Chapter 194

WATER

§ 194-1. Compliance required.
§ 194-2. Permission required for connection.
§ 194-3. Application for permission to connect.
§ 194-4. Plumber to be agent of owner.
§ 194-5. Curb cock or valve keys.
§ 194-6. Meter to be set before water is turned on.
§ 194-7. Responsibility for damage to meters and fixtures.
§ 194-8. Separate services required.
§ 194-9. Standards for pipes.
§ 194-10. Laying of service pipes.
§ 194-11. Standards for laying of temporary pipe.
§ 194-12. Maintenance of service pipes.
§ 194-13. Workmanship of installations.
§ 194-14. Stop and waste cock.
§ 194-15. Protection from freezing.
§ 194-16. Restrictions on use.
§ 194-17. Discontinuance of service.
§ 194-18. Inspection of plumbing and fixtures.
§ 194-19. Services to be metered.
§ 194-20. Number of meters supplied to be limited.
§ 194-21. Services to be in good repair prior to installation of meter.
§ 194-22. Repairs.
§ 194-23. Removal of meters.
§ 194-24. Testing of meters.
§ 194-25. Reading of meters.
§ 194-26. Bills for metered water.
§ 194-27. Special bills.
§ 194-28. Shut off of water for nonpayment of bills.
§ 194-28A. Voluntary shut off of water*
§ 194-29. Operation of valves; penalties for offenses.
§ 194-30. Disturbing or displacement of valves.
*Added 7/5/2005; L.L.#5-2005

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Windsor 7-25-67 as part of 1967 Ordinance Book. Sections 194-2, 194-26, 194-29B and 194-30B amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I. Other amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 194-1. Compliance required.
These rules and regulations are prescribed by the Village Board, and every person who shall be supplied with water by the Windsor Water system must agree to comply with these rules and regulations, and the same shall constitute a part of the contract existing between such person and the Water Board.

§ 194-2. Permission required for connection
No person other than persons authorized and employed by the Village Board shall be permitted to tap or make any connection with any street main or distribution pipe; and any person or persons who shall tap or make any connection with any street main or distribution pipe without being so authorized or employed shall incur and be liable to the payment of a penalty set forth in Appendix C of the Code of the Village of Windsor containing the list of Fines and Penalties for the Village or imprisonment for fifteen (15) days, or both, and the water shall be shut off from such unauthorized tap or connection*

*Amended 9/4/2001; L.L.5-2001
§ 194-3. Application for permission to connect.
Persons desiring to introduce a supply of water into their premises shall make application for the same to the Village Board.

§ 194-4. Plumber to be agent of owner.
The plumber designated and employed by the owner of the premises will be considered the agent of such owner while employed in the prosecution of the work of introducing water into said premises and in no sense as the agent of the village. Neither will said Water Board nor the Village of Windsor be responsible for the acts of such plumber.

§ 194-5. Curb cock or valve keys.
No plumber shall part with the possession of a key for turning off or on water except to an employee of the village, and no person, unless specially authorized by the village, shall have or hold such key in his possession.

§ 194-6. Meter to be set before water is turned on.
When the plumbing work in any building has been completed, it shall be the duty of the plumber to shut. off the water and leave it turned off until the meter has been set.

§ 194-7. Responsibility for damage to meters and fixtures.
An injury to service pipes, street mains, hydrants, valve boxes, meters or other fixtures and any damage that may be caused by leakage or flow of water occasioned by such injury or by any excavation, embankment, track laying, paving or other construction shall be paid by the contractor doing the work or by the owner of the premises or the person or corporation for whom such work is being done.

§ 194-8. Separate services required.
Plumbers shall not connect two (2) services to one (1) tap; but each house must have one (1) distinct and separate tap and service pipe. and each service must be provided with a stopcock and metal extension box outside of the premises connected with the same.

§ 194-9. Standards for pipes.
No service pipe, except that it shall be of cast iron, copper or galvanized wrought iron, shall be laid in any trench or under any cellar floor or be covered by earth except beyond the point where the  water passes through the meter. The quality, strength and weight of the pipe shall be equal to that used by the village. In case this rule is not complied with, water will not be turned on the service until pipe or fittings shall have been made to comply with this rule.

§ 194-10. Laying of service pipes.
A. Service pipes will be required to be laid so as to be no less than five (5) feet below the surface of the ground at any point outside of the foundation wall of the building into which the service is to be introduced, and, in case final grade of the street or sidewalk has been officially determined established, then said service shall be laid at a depth of not less than five (5) feet below said established grade at all points so that when the street and walk are graded, there shall be not less than a five-foot covering of earth over it at every point, and in no case shall a service be permitted to be laid in the same trench with a sewer or gas line.
B. Whenever the service pipe is extended into the premises from a main, passing said premises along any front thereof, it shall be extended at right angles with said main to the inside of the curb cock and curb box.

§ 194-11. Standards for laying of temporary pipe.
A. Owners desiring to introduce water into premises, along any front on which water mains have not yet been laid, must make application therefor to the Water Board; and in case a permit is granted, the Water Board will furnish directions in detail in regard to the point of attachments to the village main, the method of attachment and the position and depth which said service must occupy in the street. The service must in all other respects comply with the rules and regulations covering service pipes.
B. In general, when a temporary pipe is laid in a street, alley or highway, it shall be laid in a line corresponding to the contemplated permanent water main. When opposite the premises to be supplied, the service from said pipe shall be laid at right angles to said line of service pipe and in a manner as directed.
C. The owner or owners of premises supplied by means of a temporary service of any description shall, whenever a permanent water main is laid in the street, alley or highway upon which said premises abut, cause said temporary service to be discontinued and connection to be made with the aforesaid permanent main. The expense of making such connection must be borne by the owner of the premises.

§ 194-12. Maintenance of service pipes.
The owner of property into which water is introduced by a service pipe will be required to maintain in perfect order at his own cost and expense said service pipe from the curb cock to his own premises, including all fixtures therein provided for delivering or supplying water for any purpose; and the curb box must be kept in view and the top thereof even with the sidewalk or street grade at all times and in a serviceable condition. In case such service and fixtures are not so kept in repair, the water may be shut off from the premises until the requirements of this rule are complied with or  the village may make the necessary repairs to conform to this rule and charge the cost thereof to the owner of the property at which this rule is violated.

§ 194-13. Workmanship of installations.
All of the parts of the water service inside the building and the fixtures and appurtenances connected therewith shall be of such form, character and workmanship as is hereinafter described or may be approved by the village.

§ 194-14. Stop and waste cock.
Just inside the basement or foundation wall of the building into which the service pipe extends, a stop and waste cock shall be conveniently located and arranged so that water may be drawn back and all of the pipes within the building may be emptied to such stop and waste cock. Said waste cock must be kept open at all times when the service is not in use.

§ 194-15. Protection from freezing.
Meter and service pipes in buildings shall be located in the parts thereof best protected from frosts.
A. In buildings where there is no cellar, the pipes shall be carried to unexposed parts previous to being carried upward.
B. In all exposed situations the service pipes and fixtures shall be properly wrapped with felt or other nonconducting substances if necessary to protect such meter and service from freezing. Said protection shall be at the expense of the owner.

§ 194-16. Restrictions on use.
A. Lawn sprinkling, car washing, garden springlines or any other nonessential use may be forbidden at any time by the village in case they should deem it necessary to conserve the water supply of the village.
B. The Board reserves the right to limit the amount of water furnished to any consumer, in emergencies, without prior notice.

§ 194-17. Discontinuance of service.
When for any reason the use of a service is discontinued, such service shall be shut off at the corporation cock at the main, and any branch abandoned shall be capped, and, in case this rule has not been complied with, such service may be shut off and any such branch capped by the village; and all expense connected therewith shall be borne by the owner and shall be chargeable against the property at which such service was discontinued, regardless of whether or not such owner owned  such property at the time that such service was discontinued. If the owner refuses to reimburse the village for services so rendered, the water may be shut off until payment is made.

§ 194-18. Inspection of plumbing and fixtures.
Employees of the village may enter and must be permitted to enter upon any premises where village water is being supplied, or upon any premises when application is made for a permit to connect plumbing with the water pipes, for the purpose of inspecting the plumbing and fixtures of the water service and all work in connection with service.

§ 194-19. Services to be metered.
A. The village shall, in granting applications for new connections, require that all connected services, except fire-sprinkling systems therewith, be metered.
B. For use in private residences, meters of one (1) inch or less than one (1) inch in size shall be furnished and installed free by the village. The meter will remain the property of the village.

§ 194-20. Number of meters supplied to be limited.
A. One (1) meter only to a premise will be furnished free by the village, which must be placed to cover all the fixtures connected with the supply of service pipe and must be in position where it can be conveniently read.
B. Any additional meters for sub-metering must be furnished, installed and maintained by the owner at his own cost and expense and must be placed so as not to divert any water in passing through the meter belonging to the village.

§ 194-21. Services to be in good repair prior to installation of meter.
No meter shall be installed by the Village unless the service, service fixtures and plumbing adjacent to the proposed location of the meter are in good and serviceable condition. The curb box must be readily accessible; the curb cock, stop and waste cock in good working order; and any rusty or unsafe pipes next to the proposed locations of the meter replaced.

§ 194-22. Repairs.
All repairs to meters shall be made by regular employees of the village only. Repairs due to ordinary wear will be made free of charge, but repairs due to hot water, freezing or other external sources must be paid for by the owner of the premises; and if a meter is damaged beyond repair, such owner must pay for a new meter. Upon refusal of the owner to pay for such repairs, the water will be shut off and not turned on again until all charges are paid.

§ 194-23. Removal of meters.
No meter shall be removed or disturbed by other than the regular employees of the village.

§ 194-24. Testing of meters.
Persons making complaints as to the correctness of meter bills and claiming to be overcharged may, upon request, have the meter examined and/or tested and the dial reread. The Superintendent of Water Works is authorized to correct any charge due to a fault in the meter or incorrect reading of the dial, but shall have no power to reduce meter bills for any other reason whatsoever.

§ 194-25. Reading of meters.
Meters will be read every six (6) months, or as often as deemed necessary.

§ 194-26. Bills for metered water. **
A. All bills for metered water are payable within thirty (30) days of billing, after which period a fee will be added, in the amount set forth in Appendix B of the Code of the Village of Windsor containing the Listing of Fees and Permits. If said fee is not paid by the end of an additional thirty day (30) period, a written notice of fifteen (15) days will be given, and a further charge will be assessed, in the amount set forth in said Appendix B.
B. Outstanding balances on all bills for metered water on properties located within the Village of Windsor will be applied to property taxes in the Village for the succeeding year.
C. For properties outside the Village of Windsor with unpaid balances, after the fifteen (15) day notice set forth in this section, the water may be shut off. If the water is shutoff, a fee shall be assessed to turn the water back on, in the amount set forth in said Appendix B. The water will not be turned on until full payment of the outstanding balance is received.

**Amended 7/5/2005; L.L.#5-2005

§ 194-27. Special bills .*
Outstanding balances on all special water bills will be applied to property taxes in the Village for the succeeding year.

*Amended 4/1/2003; L.L.#2-2003

§ 194-28. Shut off of water for nonpayment of bills.
Whenever the owner of any premises which is supplied with water shall be charged for water supplied, for services rendered, water furnished or expense incurred by the village to these rules and regulations, and if said charges are not paid, the water may be turned off on account of such nonpayment and no application for water services for such premises need be granted (notwithstanding that said premises may have changed ownership) until such charges shall have been paid in full.

§ 194-28A. Voluntary shut off of water. [Added on 7/5/2005; L.L.#5-2005]
If the owner of any premises supplied with water requests a voluntary shutoff for any reason (for example, seasonal usage), a re connection fee shall be assessed, in the amount set forth in Appendix B of the Code of the Village of Windsor containing the Listing of Fees and Permits for the Village.

§ 194-29. Operation of valves; penalties for offenses.
A. No person except an employee of the village shall open, close or in any way interfere with any street valve or gate in any water main, conduit or street pipe.
B. Any person violating this rule shall be subject to a fine set forth in Appendix C of the Code of the Village of Windsor containing the list of Fines and Penalties for the Village or imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) days, or both.*

§ 194-30. Disturbing or displacement of valves.
A. Any person who has disturbed or displaced a valve so that the valve stem cannot be reached by a key or who has covered a valve box or manhole cover of a valve chamber with dirt, paving, plank or other material shall immediately replace the valve box and remove the obstruction and be subject to a fine set forth in Appendix C of the Code of the Village of Windsor containing the list of Fines and Penalties for the Village or imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) days, or both.*
B. The cost for servicing the above shall be as follows:
Size of Pipe(inches)      Fee
Up to 3/4″                       Fee set forth in Appendix B containing the list of Fees and Permits for the Village of Windsor
1″ and above                  Cost of time and materials