Chapter 15 · Utilities

Article 2. Water

Sections 15-201 to 15-230 · 30 sections

15-201 Superintendent of water and sewage.

The general management, care, control and supervision of the city water system shall be in the supervisor of public works.

(Code 1991; Code 2023)

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 1991)

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 1991)

15-204 Service connections required.

(a)The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within the city abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located a public water main, is hereby required at his or her own expense to make connection to such public water main unless such improvements are provided public water service by an existing rural water district.

(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 1991)

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 1991)

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 1991)

15-207 Connection fees.

The fee for connection to the city waterworks system shall be as set forth in the city’s fee ordinance in the amount of $2,000.

(Code 1991; Ord. 2000-6, Sec. 1; Code 2010; Code 2023; Ord. 2023-07)

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 1991)

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 or utility supervisor.

(Code 1991)

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 outlet side of the meter set.

(Code 1991)

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 $20 plus an amount equal to the actual cost associated with testing said meter will be made to the customer.

(Code 1991)

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 1991)

15-213 Leaks prohibited; penalty.

Except to the extent authorized by written city policy, no allowances shall be made for water used or lost through leaks, carelessness, neglect or otherwise after the same has passed 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 1991; Ord. 1997-6, Sec. 1)

15-214 Disconnection; reconnection charge.

The governing body shall establish, by ordinance, a water service disconnection and reconnection charge of $50. Whenever the city receives a request from a customer for termination of water service the disconnection charge shall be added to the customer’s final bill. Any service disconnected for nonpayment of delinquent bill shall be reconnected only upon payment of the delinquent bill, interest penalty thereon, and the reconnection charge.

(Code 1991; Ord. 3-1993, Sec. 2)

15-215 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 1991)

15-216 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 1991)

15-217 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, obstruct, or otherwise molest or disturb any meter, meter lid, cutoff, or any other appurtenances to the water system of the city.

(Code 1991)

15-218 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 1991)

15-219 Water rationing.

The city reserves the right to restrict or prohibit the use of water and to specify the purposes for which it may be used whenever the governing body determines the public exigency so requires.

(Code 1991)

15-220 Same; procedure.

Whenever the governing body determines that water use must be restricted or prohibited, it shall forthwith issue a proclamation of emergency through the news media and use other appropriate methods of making public the proclamation.

(Code 1991)

15-221 Same; priority use.

In the event a proclamation of emergency is issued, water usage will be restricted or prohibited first for uses in the following priority:

(a)Water lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, plants and water outside dwellings for such purposes as car, boat, or trailer washing or washing exterior of dwellings;

(b)Industrial uses of water, including but not limited to car wash operations and packing plant operations;

(c)Business use, other than industrial;

(d)Home uses other than those set forth in subsection (a).

(Code 1991)

15-222 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 1991)

15-223 Rates.

The rates for the use of city water shall be as set forth in the city’s fee resolution.

(Code 2010)

15-224 Payment of bills.

All water bills for the previous month’s water service shall be paid on or before the 25th day of the month following the service. For any billing not paid when due, a late charge of 18% will be added to the bill.

(Code 1991; Ord. 3-1993, Sec. 3)

15-225 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 1991)

15-226 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 1991)

15-227 Cross-connections prohibited.

No person shall establish or permit to be established or maintain or permit to be maintained, any cross connection whereby a private, auxiliary, or emergency water supply other than the regular public water supply of the city may enter the supply and distributing system of the city unless specifically approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the governing body.

(Code 1991)

15-228 Same; protective backflow devices required.

Approved devices to protect against backflow or backsiphonage shall be installed at all fixtures and equipment where backflow and/or backsiphonage may occur and where there is a hazard to the potable water supply in that polluted water or other contaminating materials may enter into the public water supply. Any situation in which a heavy withdrawal of water, such as a sudden break in the main or water being used from a fire hydrant, may cause a negative pressure to develop which could lead to backsiphonage of polluted water into the system shall be improper and must be protected by approved backflow preventive valves and systems as determined by the superintendent.

(Code 1991)

15-229 Same; inspection.

The city maintenance superintendent or other designee of the governing body shall have the right of entry into any building or premises in the city as frequently as necessary in his or her judgment in order to ensure that plumbing has been installed in accordance with the laws of the city so as to prevent the possibility of pollution of the water supply of the city.

(Code 1991)

15-230 Same; protection from contaminants.

Pursuant to the city’s constitutional home rule authority and K.S.A. 65-1 63a, the city by its maintenance superintendent may refuse to deliver water through pipes and mains to any premises where a condition exists which might lead to the contamination of the public water supply system and it may continue to refuse the delivery of water to the premises until that condition is remedied. In addition, the city maintenance superintendent may terminate water service to any property where the cross connections or backsiphonage condition creates, in the judgment of the superintendent, an emergency danger of contamination to the public water supply.

(Code 1991)