Ordinance - Chapter 12

Water Service
Be it ordained by the Town of Oelrichs
Section
12-1 – Application for Water Service; Deposit Fee Refund
12-2 – Installation of Water Meter/Pit
12-3 – Curb Stops
12-4 - Emergency Water Shut-Off
12-5 - Requirements
12-6 – Multiple Service Lines
12-7 – Unlawful Connection
12-8 – Insured, Bonded, and Licensed Contractor
12-9 – Remote Meter Readouts
12-10 – Insufficient Funds Checks
12-11 - Consumer’s Responsibility
12-12 – Town of Oelrichs Rights
12-13 – Interrupted Water Service
12-14 – Water Billing
12-15 – Property Owners and Tenants
Section 12-1 – Application for Water Service; Deposit Fee Refund
Persons who desire to receive water service from the Town of Oelrichs must first fill out an application with the Water Superintendent. Applicant must also have a valid mailing address. Any such applicant whose residence or business is located with an existing meter pit may receive service by paying a water deposit fee. This amount is according to the rate structure in effect at the time of application. Deposit fees are refunded when the service is discontinued at the customer’s request and when the final bill is paid “In Full.”
Section 12-2 – Installation of New Water Pit/Water Meter/Curb Stop
Applicant must install a water meter pit in the Town of Oelrichs Right of Ways. The meter pit and meter will be provided at no cost to the applicant. Applicant will be responsible for the cost of tapping into the main water line. All materials and cost for installation of new service lines will be the responsibility of the applicant. The Town of Oelrichs retains ownership and maintenance of the meter pit, the water meter, and the curb stop. The pipeline installations shall be inspected and approved by the Water Department prior to burial of the pipeline.
EXCEPTION – Current owners with water meters inside the residence/business are responsible for any water loss due to leaks for the length of pipes from the curb stop to the meter. Town retains the ownership and maintenance of the water meter.
Section 12-3 – Curb Stops
All persons having connection with the Town of Oelrichs water service must have a curb stop at an approved location in the Right of Way for each house, trailer, or commercial facility service. Curb stops shall be placed on a new service line. Curb stops will be made of brass. Connections for copper pipe will be compression type with locknut rings. Curb boxes will be cast iron. The lid will be the screw type marked “Water” with a pentagon nut. Risers shall be a minimum of one and one and one-half inches (1-1/1/2”) in diameter. The top of the curb boxes will be set at ground level.
Section 12-4 - Emergency Water Shut Off
It shall be unlawful for any person, without prior approval from the Water Superintendent to turn on or off any curb stop with the Town of Oelrichs except in emergency situations. If the water is turned off by using the valve in the meter pit in an emergency situation, the customer is to notify the Water Superintendent or other Town Board official as soon as possible. It shall be unlawful for any person to use the valve in the meter pit to gain water access to their residence, building, or hydrant. This will be considered an unlawful connection and shall follow the rules in Section 12-14:6.
Section 12-5 – Requirements
1. Tapping Saddle – Tapping saddles are to be used on all taps. All taps two inches (2”) or less will use a tapping saddle with double straps and all bronze or stainless steel bands two inches (2”) or wider.
2. Corporation Stop – All taps must be a corporation stop. All taps two inches (2”) or less in diameter will use a brass corporation stop in conjunction with a tapping saddle. The inlet shall be tapered type (AWWA Standard) and the outlet connection shall be for copper pipe with compression locknut ring fitting.
3. Depth of Service Pipe – Service pipes shall in no case be laid at a depth of less than five (5) feet below the lower part of the street or yard.
4. It shall be property owner’s responsibility to mow, clear debris, remove snow from around meter pits and fire hydrants. It will be the property owner’s responsibility to assure the stability/safety of structures (sheds, porches, decks, dog houses, etc) that are near the meter reading eye.
5. Property owners with water meters in the basement must keep all obstructions cleared from around the meter, and must have adequate lighting in stairways and around the meter, even if the property has an exterior meter reading eye.
Section 12-6 – Meter Requirements
Any permanent residence, business, or any other permanent structure shall have installed a Town-approved meter. Permanent structures do not include camper trailers which are located with town limits for less that six (6) months.
Section 12-7 – Unlawful Connections
It shall be unlawful for any person to lay any water service pipe or to introduce into or about any building or any grounds, any water pipes, or to do any plumbing work in any building or on any grounds, either directly or indirectly to the Town of Oelrichs water mains,or to make an addition to or alterations on any water pipes used for the supply of any premises with water from the Town of Oelrichs water mains without first notifying and receiving permission from the Town Board of Oelrichs to do such work. Fine for unlawful connection will be a provided by law plus the cost of repairing or replacing unlawful connection. All water mains constructed within the corporate limits of the Town of Oelrichs must be laid according to plans approved by the Town Board.
Section 12-8 – Insured, Bonded, and Licensed Contractor
All pipe installations and repairs are to done by a contractor that is insured, bonded, and licensed. The Town Board must have a copy of the insurance and bond on file. The pipeline installations shall be inspected and approved by the Water Department prior to burial of the pipeline.
Section 12-9 – Remote Meter Readouts/Meter Reading Eye
The Town of Oelrichs, as a convenience to the water user, may install a remote meter readout device. However, in the event that a difference occurs in the amount of water use recorded by the remote readout device versus the meter, the reading on the meter shall govern. The Town Board, through the Water Superintendent, has the right to check meter readings with readings from the remote reader at any time deemed necessary but shall be done at least annually.
Section 12-10 – Insufficient Fund Checks
The Town Board will use whatever means available to them to effectuate recovery of Insufficient Funds checks received for payment of the water bill, materials and supplies, or any services performed by the Town of Oelrichs. Such accounts will be treated as delinquent and the charges applicable to such accounts will be charged. Additional expenses incurred by the Town of Oelrichs to make payment good will be borne by the customer. If an insufficient funds check is returned from the bank, the Town of Oelrichs will process the check a second time. If the check is returned a second time, the Town of Oelrichs will charge the customer the maximum amount allowed by South Dakota law on checks returned for insufficient funds. If three (3) insufficient funds checks are received from an individual water customer in one (1) calendar year, the Town of Oelrichs will not accept any more checks from that individual. The account must be paid in cash or money order for the length of the service.
Section 12-11 – Consumer’s Responsibility
The consumer shall be responsible for any damage to the service equipment installed by the Town of Oelrichs on account of any cause or other than normal wear and tear. Freezing is not considered to be “normal wear and tear”. The consumer shall be responsible for any repairs on the service line between the curb stop and water pit/meter, residence, or building.
Section 12-12 – Town of Oelrichs Rights
Representatives of the Town of Oelrichs shall have the right at all reasonable hours to enter upon consumer’s premises to test control valves and meters, to inspect pipes, and to perform other duties for the proper maintenance and operation of the service. The representative may also enter the premises to remove its service equipment and to shut off water upon discontinuance by the consumers request or for delinquent accounts.
Section 12-13 – Interrupted Water Service
The Town Board will make all reasonable efforts to supply continuous, uninterrupted service. However, it shall have the right to interrupt service for the purpose of making repairs, connections, extensions, or for any other necessary work. Efforts will be made to notify consumers who may be affected by such interruptions if at all possible. The Town of Oelrichs will not accept responsibility for losses, which might occur during necessary interruptions.
The Town does not accept responsibility for losses which might occur due to interruption to service caused by storms, strikes, floods, or other causes beyond its control.
Section 12-14 – Water Billing
1. City water bills are mailed by the 10th of the month. This bill will be for water used in the previous month.
2. City water bills are due upon receipt.
3. Service will be disconnected after the 20th of the month on all accounts with an unpaid previous months balance unless prior arrangements for payments have been made. All late payment arrangements must be made prior to the 20th of the month to avoid disconnection of service.
4. Once a service is disconnected for non-payment, the entire billing amount owed plus a reconnect fee must be paid prior to reconnecting service. The reconnect fee is determined yearly by procedure.
5. Service shall not be disconnected or reconnected on any Friday, Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or at any time when the utility’s business is not open to the public.
6. The customer shall have the right to pay any delinquent bill at any time prior to disconnection in order to preserve uninterrupted service. The Utility representative who enters the customer’s premises to disconnect service does not have the authority to collect payments. The customer shall contact the Town Treasurer to arrange payment and service shall not be disconnected.
7. In case of residential medical emergency, the Town shall postpone the disconnection of water service to a residential customer for thirty (30) days from the date of a physician’s certificate or a notice from a health or social services official which states that disconnection of service will aggravate an existing medical emergency of the customer, a member of his family, or other permanent resident of the premises where service is provided. Such extension are limited to one (1) thirty (30) day period.
Section 12-15 – Properties with Tenants
Tenants will need to comply with Section 12-1, and 12-14-1,2.
Property owners of record will be responsible for delinquent bills when tenants move out, and the water bill is outstanding on the 20th of the month. The water service deposit from the tenant will be applied to the outstanding amount. Property owners of record will need to comply with Section 12-14-4 before service can be reconnected.
Approved by the Town Board of Oelrichs, Fall River County, S.D.
May 10, 2023
Timi Kae Burdette, Member
Published once at the total approximate cost of $151.11
and can be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com
Published: May 18, 2023