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Town of Mulgrave
Water Connection and Disconnection Policy C-12
Title
1. This Policy is entitled the "Water Connection and Disconnection" policy.
Purpose
2. The purpose of this policy is to provide direction with respect to the connection
and disconnection of water services within the Town of Mulgrave.
Definitions
3. In the Policy, unless the context otherwise requires, the expressions:
a.
"Municipality" means the Town of Mulgrave;
b.
"Customer" means a person, firm, or corporation who or which
arranges to be supplied with water at a specific location or locations;
c.
"Board" means the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.
d.
"Water Utility" means the Town of Mulgrave Water Utility.
4. Water Service - The Town of Mulgrave Water Utility provides water services on
either at a flat quarterly rate or based on metered service.
5. Water Service Connection - When a customer requests water service
connection, a "Water Utility Request for Water Connections / Disconnections
form will be completed by Town staff. The Public Works department is
responsible for water connections and will complete the installation. When the
water is turned on by Public Works, the customer must be on site and sign the
form certifying that the water has been connected.
6. Water Service Disconnections - A customer may request water service be
disconnected or water service may be disconnected by the Town for non-payment
or other reasons outlined in this policy. When a customer requests water service
connection, a "Water Utility Request for Water Connections / Disconnections
form will be completed by Town staff. The Public Works department is
responsible for water disconnections and will schedule the disconnection
according to their work schedule. When the water is turned off by Public Works,
the customer must be on site, and confirm in writing that the water has been
disconnected for the building.
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7. Board Prevails - Nothing contained in this Policy over-rides rulings made from
time to time by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board related to the Town of
Mulgrave Water Utility. In the case of conflict between the provisions of this
policy and a ruling or decision of the Board in force at the time, the ruling or
decision of the Board will prevail.
8. Water Rates and Fees - Rates and fees for water, services of the Water Utility,
and any other rates and fees pertaining to water in the Town of Mulgrave are
governed by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in decisions it renders
from time to time.
9. Liability for Payment of Water Bill - An agreement is deemed to exist between
a customer and the Town of Mulgrave Water Utility for the supply of water
service in accordance with this Policy by virtue of:
a.
the customer applying for and receiving approval for water service;
b.
the customer consuming or paying for water service from the date that
the customer who is a party to an agreement pursuant to clause (a)(the
customer of record) moves out of the premises, in which case the
customer of record shall remain jointly and severally liable for the
water service account up to the date the Utility is notified that the
customer of record wishes to terminate the supply of water service.
c.
At the discretion of the Water Utility, a property owner who rents or
leases a property or self-contained unit to a tenant or lessee may be
required to open an account for the provision of water at the property
rented or leased.
10. Refusal of Water Service - Water service may be refused or suspended to
customers who have failed to discharge all of their liabilities and obligations to
the Water Utility, or who are in breach of this Policy.
11. Payment of Bills - Bills for water service will be rendered on a quarterly basis
and are due on the billing date. Bills which are not paid within thirty (30) days
after the billing date shall be subject to an interest charge of 1.5% per month or
part thereof. The amount due within the thirty (30) day period and the effective
date of the interest charge shall be clearly shown on the bill.
12. Suspension of Water Service for Non-Payment of Bills - The Water Utility
shall have the right to suspend water service to a customer whose bill remains
unpaid for more than forty (40) days.
13. Access to Customer's Premises - Representative of the Water Utility shall have
Right of access to all parts of a customer's property or premises at all reasonable
hours for the purpose of suspension or disconnection of water service, inspecting
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any water pipes, fittings, appliances, or for the purpose of installing, removing,
repairing, reading, testing or inspecting meters or outside reading devices. The
Water Utility shall have the right to suspend water service to any customer who
refuses such access or does not respond to requests by the Water Utility for such
access.
14. Alternate Water Supply Prohibited - Connection of any customer's installation
served by the Water Utility to any other source of water supply is prohibited.
Failure to comply with this regulation shall entitle the Water Utility to suspend
the service.
15. Plumbing to be Satisfactory - Within the boundaries of the Municipality, all
plumbing, pipes and fittings, fixtures, and other devices of conveying,
distributing, controlling, or utilizing water, which are used by a customer and are
not the property of the Water Utility, shall be installed in a manner satisfactory to
the Water Utility. The water shall not be turned on (except for construction or
testing purposes) until the applicant for service has satisfied the Water Utility that
all requirements have been met. The supply of water may be discontinued to a
customer at any time, if in the opinion of the Water Utility, the plumbing, pipes,
fittings, fixtures, or other devices as hereinbefore mentioned, or any of them, fail
to comply with the above requirements, or if any part of the water system of the
customer or the meter is in any unsuitable, dirty, unsanitary or inaccessible place.
Water service shall not be re-established until the condition is corrected to the
satisfaction of the Water Utility.
16. Prohibited Devices - Water service may be refused or suspended by the Water
Utility to a customer who installs or uses any device or appurtenance, as for
example, booster pumps, quick-opening or quick-closing valves, water operated
pumps or siphons, stand pipes, or large outlets for supplying ships, etc., which
may occasion sudden large demands of short or long duration thereby requiring
oversize meters and pipe lines, or affect the stability of regulation of water
pressure in the Water Utility's system. Permission to install or use any such
device or appurtenance must be obtained from the Water Utility, which
permission shall specify the special arrangement, such as elevated storage tanks,
surge tanks or equalizing tanks, etc., that must be provided by the customer.
17. Improper Use or Waste of Water - No customer shall permit the improper use
or waste of water, nor sell or give water to any person, except upon such
conditions and for such purposes as may be approved in writing by the Water
Utility.
18. Service Pipes
a.
Upon receipt of an application for water service to any premises fronting
on a public street and there exists in this section of the public street a
Water Utility owned and active water main and the premises is not already
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provided with water service, the Water Utility shall install a service pipe
which it considers to be of suitable size to provide the demand required.
No water service smaller than 20 mm (3/4 inch) in diameter shall be
installed. The necessary excavation and backfilling for the laying of the
service pipe, from the property line to the premises, shall be the
responsibility of the applicant for water service and all such work shall
be performed without cost to the Water Utility. The excavation may be
the same excavation as is used for the sewer service pipe or if minimum
horizontal and vertical separation between water and sewer pipes cannot
be obtained, a separate excavation for the water service pipe shall be
required. In either case, the excavation is to be provided by the applicant
to the satisfaction of the Water Utility. The cost of supplying and laying a
20 mm (3/4 inch) water pipe and fittings in the trench provided between
the main pipe and the property line shall be paid by the Water Utility.
From the property line to the premises, the cost shall be paid by the
Customer.
For water service pipes larger than 20 mm (3/4), the whole cost shall be
borne by the customer, less the cost of 20mm (3/4 inch) service pipe and
fittings in the trench provided from the main to the street lines. Should
any person make application for more than one service pipe to a premises,
the decision as to the necessity of the additional service pipe shall be made
by the Water Utility. When a service pipe has been installed without
objection from the customer as to the location of the same, no subsequent
removal of or alteration to the position of the service pipe shall be made
except at the expense of the customer requesting such removal or
alteration.
b.
In the event of a change of the use of premises, by way of rezoning,
subdivision, condominium conversion or otherwise, where such use
would result in an increased occupancy of the premises, the owner of
such premises shall apply to the Water Utility for a determination as
to whether the existing service pipe(s) is/are of a suitable size to provide
the increased demand required. The applicant may be required to provide
a hydraulic analysis of the proposed water use and existing system to
determine the suitability of the service for the new use. In the event
that the Water Utility, in its sole discretion, determines that the existing
service pipe(s) is/are not suitable, the owner shall comply with the
requirements of the Water Utility with respect to the appropriate type
and size of water service pipes to be utilized. All such service pipes
shall be installed at the owner's expense, from the property line to the
premises, and all installation shall be to the satisfaction of the Water
Utility.
c.
The Water Utility may require the owner of a property to cap off
abandoned service laterals at the water main as prescribed by and without
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cost to the Water Utility.
19. Repairs to Service Pipes - If a leak or other trouble occurs in a service pipe,
it shall be repaired as soon as possible. If the leak or trouble occurs between
the main and the street line or the easement boundary, it shall be repaired by
the Water Utility at its expense. If the leak or trouble occurs elsewhere on the
service pipe, it shall be repaired by the customer at the customer's expense.
The Water Utility may make such repairs for any customer provided the
Customer agrees to pay the cost of same. When required, each customer desiring
the Water Utility to do such work shall deposit with the Water Utility a sum equal
to the estimated cost of the work.
If a leak occurs on the customer's portion of the service pipe, and the customer
after being notified of the same refuses or unduly delays to have repairs made,
the Water Utility may discontinue the supply of water to the service pipe if in
its opinion, the action is necessary in order to prevent wastage of water. The
Water Utility shall notify the customer affected of its intention to discontinue
the supply.
20. Season for Laying Pipes - The Water Utility shall not be required to lay pipe
in any season of the year which in its opinion is not suitable. The Water
Utility may not guarantee a free flow of water in service pipes exposed,
extended or installed in severe winter conditions.
21. Pressure Reducing Valves - Where, in the opinion of the Water Utility, it is
necessary for proper water service, a customer shall install on the service pipe,
between the meter and the shutoff valve on the supply side of the meter, a
pressure reducing valve of a type satisfactory to the Water Utility. The customer
shall be responsible for the cost of installing and maintaining the pressure
reducing valve at all times.
22. Unauthorized Extensions, Additions or Connections - No person shall, without
the written consent of the Water Utility, make or cause to be made any connection
to any pipe or main or any part of the water system, or in any way obtain or use
water thereon in any manner other than as set out in this policy.
23. Liability for Supply and Pressure of Water Service - The Water Utility shall
not be deemed to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of water at a sufficient or
uniform pressure. The Water Utility shall not be liable for any damage or injury
caused or done by reason of the interruption of supply, variation of pressure or on
account of turning off the water for any cause.
24. Interference with Water Utility Property - No persons unless authorized by the
Water Utility in writing, shall draw water from, open, close, cut, break, or in any
way injure or interfere with any fire hydrant, water main, service pipe, or any
property of the Water Utility or obstruct the free access to any hydrant, valve,
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service box, meter or building etc., provided however, that no thing in this
paragraph contained shall be deemed to prevent an officer or member of the Fire
Department engaged in the work of the Department, from using any hydrant or
other source of water supply of the Water Utility for such purpose.
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25. Water Conservation Directives - The Water Utility may enact conservation of
water directives to its customers, if in the opinion of the Water Utility, such
directives will permit the Water Utility to provide a reliable, continuous water
supply to all customers serviced by the Water Utility. During such times as these
directives may be enacted, customers who do not comply with the directives may
have their water supply suspended until such time as the customer will agree to
comply with the directive or upon suspension of the water conservation directive,
whichever occurs first. In the event that water is temporarily suspended for non-
compliance of a water conservation directive, the cost of turning on the service
will be billed to the customer.
26. Suspending Service for Violation - Whenever in the opinion of the Water
Utility, violation of any part of this Policy is existing or has occurred, the Water
Utility may cause the water service to be suspended from the premises where the
violation has occurred or is existing and may keep the same so suspended until
satisfied that the cause for such action has been removed.
Certification for Town of Mulgrave Policy & Procedures Manual:
Date of notice to Council Members of Intent to Consider: March 14th, 2013
Date of Passage of Current Policy: April 2nd, 2013
I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above.
___________________________
__________________________
Chief Administrative Officer
Date