Chapter XV · Utilities

Article 2. Water

Sections 15-201 to 15-226 · 26 sections

15-201 Superintendent of water and sewage.

The general management, care, control and supervision of the city water system shall be in the superintendent of water and sewage, who shall be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the governing body.

(Code 2012)

15-202 Regulations.

The furnishing of water to customers by the city through its waterworks system shall be governed by the regulations set out in this article.

(Code 1984, 15-102; Code 2012)

15-203 Service not guaranteed.

The city does not guarantee the delivery of water through any of its mains and connecting services at any time except only when its mains, pumping machinery, power service connection are in good working order, and the supply of water is sufficient for the usual demand of its consumers.

(Code 1984, 15-103; Code 2012)

15-204 Service connections required; unfit dwelling.

(a)The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purpose, situated within the city abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located near public water mains, is hereby required at his or her own expense to make connection to such public water main. Failure to connect to the public water main shall result in the house, building or property being deemed unfit for human use or habitation per Section 4-601 of this Code.

(b)Before any connection is made to the city’s water system an application must be made in writing to the city clerk by the owner of the premises, or his or her authorized representative, for a permit to make such connection.

(Code 2012; Ord. 2023-11)

15-205 Application for service.

(a)Any person, firm or corporation desiring a connection with the municipal water system shall apply in writing to the city clerk, on a form furnished by the city for that purpose, for a permit to make the connection.

(b)The application shall:

(1)Contain an exact description including street address of the property to be served;

(2)State the size of tap required;

(3)State the size and kind of service pipe to be used;

(4)State the full name of the owner of the premises to be served;

(5)State the purpose for which the water is to be used;

(6)State any other pertinent information required by the city clerk;

(7)Be signed by the owner or occupant of the premises to be served, or his or her authorized agent.

(c)Each application for a connection permit shall be accompanied by payment of fees and/or costs specified in section 15-207.

(Code 2012)

15-206 City to make connections.

All taps shall be given, street excavations made, corporation cocks inserted, pipes installed from main to curb, and the curb cock installed in a meter box to which the service pipe is to be connected by city employees only.

(Code 2012)

15-207 Curb cocks.

There shall be a curb cock in every service line attached to the city main, the same to be placed within the meter box. Curb cocks shall be supplied with strong and suitable “T” handles.

(Code 1984, 15-106; Code 2012)

15-208 Check valves.

Check valves are required on all connections to steam boilers or on any other connection deemed necessary by the water superintendent. Safety and relief valves shall be placed on all boilers or other steam apparatus connected with the water system where the steam pressure may be raised in excess of 40 pounds per square inch.

(Code 1984, 15-107; Code 2012)

15-209 Unauthorized service.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation, other than duly authorized city officials or employees to turn water on or off at the water meter or curb cock shut off, with a key or in any other manner, without first obtaining written permission from the mayor or the governing body.

(Code 2012)

15-210 Meters.

(a)All water furnished to customers shall be metered.

(b)Meters shall be located between the sidewalk or property line and curbing when the main is in the street, and on private property within three feet of the alley line when the main is in the alley. In the business district the meters may be installed in the basement at a location specified by the city.

(c)The city’s responsibility stops at the property line.

(Code 2012)

15-211 Same; testing.

Meters shall be tested before being set and at any other time thereafter when they appear to be measuring incorrectly. If a test is requested by the customer and the meter is found to be accurate within two percent, the meter will be deemed correct and a charge of $10 will be made to the customer.

(Code 1984, 15-110; Code 2012)

15-212 Tampering with meter.

It shall be unlawful for any person to break the seal of any meter, to alter the register or mechanism of any meter, or to make any outlet or connection in any manner so that water supplied by the city may be used or wasted without being metered. It shall be unlawful for any person except an authorized employee of the water department to turn any curb cock on or off.

(Code 1984, 15-111; Code 2012)

15-213 Leaks prohibited; penalty.

No allowances shall be made for water used or lost through leaks, carelessness, neglect or otherwise after the same has pass through the meter. However, every customer shall have the right to appeal to the city from water bill or meter reading which he or she may consider excessive.

(Code 1984, 15-112; Code 2012)

15-214 Utility deposit.

At the time of making application for water service, the property owner or customer shall make a cash deposit in the amount and manner specified in section 15-105 to secure payment of accrued bills or bills due on discontinuance of service.

(Code 2012)

15-215 Interrupt service.

The city reserves the right to interrupt water service for the purpose of making repairs or extensions to water lines or equipment.

(Code 1984, 15-115; Code 2012)

15-216 Prohibited acts.

It shall be a violation of this article for any unauthorized person to:

(a)Perform any work upon the pipes or appurtenances of the city’s waterworks system beyond a private property line unless such person is employed by the city;

(b)Make any connections with any extension of the supply pipes of any consumer without written permission to do so having been first obtained from the governing body;

(c)Remove, handle or otherwise molest or disturb any meter, meter lid, cutoff, or any other appurtenances to the water system of the city.

(Code 2012)

15-217 Wasting water.

Water users shall prevent unnecessary waste of water and shall keep sprinklers, hydrants, faucets and all apparatus, including the service line leading from the property to the meter in good condition at their expense.

(Code 2012)

15-218 Right of access.

Authorized employees of the city may enter upon any premises at reasonable hours for the purpose of reading the meter or servicing or inspecting meters or water lines.

(Code 1984, 15-118; Code 2012)

15-219 Delinquent accounts; notice; hearing; finding; liability.

Water service shall be terminated for nonpayment of service fees or charges as provided in sections 15-102:104.

(Code 2012)

15-220 Use during fire.

No person owning or occupying premises connected to the municipal water system shall use or allow to be used during a fire any water from the water system except for the purpose of extinguishing the fire. Upon the sounding of a fire alarm it shall be the duty of every such person to see that all water services are tightly closed and that no water is used except in extraordinary cases of emergency during the fire.

(Code 2012)

15-221 Cross-connections prohibited.

No person, company, corporation, or institution shall establish or permit to be established or maintain or permit to be maintained, any cross connection whereby a private water supply, or any source of contamination may enter the regular public water supply of the City of McLouth, Kansas, unless said source is approved by the city council of the City of McLouth, Kansas, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

(Ord. 92-2; Code 2012)

15-222 Same; protective backflow devices required.

Approved devices to protect against backflow or backsiphonage shall be installed at all fixtures and equipment where backflow or backsiphonage may occur and where there is a hazard of contamination of the potable water supply system.

(Ord. 92-2; Code 2012)

15-223 Same; inspection.

The city utilities a or other designate of the city council of the City of McLouth, Kansas shall have the right of entry into any building or premises in the city as frequently as necessary in order to ensure that plumbing has been installed in a manner as to prevent the possibility of contamination of the public water supply of the City of McLouth, Kansas.

(Ord. 92-2; Code 2012)

15-224 Same; protection from contaminants.

Pursuant to the authority given under Home Rule Powers and K.S.A. 65-163a, the City of McLouth, Kansas, may refuse to deliver water to any premises where a condition exists which might lead to the contamination of the public water and may continue to refuse to deliver water until the condition is corrected to the satisfaction of the city. In addition, the city may immediately terminate water service to a premises where a backflow or backsiphonage condition exists which may be hazardous to the health of customers served by this public water supply system of the City of McLouth, Kansas.

(Ord. 92-2; Code 2012)

15-225 Same; incorporation by reference.

There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating cross connections between the public water supply and any sources of contamination that certain manual adopted by the Governing Body of the City of McLouth, Kansas, known as “MANUAL OF REGULATIONS REGULATING BACKFLOW AND BACKSIPHONAGE OF CONTAMINANTS DUE TO CROSS CONNECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF MCLOUTH, KANSAS, PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY”. One copy of said manual shall be marked or stamped, “Official Copy as Adopted by Ordinance No. 92-2”, and to which shall be attached a copy of that ordinance, and filed with the city clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours.

(Ord. 92-2; Code 2012)

15-226 Individual meters required for each mobile home located within a mobile home park after May 1, 2004.

(a)On or before May 1, 2004, each individual mobile home located within a mobile home park, as defined by the Zoning Regulations of the City of McLouth, 1995 Edition, shall be required to have an individual water meter specifically designated for that particular mobile home, and no other structure or mobile home shall receive water service from that meter.

(b)Meters are to be installed at the mobile home park owner’s expense.

(c)Meters installed on or before May 1, 2004 may be of any design available from the City; provided, however, that any mobile home replaced with another mobile home unit on the same lot after May 1, 2004 shall be required to have the meter installed in a meter-pit similar to typical residential structures within the City.

(d)From the effective date of Ord. 2003-05 and prior to May 1, 2004, and in the event that a mobile home park owner elects to have two or more mobile homes serviced by a common water meter, payment and remedies available to the City for failure to make satisfactory payment of periodic service charge bills shall subject the mobile home park owner to the provisions of Section 15-106 et seq. to include, but not limited to, termination of services.

(Ord. 2003-05; Code 2012)