The Independent-News, Volume 114, Number 14, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 1 September 1988 — Page 9

vice pipe shall be 4’-6” minimum. (e) The Customer shall, at his own expense, install and maintain the service pipe from the curb or service stop to the meter. Service pipes between curb stop and meter shall conform to requirements of the Town's "Material Specifications". The Town or its authorized representative shall inspect each service pipe before the trench is backfilled. As a rule, water service will only be furnished to one property through a single service pipe. A separate service pipe is required for each water meter installed. (f) Taps will not be installed until platting has been approved, rough grading has been completed and sidewalks, curbs, and structures to be served have been located. If the service pipe from the house to the service stop is installed prior to the Town installing the tap, the end of the pipe shall be plainly marked, or the service pipe shall project above the surface to show its location. Sufficient pipe is to be installed to allow proper location of the service stop. The Town will make the connection between the Town’s service pipe and the Customers service pipe if the pipe from the building is installed and available. (g) The Town will make every reasonable effort to assist the Customer or developer in scheduling the tapping of the distribution for orderly installation of the service pipe. (h) Any developer, general contractor, or person responsible for distributing or damaging water services or valve boxes, once the services have been properly installed, shall be liable for the cost of repairs. (i) In general, water on a flatrate basis will be available for residential construction only. The supply of water for other types of construction, including commercial and industrial, will necessitate the installation of a meter in temporary housing providing sufficient protection to prevent freezing or vandalism. In lieu of a meter setting, a flat charge per month based on probable water use may be negotiated with the Town. A refundable deposit will be required for each meter. Water may be furnished to a residential developer or other homebuilder upon request for a three month period at a fee of SB.OO within the Town and $12.00 outside the Town. This fee may be reviewed and changed from time to time. The applicant for this service will make arrangements with the Town and will also be subject to the contract change under Section 4 (a). Water obtained under the above arrangements will be confined to use on the lot or premises covered in the specific agreement. If, in the opinion of the Town, sprinkling use is excessive, the above fees will be modified. The Town will open all service stops. If, at the end of the three month agreement period, the agreement has not been renewed or a meter has not been installed, the water will be turned off. Section 9. Metering. (a) Unless otherwise specified in the contract between the Town and the Customer, the water supplied will be measured by a meter or meters of standard manufacture, furnished and installed by the Town according to its requirements in force and effect as amended from time to time. The Customer shall provide for this purpose, free of expense to the Town, a suitable area near the service entrance either in the basement, or in a location which is approved by the Town before installation. Resi-

dential meters shall be installed 3'o" to 3'6" above the floor and as shown on standard meter installation drawings which may be obtained from the Town. Customer shall provide and maintain suitable means of access to the meter with no obstructions of any kind within 3’o” of the meter. Customer shall provide and install an approved stop and drain valve on the inlet side of the meter and a shut off valve on the house side of the meter as specified by the Town. One inch meters shall be installed in yokes. For l‘/j” and 2” meters, a spacer and flanges shall be installed as specified by the Town. As a convenience, the Town stocks yokes, flanges, and spacers and will upon request sell to the Customer. A remote reading device will be installed by the Town at a mutually agreeable location. For meters l‘/j" and larger, the installation shall conform in all respects to standard meter installation details which may be obtained from the Town. (b) A charge will be made for each meter installation. For new services, this charge is included in the connection or tap charge. For Customers desiring service where existing taps, service lines and yokes may be used, the charge is based on the average cost of installing meters and the Town may from time to time adjust these charges to reflect current charges. (c) If a Customer requests for his convenience or by his actions requires that Town facilities be redesigned, reengineered, relocated, removed, modified, or reinstalled, the Town may require the Customer to make payment to it of the full cost of performing such service. (d) The Town reserves the right to determine the kind and size of meter that shall be used on any service pipe. The water supplied for each Customer’s premises shall ordinarily be measured by a single meter of standard manufacture installed by the Town. However, for the convenience of the Town more than one meter may be installed for capacity purposes on the same Customer. In this case, meter readings shall be aggregated aad billed as if from a single meter. When for the convenience of the Customer, water for a premises is metered at more than one service line, each meter shall be billed separately. (e) When the Customer will permantently require for his own use and convenience one or more additonal meters for the same class of service in any one premises, the Customer may purchase the meter or meters from the Town. The Town will not supply extra meters except for temporary installation. When such temporary extra meters are installed at the request of the Customer, the Customer shall be required to pay the cost (excepting meter) required for the installation and removal. A rental charge, dependent upon the size and type of meter, will be made for each extra meter. (f) The properly authorized agents of the Town shall have the right to enter upon the premises of the Customer at all reasonable times for the purpose of inspecting, reading, testing, repairing, or replacing the meter or meters, appliances and equipment used in connection with its service and removing the same on the termination of the contract or the discontinuance of the service. (g) All meters or other appliances and equipment which are furnished by and at the expense of the Town and which may at any time be on the Customer’s premises shall, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, be and remain the property of the Town. The Cus-

tomer shall protect such property from freezing and from loss or damage and no one who is not a representative of the Utility shall be permitted to remove such property or tamper therewith. (h) Ordinary repairs to meters will be made by the Town without expense to the Customer. Repairs of damage caused by carelessness or neglect on the part of the Customer including damage from freezing or from hot water, will also be made by the Town, but the cost of such repairs shall be charged to the Customer. After a second instance of a damaged meter due to negligence of the Customer, the Town may discontinue service until the Customer properly protects the meter from damage. (i) A meter will be tested by the Town upon request of the Customer, but not more frequently than once in twelve months. A report of the results of such a test will be made to the Customer and a complete record of the test will be kept on file in the office of the Town. The Customer may be, and is encouraged to be, present or have a representative present when the meter is tested. If a test requested by the Customer established that the meter is over-registering more than two percent, no charge will be made for the test and an adjustment shall be made for the difference during the time of the malfunction up to a period of one year. Otherwise the Town shall charge the Customer for making the test in accordance with the schedule on file with the Town. (j) When a residential meter is found to under register, in excess of two percent in tests made at the request of the Customer, the Town may charge the Customer for the water incorrectly metered for a period equal to one-half of the time elapsed since the previous test, but not to exceed six months. If a meter is not found to register for any period, the Town shall estimate the charge for the water used by averaging the amounts registered over similar periods, or over corresponding periods in previous years. (k) For the determination of residential meter accuracy, the Town shall use the appropriate test flows specified by the American Water Works Association for the various type of meters. Tests on large meters shall be as recommended by the meter manufacturer. If under registration, the cost of the test shall be borne by the Customer and if over registration, the cost will be borne by the Town. Cost of water shall be adjusted as with residential meters. Section 10. Meter Reeding* And Billing*. . (a) Meters will be read monthly and bills will be rendered monthly according to the schedule of rates on file with the Town. If a bill is not paid before the due date indicated on the bill, the Customer will be considered delinquent and, at any time thereafter prior to the payment thereof, the Town may, after serving notice, discontinue Service. Failure to receive the bill shall not affect the right of the Town to discontinue service for non-payment. (b) All water charges secured to Customer rather than the premises. If a Customer moves from premises where he has been supplied with water service, he will be held responsible for the payment of all bills rendered for the service supplied to said premises until he gives proper notice to the Town that service is to be discontinued at said premises. (c) Bills for public fire protection and private fire protectin shall be rendered yearly. Rates are on file with the Town. (d) All special services for

SEPTEMBER 1, 1988 — THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS

which cash payment is not required will be billed with the next regular monthly bill following the date the service was performed. Rates for special services are on file with the Town. (e) Each bill shall be due upon receipt and payable at the Customer service office of the Town or at such other places as may be designated by the Town. A penalty may be added to any bill not paid by the due date printed on the bill. (f) All charges for water service, other than service charges, if any, shall be based on the registration of the meter or meters installed. (g) The Town will make an effort to read meters at least once a month and such reading shall be prim a facie evidence of the amount of water used. If the Town is temporarily unable to gain access to a Customer’s property, the Customer shall be billed an estimated charge based on previous meter readings unless Customer promptly and accurately fills out and mails post card left by the meter reader. The first billing made after the meter is read shall be adjusted according to the actual meter reading. No more than two estimated readings will be allowed. Failure to make meter available or to send in post card readings for three consecutive quarters will result in discontinuation of service. A maximum of four consecutive post card readings, promptly submitted by the Customer, will be allowed before a Customer is required to install an outside remote reading device or to make arrangements for a special meter reading. (h) All water passing through meters shall be charged for, whether used, wasted, or lost through leakage. (i) Disputing the accuracy of a bill shall not be reason for nonpayment of the bill by the customer. The customer may pay a bill under protest, thus giving written notice that redress is being sought. Such written notice must be filed with the Town Clerk-Treasurer prior to the due date of the bill. Section 11. Maintenance Os Service Line* & Meter Boxe*. (a) All service lines 2" and smaller from the distribution main to and including the curb stop and box shall be maintained in good repair at the expense of the Town, including the replacement thereof if necessitated because of corrosion, tuberculation, or other deterioration. However, if replacement is necessary due to increased demand or damage caused by the Customer, such replacement shall be at the Customer's expense. (b) All service lines and fixtures from the curb stop to the meter, and all service lines 2‘/j” and larger from the distribution main to the meter, shall be installed and maintained at the expense of the owner. Any leaks or other defects shall be properly and promptly repaired by him. Existing services extended to property not adjacent to a water main, whether through public or private property, shall be considered a private service line, the maintenance of which shall be the Customer’s responsibility, unless said line or main has been accepted in writing for maintenance by the Town prior to its installation. If needed repairs are not made to service lines or private lines within five days of notification by the Town, the property owners may be charged the sum of $5.00 per day for each day following the five-day period of grace that the water wastage is allowed to continue. In cases of emergency, the Town will shut off the water, make the repair, and charge the Customer for this service on the basis of actual cost plus overhead ex-

pense. (c) All meter boxes (including pits or vaults) constructed or installed by the owner, regardless of location, and all such boxes constructed or installed by the Town and located on private property shall be maintained in good repair by the Town, and any necessary repairs charged to the Owner. (d) Effective July 18. 1988 no new private service lines or new connections to existing private service will be permitted. After this date, service will only be furnished to properties located adjacent to a water main. Section 12. Cross Connections. (a) Any cross connection with other sources of water supply shall be made in conformity with the rules and regulations of the Indiana State Board of Health and/or such requirements as other regulatory bodies may from time to time require and/or the rules and regulations of the Town in force at the time. Copies of the Indiana State Board of Health regulations and the Town requirments are on file for the benefit and inspection of parties concerned. (b) All plumbing shall conform to the State Plumbing Code, which does not permit physical connections between the public water supply and waste lines, process solution lines, tanks, etc., unless properly protected by approved safety devices. (c) As a condition to receiving water service, the customer shall grant to the Town upon request, the right to enter the Customer's premises to make periodic inspections of Customer’s piping. The Town will report any violations, as set out in (a) and (b) above, to both the Customer and to the respective regulatory authority. The Town will not assume responsibility for damage, sickness or death arising from the existence of an improper cross connection or the use or failure of a cross connection prevention device. Failure to correct a non-complying installation will lead to a disconnection of service. Section 13. Use Os Booster Pump*. (a) Booster pumps shall not be installed without the written approval of the Town. (b) In all booster pump installations the suction of the pump shall be connected to an atmospheric tank with the public water supply entering the tank being controlled by an automatic float valve and freely discharging into the tank a minimum of six (6) inches above the positive over flow level of the tank. (c) As an alternative, an approved back flow prevention device may be installed on the suction of the pump. Section 14. Groondwtre*. The Town is aware that telephone and electric companies may ground wires to water lines. The Town does not install such connections; derives no benefit from them; and tolerates them only because of their reputed importance to safe and effective telephone and electric service. When and if they are found to appear to be the cause of damage, the Town may order them removed, and may discontinue service until they are removed. Section IS. Fire Protection System*. (a) Before any modifications are made to any private fire protection systems or before service is furnished to any new fire protection system connected to or proposed to be connected to and supplied with water from the Towns distribution mains, final plans shall be filed with and approved by the Town. The following shall be shown on the plans:

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