. Any consumer shall have the right to demand that the meter through which water is being furnished be examined and tested by the superintendent of waterworks for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not it is registering correctly the amount of water which is being delivered through it, provided that, when any consumer makes application therefor in writing to the superintendent of water works, he shall deposit with said application the amount charged for the various sizes, as follows:

1. For testing a five-eighth-inch meter, two dollars;

2. For testing a three-fourth-inch meter, two dollars;

3. For testing a one-inch meter, two dollars and fifty cents.

B. Upon the application for meter testing being made, it shall be the duty of the superintendent of waterworks to cause the meter to be examined and tested for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not it is registering correctly the water being delivered through it. If, on such an examination and test, the meter is found to register over three percent more water than actually passes through it, another meter will be substituted therefor and the fee charged the applicant for such test shall be repaid to him.

(Ord. 51 § 13, 1920)

Whenever a meter gets out of order and fails to register correctly, the consumer shall be charged with the average daily consumption as shown by the meter when in good working order and registering correctly.

(Ord. 51 § 14, 1920)

No water pipes laid in the streets, alleys or rights-of-way of the city of less than two inches in diameter shall be considered as mains and the superintendent of waterworks may, at any time, order the same removed and a larger pipe installed.

(Ord. 51 § 15, 1920)

All subscribers for water service and consumers of water, by their act of applying for such service and using the water furnished, and in consideration of the city supplying such service and water, agree to pay the rates, charges and penalties and abide by the rules and regulations established by the city council, by ordinance or otherwise, and for the same consideration, waive any claims against the city or the superintendent of waterworks for damage by water or otherwise, resulting from defective plumbing, broken or faulty service or water mains or resulting from any condition of the water itself, or any substance that may be mixed with or be in the water, as delivered to any consumer. The city expressly reserves the right to change the rates and charges and rules and regulations, and to temporarily discontinue service, at any time without notice to the subscriber or consumer.

(Ord. 51 § 16, 1920)

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to use the city water for any purpose other than extinguishing a fire when the members of the city fire company or other persons are using the same to extinguish a fire within the city limits.

(Ord. 51 § 17, 1920)

It is unlawful for any person to meddle or tamper with, damage or deface any fire hydrants, sprinkling stands, water meters, meter boxes, pipes, fittings, machinery or equipment appertaining to or a part of the city water system without the consent of the superintendent of waterworks.

(Ord. 51 § 18, 1920)

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. All fines collected under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid into the city waterworks operating fund.

(Ord. 51 § 19, 1920)