Chapter XV · Utilities

ARTICLE 1. WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEM

Sections 15-101 to 15-129 · 29 sections

15-101 Combined water and sewage system.

It is hereby declared, found, and determined to be necessary for the public health, safety, welfare, and benefits of the city, and its inhabitants, that the waterworks system and the sewage disposal system of this city, as defined in K.S.A. 12-856:868 inclusive, and any amendments thereto, including all improvements and extensions thereto, be combined, and it is hereby declared that henceforth, from and after the date on which this article shall take effect, the waterworks system and the sewage disposal system of the city as defined in K.S.A. 12-856:868 inclusive and any amendments thereto, including all future improvements and extensions thereto, whether to the waterworks system or to the sewage disposal system, shall be and the same are, combined and shall be known as the water and sewage system of the city. The water and sewage system shall be operated and financed as provided in the act and any amendments thereto.

(Code 1977, 12-101)

15-102 Combined water and sewage department.

There is hereby created for the operation of the water and sewage system of the city, a water and sewage department. The water and sewage department shall be administered and the water and sewage system shall be operated in accordance with all of the provisions of K.S.A. 12-856:868 inclusive, and all other applicable statutes.

(Code 1977, 12-102; Code 2016)

15-103 Water system service; application and installation fees.

Application for water system service to premises not then connected to the city’s water system shall be made to the city clerk by the owner or occupant of the property to be served, accompanied by the connection fee required by either section 15-106 or 15-107 of this Code. The cost of installing the property to the water system shall be paid to the city at the time application for such service is made, in the following amounts:

(a)For all standard three-quarter inch (3/4”) service there shall be a charge in such amount as may be lawfully established by the city from time to time.

(b)For all standard service greater than three-quarter inch (3/4”), there shall be a charge in such amount as may be lawfully established by the city from time to time.

(c)The cost for all service greater than one inch (1”) shall be in such amount as may be lawfully established by the city from time to time. Additionally, the applicant shall install, or cause to be installed, at its sole cost and expense, the new water service line from the permitted structure to the city water main, and such applicant shall provide all labor, materials, and equipment.

(Ord. 691; Ord. 805; Ord. 807; Ord. 958)

15-104 No tampering with water main.

It shall be a violation of this code for any person or persons to tamper with any water main, fire main, water meter or line or to make any connection to the water system of the city without written permission from the city, or to reconnect service when it has been discontinued for nonpayment of a bill for service, until such bill has been paid in full, including the cutoff and reconnection fee. Upon conviction there shall be imposed a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100.

(Code 1977, 12-104)

15-105 Application; connection fee.

Application for water system service for premises in the city or beyond the city shall be made to the city clerk by the owner or occupant of the property to be served, accompanied by a connection fee as hereinafter set forth in this Code, prior to a connection for water service.

(Ord. 479; Ord. 958)

15-106 Connection fee; residential.

Prior to the furnishing of residential water service by the city, the customer desiring to be served shall pay, in lieu of a deposit, a non-refundable connection fee in such amount as may be lawfully established by the city from time to time.

(Ord. 479; Ord. 805; Ord. 807; Ord. 958)

15-107 Connection fee; commercial.

Prior to the furnishing of commercial water service by the city, the customer desiring to be served shall pay, in lieu of a deposit, a non-refundable connection fee in such amount as may be lawfully established by the city from time to time.

(Ord. 430; Ord. 958)

15-108 Reserved.

(Ord. 430; Repealed by Ord. 958)

15-109 Separate meter installations.

All water service for separate dwelling units shall have separate meter installations. Any premises having water service at this time, which service is discontinued for any reason, shall, upon renewal of same, be separately metered.

(Code 1977, 12-109)

15-110 Utility shall serve only one residence.

No person shall take any water from any premises not owned or under the control of such person, and in no case shall a water customer extend his or her service to an adjacent property or residence in order to furnish services to such property or residence, even though such property is owned by the same person.

(Code 1977, 12-110)

15-111 Connections; by employees designated by city.

All service connections shall be made by employees of the city, or someone designated by the city.

(Code 1977, 12-111)

15-112 Requirements of service connections.

The service connections shall include the material and labor necessary for tapping the water main and the insertion of the corporation stop in the main. The city will furnish the meter box, the meter box holding device, the meter box cover, and install the meter.

(Code 1977, 12-112; Code 2016)

15-113 Water rates; inside city.

The rates, charges, and costs charged to customers for metered water service within the corporate limits of the city, shall be as established by the city from time to time, with approval from the governing body, whether on a fee schedule or otherwise. Such rates may be established based on minimum usage, excess usage, meter size, type of use (residential, commercial, or industrial), bulk sales, or such other factors as the city may determine from time to time.

(Ord. 740; Ord. 937; Code 2016; Ord. 1024; Code 2016)

15-114 Same; outside city.

Rates and minimum charges charged to all customers for metered water service outside the corporate limits of the city shall be one and one-half (1.5) times the minimum rates, charges, and costs charged to customers within the corporate limits of the city, as described in section 15-113.

(Ord. 521, Sec. 2; Code 2016; Ord. 1024; Code 2016)

15-115 Same; surcharge.

(a)When a single water meter provides service to one or more domestic units, the applicable rates established pursuant to sections 15-113 and 15-114 shall apply to only one domestic unit, and in addition a surcharge of shall be paid for each additional domestic unit, shall be as established by the city from time to time, with approval from the governing body, whether on a fee schedule or otherwise. The city may provide for a certain amount of gallon usage to be allowed for each such surcharge so paid.

(b)When a single water meter serves more than one domestic unit, the meter shall be registered in the name of the owner(s) of the property and all monthly charges for the service shall be billed to the owner(s).

(c)For the purpose of this section, the term “domestic unit” shall include residence, mobile home, each separate apartment, cottage or cabin, condominium, or individually owned apartment.

(Ord. 740; Ord. 937; Code 2016; Ord. 1024; Code 2016)

15-116 Rules governing reading of meters.

For purposes of billing for water service, all water meters shall be read on or about the 15th day of each month. Bills for water service shall reflect charges from the date of installation of the service connection or the previous meter reading (as the case may be), to the date of current meter reading.

(Code 1977, 12-114; Ord. 834; Ord. 954)

15-117 Reserved.

(Ord. 502, Sec. 1; Ord. 631, Sec. 1; Code 1994; Ord. 805; Ord. 807; Repealed by Ord. 954)

15-118 Operation; waterworks system.

The following rules and regulations shall govern the operation of the waterworks system of this city. Service connection shall have been made when provisions for same herein provided shall have been complied with.

(a)The ownership of meters and service connections shall remain in the name of the city and such meters and service connections shall be maintained by and at the expense of the city.

(b)Only city employees shall have access to any part of the waterworks system, including service connections and meters.

(c)The consumer may, if he or she desires, have access to the meter and check the reading of same at the time of its regular reading.

(d)In case of dispute of a water bill, the city shall, if the consumer so requires, have meters re-read, and the consumer is privileged to check same with the city’s representative.

(e)Connection of the meter box to the fixture of the consumer shall be made by the consumer in such manner and with such materials as he or she may desire, except that the city shall have the right to discontinue service where such connection is made in such way as to entail excessive leakage or wastage of water, and may refuse to re-establish such service until the connection shall have been made so as to prevent excessive wastage.

(f)The consumer shall be responsible for all water passing through the meter serving his or her property, whether due to use or wastage.

(Code 1977, 12-115)

15-119 Reserved.

(Code 1977, 12-116; Ord. 957; Repealed by Ord. 954)

15-120 Sewer system service; permit required.

Except as provided in section 15-121, it shall be unlawful for any person to install, remove, alter, repair or replace or cause to be installed, removed, altered, repaired or replaced any sanitary building sewer line, sewer connection or traps, leading into the sewer lines of the city without first obtaining a permit to do such work, from the city clerk. A separate permit shall be obtained for each building or structure.

(Code 1977, 12-117; Code 1985)

15-121 Same; exception.

No permit shall be required in the case of any repair work when unstopping waste pipe or fixing leaks, provided however, that if it becomes necessary to remove and replace such drain pipe with new material, the same shall be considered as new work and permit shall be procured.

(Code 1985)

15-122 Application.

Any person desiring a permit under section 15-120 shall make application for the permit to the city clerk on forms provided for that purpose. He or she shall give a description of the character of the work proposed to be done, and the location, ownership, occupancy and use of the premises for which the permit is requested. The city clerk may require plans, specifications or drawings and such other information as the public works director may deem necessary.

(Ord. 478, Sec. 1; Code 1985)

15-123 Water and sewer system application and impact fees.

(a)The fee for issuance of a sanitary sewer connection permit shall be set by resolution of the governing body from time to time and is payable before any permit is issued. The permit shall only apply to connections to the sanitary sewer system.

(b)A public sanitary sewer impact fee shall be charged for each new public sewer permit issued and shall be due and payable at the time such permit is issued The amount of such fee shall be set by resolution of the governing body from time to time.

(c)A public water supply system impact fee shall be charged for each new water service connected and shall be due and payable at the time such connection is requested. The amount of such fee shall be set by resolution of the governing body from time to time.

(d)For the purpose of this ordinance, 3000 (three thousand) gallons of water used in a one month billing period shall be considered one (1) population equivalent. The fee for non-residential uses shall be based on the population equivalent of the water use as estimated by the developer. Actual water use will be reviewed at the end of the first 12-month period of normal use to determine the accuracy of the estimate used in determining the fee. Corrections (any refund or additional fee) will be calculated to the nearest 0.5 P.E. and applied to the water bill of the 13th month.

(e)Exceptions: Any new construction or development that is required to pay a fee for city water system improvements based on their inclusion in a benefit district shall receive credit for the required benefit district payment when computing the required water system impact fee.

(Ord. 742; Ord. 821; Code 2016)

15-124 Connection and material at expense of applicant.

All material used in making a building sewer line from a structure to the city sewer will be at the expense of the owner, contractor, or applicant.

(Code 1977, 12-121; Code 1985)

15-125 Inspections.

All drainage lines, connections, attachments, and wyes will be inspected before covering or backfilling. The plumbing inspector will make inspections of such connections and such plumbing within 24 hours after being notified. Upon approval of the work done the inspector will sign the permit stating the work complies with the requirements of the code,

(Code 1977, 12-122; Code 1985)

15-126 Methods of connections.

(a)The building sewer, beginning two feet from any building or structure, shall be of such materials as may be approved by the administrative authority, but in no event will the sewer line be smaller than four inches and no less than six inches if the structure contains more than 216 fixture units. The following materials are approved for building drains: ASTMC-700; ductile iron sewer pipe, class 51; Cast iron pipe, class 22, ASTMA-377; PVC sewer pipe ASTM-3034 or ASTM 3033. Building sewers shall be run in practical alignment and at a uniform slope of not less than 2% of an inch per foot toward the point of disposal; provided that where it is impractical, due to the depth of the city’s sewer or to the structural features or to the arrangement of any building or structure to obtain a slope of one-fourth of an inch per foot, any such pipe or piping four inches or larger may have a slope of not less than 1% of an inch per foot when approved by the city inspector. Building sewer piping shall be laid on a firm bed throughout its entire length, and any such piping laid in made or filled ground shall be laid on a bed of approved materials and shall be adequately supported to the satisfaction of the city inspector.

(b)All joints and connections shall be made gas tight and water tight. When using cast iron pipe, joints shall be bell and spigot, and a lubricant and sealer as recommended by the manufacturers shall be applied before jointing together. When using PVC pipe, they will be joined by rubber ring joints meeting ASTM specification D-1869, or solvent cement complying with IAPMO installation standards.

(c)All building sewers will be connected to wyes installed in the sewer mains. If no wye is available in the city sewer main and it is on the premises that the building or structure is located, the city will install the sewer wye at a location acceptable by the city inspector, after the excavation has been made to the sewer main and the surrounding earth has been shored or reposed to the satisfaction of the city inspector.

(d)No building sewer or other drainage piping or part thereof, which is constructed of materials other than those approved for use under or within a building, shall be installed under or within two feet of any building or structure or part thereof, nor less than one foot below the surface of the finished grade. The provisions of this section include structures such as porches and steps, whether covered or uncovered, breezeways, roofed patios, carports, covered walks, covered driveways, and similar structures.

(Code 1977, 12-123; Code 1985; Code 2016)

15-127 Cleanouts.

Clean outs shall comply with the Uniform Plumbing Code, chapter 11, section 1107. Cleanouts shall be placed inside the building near the connection between the building drain and the building sewer, or installed outside the building at the lower end of the building drains and extended to grade.

(Code 1985)

15-128 Unlawful deposits.

It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit by any means whatsoever, into any floor drain, interceptor pump, sump, receptacle or device which is connected to any sewer system any: ashes, cinders, solids, rags, flammable, poisonous or explosive liquids or gases, oils, grease or any other thing whatsoever which would cause damage to the public sewer or disposal system. No rain, surface or subsurface water shall be connected to or discharged into any drainage or sanitary sewer system within the city.

(Code 1977, 12-128; Code 1985)

15-129 Traps and interceptors.

Grease traps and sand traps shall be required for packing houses, butcher shops, lard rendering establishments, creameries, hotels, restaurants, car washer racks and any other establishment where deemed necessary by the city. Compliance with the Uniform Plumbing Code, chapter 7, will be followed.

(Code 1977, 12-126:127; Code 1985)