Del Mar Municipal Code Ch. 21.16 Water Supply—extensions of Water Mains

Any person who desires to extend a water main shall file an application with the City in which he will describe the area to be served and the approximate length of the proposed extension.

(Ord. No. 472)

After such application as provided for in Section 29.16.010, there may be scheduled a predesign conference with the City Engineer. The design and cost estimate must then be prepared by a registered civil engineer and submitted with a deposit to the City for review and approval by the City Engineer prior to construction. Additional deposit will be required for City administration, engineering, and inspection costs.

All water main extensions shall be designed and constructed according to City of Del Mar standards and as provided by this Chapter.

Before any City street is paved with a permanent type of pavement, a main shall be installed in the street. The cost of installation of such water main shall be borne by the property to be benefitted by the water main.

(Ord. No. 107)

The applicant has the option to either:

A. Deposit with City; Refund. Deposit with the City the amount of the estimate approved by the Engineer, plus the estimated cost for City administration, engineering, and inspection, and request the City to proceed with construction of the requested water main extension. The City, upon completion of such extension, shall refund to the applicant any money in excess of the total cost of construction of the water service connection. If the total cost of construction exceeds the deposit, the applicant shall be liable for any additional costs.

B. Work by Contractor; Inspection by City. The applicant may make or cause such water main extension to be made by a competent licensed contractor, but all such work shall be done under the inspection of the City Engineer. The applicant shall also post a faithful performance with the City to guarantee the completion of such work and pay such damages that may be caused to public right-of-way as a result of such construction. The applicant shall also pay all costs for City engineering and inspection, and shall provide the City with a one-year guarantee for all work performed.

A. The design, location, materials, and standards of construction of all extensions shall be approved by the City Engineer and shall conform to City standards.

B. The design of an extension shall be based upon considerations of adequate capacity to meet the present and future requirements of the area to be benefitted, of distribution system operation and efficiency, of maintenance requirements, and of anticipated life of such extension.

C. Under no circumstances shall any structure be placed over or around any water main or extension, or within a City utility easement, unless provision is made for ready and easy access to any and all parts or points of such main or extension, and an appropriate encroachment permit has been granted by resolution of the City Council.

D. Materials and standards of construction shall be those which have been adopted and are used by the department for the area and class of service to be provided.

Water utility easements shall be obtained for all water main extensions, except for water mains to be located within a public street; all utility easements shall be a minimum of 15 feet in width, except where, due to exceptional physical limitations, the City Engineer approves the acceptance of a ten-foot wide easement. In no case shall said easement be less than ten feet in width. Applicant shall be required to dedicate to the City all required water utility easements where such easements cross property owned by the applicant. Otherwise, the City shall acquire all required easements, and the cost of easement acquisition shall be included as a part of the total cost of the water main extension.

If any properties other than the applicants will benefit from such extension, then the application may apply for reimbursement agreement according to Section 21.16.080.

Upon completion of work and acceptance by the City, the water main will become the property of the City. All maintenance and future replacement will then become the responsibility of the City.

Upon application and after payment of appropriate application fees, the City Engineer shall prepare a written reimbursement agreement and a plat, and indicate the boundaries of the area that will be benefitted by the water main extension. The City Engineer shall then determine a pro rata share of the costs of main extension for each benefitting property based on estimated water demands per square footage of area. Benefitting properties shall then be required to pay this cost as a reimbursement charge, in addition to any water main connection charges required by the Code or any other ordinance of the City, before connecting service to the water main extension. The City shall establish a separate fund account for receipt of all reimbursement charges and shall return the reimbursement charges to the applicant, less administration fees and any other costs or fees, in accordance with the terms of the reimbursement agreement. Prior to becoming effective, all reimbursement agreements must be approved by the City Council.

When water service is required by an owner of real property on which there now exists or is planned for immediate construction, a dwelling, other structure or improvement requiring domestic water service and there is no water main adjacent to such property, the department may grant permission to such applicant to have a service connection and meter set at the nearest existing water main. The applicant shall agree in writing to the following conditions: to pay all costs of installation and maintenance of a pipeline from the service connection and meter to his property, and assume all responsibility, liability for, and the payment of, all costs and damages growing out of the installation, operation or failure of such pipeline. Such connection and pipeline shall be installed and used as a temporary arrangement only. No water shall be conveyed therethrough for the use of any residence or property other than the property for which it was originally intended. At such time as a regular permanent water main may be installed to serve the property under this agreement, and on written demand of the department, the applicant shall bear his proportionate share of the costs of such main extension and at his expense shall install a regular domestic water service, and shall discontinue the use of such temporary service connections and pipeline.

(Ord. No. 107)