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HomeMy Public PortalAboutWater Dept. RegulationsBWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 BREWSTER WATER DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS & SERVICES FOREWORD This publication outlines the rules and regulations regarding functions of the Water Department. These include the installation of water mains and services, meters, as well as miscellaneous services. It is intended to define the obligations of the Water Department to the consumer and vice versa. GENERAL INFORMATION OFFICE HOURS: Office hours daily, except Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays are from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. INFORMATION AND COMPLAINTS: Information about water services, rates, rules, etc., may be obtained by calling 508-896-5454. Complaints of a minor nature may be made by telephone. Major complaints should be made in writing and addressed to: Town of Brewster Water Department, 1671 Main Street, Brewster Massachusetts 02631. Complaints may also be brought to any of the open meetings of the Water Commissioners held at the Water Department office. Meetings are normally held at 9:00 A.M. on the first and third Tuesday of each month. All meetings are posted at the Brewster Town Hall with date, time and location. EMERGENCIES: In case of emergency at times other than the above listed office hours, a call may be made to the Brewster Police Dispatcher at 508- 896-7011. All calls will be relayed to a Water Department staff member for prompt attention. BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 SERVICES METERS: All services are to be metered except those connected to automatic sprinkler systems for fire protection. All meters shall be installed and maintained by the Brewster Water Department. But, initial cost of the water meter will be charged to the customer. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Water mains for Automatic Sprinkler Systems installed for fire protection shall be engineered and plans submitted for approval by the Water Department. All plans for Automatic Sprinkler Systems shall be submitted to the Water Department along with a design data sheet detailing proposed cross connection device(s) for approval, prior to installation. REGULATIONS 1. IDENTIFICATION: All Water Department employees will carry photo identification. Do not allow anyone unknown to you to enter your premises on Water Department business, unless properly identified. 2. METER INSTALLATION AND SERVICES: All water meters will be set and serviced by employees of the Water Department. Seasonal water meters will be installed and removed by Water Department employees only. Installation and removals may be arranged on an automatic schedule or will call basis. All will be scheduled on a two week notifica tion basis. Automatic schedule require that an automatic seasonal meter form be completed and submitted to the water department office. Access to the water meter is required in all cases. A key must be on file a t the water department office if the meter is in locked premises or the property open all day on date of install or removal. If you are on an automatic basis and should need to change either install or removal date on a one-time basis you may contact the office with this request and the request m ust be followed up in writing. When requesting a one-time automatic seasonal basis change you must give the water department a minimum of two week notification for date change and will be charged the call in fee. 3. REPAIRS BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 METER REPAIR: The cost of repairing or replacing water meters damaged by freezing, hot water, or external causes will be charged to the property owner. SERVICE REPAIR: Water services are considered piping and appurtenances from the water main to the water meter inclusive. The Water Department warranties the water service for ten years from the date of installation. Repairs to services over ten years old will be billed to the customer at the current schedule of fees and charges at the time of the repair. Repaired parts or sec tions will, again, carry a ten year warranty. 4. SYSTEM TAMPERING: No person, except as authorized by the Water Commissioners or the Water Department Superintendent, shall operate any hydrant, valve, or otherwise tamper with any part of the Public Water Supply System or appurtenances thereof, under penalty of the laws of the State of Massachusetts governing Public Water Systems (Chapter 165, section 11 of the Massachusetts General Laws). The sabotage of a public water system, or even the threat of sabotage, is a federal offense (Title XIV, Section 1432 of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act P.L. 99-339). 5. OUTSTANDING NEW SERVICE CHARGES: No person shall have the right to the use of the Brewster public water supply until proper application for service has been made, service installed and inspected, as built drawings submitted by the service installer and all outstanding charges against the property by the Brewster Water Department have been paid. 6. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYMENT: Owners of property will be held responsible for the payment of water bills. The Water Department will not bill tenants. Failure of a seller to notify the Water Department of change of ownership does not relieve the buyer of responsibility for any charges due to the Water Department. All charges are against the property and liens may be instituted if necessary. It is the owner’s responsibility to notify the Water Department of mailing address changes. There is a charge for a Final Billing for change of ownership per issuance; this is in addition to water consumption and other related charges. BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 6a. When a large usage is in question an owner may request a tandem test water meter be set. The test period shall be for a six-month period or 3,000 gallons of usage, which ever is greater. If a meter is found to be out of tolerance, as set by the American Water Works Association, an abatement will be made back to the maximum tolerance percentage allowed. The abatement will be made on the reading period in question, the previous six- month bill and the test period. 7. LIABILITY: The Water Department shall not, in any way, nor under any circumstances, be held liable or responsible to any person or persons for the loss or damage caused by any excess or deficiency in pressure, volume or supply of water due to any cause whatsoever. The Water Department will exercise all reasonable care and diligence to avoid interruptions and fluctuations in service, but cannot, and does not, guarantee that such will not occur. 8. SERVICE INSTALLATIONS: Water service, including pipe from water main to water meter shall be installed as prescribed in regulations current at the time of installation. All fixtures and fittings used in said installations shall be the property of the Brewster Water Department, but please be reminded that the property owner is responsible for the meters’ protection against freezing or other damage. The connection fee, a fully executed application, and an approved septic plan must be submitted to the Water Department Office, prior to installation of the water service by an approved contractor. 9. METER ACCESS: Readings must be obtained for each billing period. Clear access to both the meter and remote reading equipment must be maintained at all times. When remote reading equipment is not operating properly or the property is not remoted, a request will be made to the homeowner for entrance to the meter location. This can be in the form of a reading card being left at property, letter, telephone call, etc. Failure to allow access can result in water service shut off. Access must be given to Water Department personnel during normal business hours, Monday – Friday between 7:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. for reading, repairing or replacement of the meter. Access may be established by appointment if requested by the property owner within seven working days of an access BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 request by the Brewster Water Department. Failure to comply with an access request by Brewster Water Department may result in termination of service. 10. METER TESTING: Upon request by a user for the testing of his water meter, such test will be conducted under the following conditions: The water meter will be removed from the property and brought to the Water Department shop. The user is requested to witness the meter test. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, a corrected bill will be issued. If the meter is found to be accurate the user will be charged at the current one man-hour labor rate for each meter test. 11. TERMINATION OF SERVICE: When a permanent termination of service is requested by the owner, a final bill will be prorated from t he last billing date to the date of discontinuance of service and the current meter removal service fee will be charged. A fee of $100.00 will be charged for the re-connection of a discontinued service. 12. CONDOMINIUMS: In the case of condominiums, eac h family unit in the condominium shall be separately metered unless another arrangement is approved by the Water Commissioners, but in any event, each family unit will be carried as a separate account on the Water Department records, and will be billed the same as any residential account. Regardless of how many meters are actually installed, a standard system development fee will be charged against each family unit at the time of application for water service. 13. CROSS CONNECTIONS: Unprotected cross connections are strictly forbidden in accordance with Chapter 111, section 160A of the Massachusetts General Laws, and also under 310 CMR 22.22 cross connections. (a) No persons shall maintain upon premises they own or occupy, a physical connection between the distribution system of a public water supply, the water of which is used for drinking, domestic, or culinary purposes, and the distribution system of an unapproved water supply, unless the installation has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate reviewing authority and permits have been issued. BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 (b) The Brewster Water Department has the authority to terminate any water service connection to any facility where cross connections exist without the required backflow prevention devices which have been approved by the reviewing authority. 14. DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS: The Water Department at all times tries to avoid causing undue hardship to customers experiencing difficulty in paying bills but unreasonably overdue accounts can institute late fees as follows: A late fee will be added to overdue accounts after eight weeks from date of billing and each eight week period thereafter. Accounts should be paid prior to 4:00 P.M. on the due date. In addition, overdue accounts can trigger water liens against the property, as set by the Town. 15. STOPPED METER: If it is discovered that a meter has stopped (usually at the time of a regularly scheduled reading), the owner will be contacted by the Water Department, and a mutually convenient time established for the meter to be replaced. A bill will then be rendered for usage based on the average of the past three actual usage readings. Note: regulation number 9, Meter Access: , above, will apply in this circumstance. 16. WATER CONSERVATION: Water is our most precious resource. All owners should make effort to conserve it. (a) Water Conservation suggestions are available at the Water Department Office building. (b) Water Saving Devices are recommended by the Water Department. (c) All irrigation systems must incorporate a moisture sensing device, and appropriate backflow prevention device. Subdivision Water Main Installations REGULATIONS 1. Water main plans must be approved by the Brewster Water Department. 2. The Water Department Superintendent will determine water main sizes and locations. BWD Regulations & Services FINAL 10-20-03.doc 8/17/2016 3. All water mains and appurtenances must meet the Brewster Water Department current specification for material and installation. 4. All gate valve and hydrant locations must be approved by the Brewster Water Department Superintendent. 5. A Sub-division Tapping Fee must be paid before the water main installation takes place. 6. Upon the completion of the water main installation, a pressure test of the installed system must be conducted and approved by the Water Department Superintendent. 7. Sampling locations for coliform testing will be determined by the Brewster Water Department. 8. After pressure test and coliform tests are completed and approved by the Brewster Water Department the water main will be part of the Brewster Water Department System and will be under complete control and ownership of the Brewster Water Department. 9. The Contractor and/or Subdivider will guarantee the water main installation for one year; guarantee to include workmanship and all pipe, fittings and hydrants. 10. A water inspector will be required at all times during the installation of the water main and during all necessary tests. The inspector must be approved by the Brewster Water Department. 11. All lots will be service stubbed to the property line. The service stub sizes will be determined by the Brewster Water Department. 12. Flushing and sampling new mains (Subdivisions) – will be done by the Brewster Water Department personnel and charged at the rate in effect at time work is performed, as established by the Board of Water Commissioners.