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Chapter 90

CHAPTER 90


WATER SERVICE POLICIES

90.01 Service Characteristics
90.02 Engineering Practice
90.03 Water Line Tap
90.04 Costs of Installation; Permit Required
90.05 Construction Materials and Methods

90.01 SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS. The Utility† will supply water that is approved and certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and/or the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The water supply will be fluoridated and chlorinated as required.

90.02 ENGINEERING PRACTICE. Facilities of the Utility shall be constructed, installed, maintained and operated in accordance with accepted good engineering practice in the plumbing industry to assure – as far as reasonably possible – continuity of service and safety of persons and property. The Utility shall require compliance with applicable provisions of the Iowa Plumbing Code for service line construction as the standards of accepted good practice.

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90.03 WATER LINE TAP. The customer or plumber must make application with the City for a water tap prior to the installation of the water service. The City will make the water tap. The connection to the main shall be made with a regulation corporation cock supplied and installed by the City; no tap will be made in an eight-inch main larger than one inch; in a six-inch main larger than one inch, or in a four-inch main larger than three-fourths inch. All excavation in preparation for the tap and backfill after the tap is completed shall be completed by the owner or plumber.

90.04 COSTS OF INSTALLATION; PERMIT REQUIRED. The owner of a property to be served must assume the responsibility and bear the entire cost of the water service line, which runs from the water main to the building. All water services shall be installed to comply with the Iowa Plumbing Code. The water service line shall be owned, maintained and repaired by the property owner. These service lines include the piping, corporation at the main, curb stop, curb box and meter valve. The Utility will not be responsible for the failure of any pipe or fixtures associated with the property owner’s service line. All owners, at their own expense, must keep their service lines (from the point of connection with the Utility’s main to their premises) in good working condition. Any failure of the service line during normal operation by a Utility employee shall be repaired and paid for by the service line owner. No person shall lay pipe in connection with or to be connected to the City water system without first obtaining a permit from the Public Works Director.

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90.05 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS.

  1. Material. Service pipes between the water mains and curb stop shall be of copper service tubing, known as Type K, soft temper, copper service tubing for use with either compression or flare fittings or continuous coiled plastic or Schedule 40 or greater PVC with solvent weld joints. Three-fourths inch inside diameter shall be the minimum size used.
  2. Connection to Corporation Cock. The connecting of the service pipe to the corporation cock shall be made with approved fittings. A goose neck bend shall be made at the corporation cock connection and due precaution shall be taken so as not to injure the tubing in the act of bending.
  3. Curb Line Box. Each service line shall be a brass valve known as a curb stop cock; and a curb stop box, both stop cock and stop box to be of an approved type designated by the City. The curb stop cock and box shall be placed at the curb line or five feet outside of the property line or at a place designated by the Superintendent of Public Works.
  4. Depth of Lines. All service pipes shall be laid at least five feet below the surface of the ground and with sufficient waving to allow two extra feet of pipe for every ninety-eight lineal feet of line, and in such a manner as to prevent damage by settlement. Where the length of service is less than 100 feet between the corporation cock and curb stop, the service shall be a single piece of copper tubing. The use of continuous coil pipe having joints therein is prohibited.
  5. Meter Installation. The Utility will furnish, own, install and maintain all meters and meter connections through which service is supplied. The customer’s meter size requirements shall be governed by the size of the service and determined by the Utility. All meters shall be placed on the service pipe, not to exceed two feet from a wall where the pipe enters the building and with the bottom of the meter at least seven inches above the floor with a shut-off valve between the meter and said wall. On services of 1½-inch or larger, a shut-off valve shall be installed on both sides of the meter. Multiple meter setups shall be installed so that any one of the meters can be removed without interruption to the other multiple meter services. All the necessary piping for the meter installation and the house piping on the outlet side of the meter shall be furnished by the customer. When meters are placed on a pipe connected to a boiler or other hot water apparatus, a relief valve must be placed between the meter and the boiler or hot water apparatus to protect such meter from the back pressure of steam or hot water. If a meter is damaged through negligence by excessive back pressure or freezing, the Utility shall charge the owner the total repair or replacement costs.
  6. Meter Pits. Upon approval of the Utility, the customer may have meters installed outside the building in a meter pit or vault constructed according to specifications established by City. The customer will be responsible for all construction and maintenance costs of the pit or vault.
  7. Abandoned Water Service Lines. All water services that become obsolete because of the laying of new or larger services must be cut and shut off at the water main and reported to the Utility. When a building is to be torn down or moved, eliminating the need for a water service, the water service must also be cut and shut off at the water main. All expenses and work incurred in cutting and shutting the service off permanently is the responsibility of the owner.
  8. Repair and Replacement. When a repair is necessary on an old service pipe and such repair indicates the necessity for the replacement of more than one-half of the service pipe, an entire new service shall be installed to conform with the rules and regulations for new service. If less than one-half requires replacement, the new section shall conform to rules and regulations governing new services.
  9. Water Leaks. With the exception of meter connectors and meter leaks, all internal leaks on the service line or building lines will be the responsibility of the owner to repair and pay for. The Utility will make the final decision as to responsibility of external leaks. If Utility excavation on a leak finds the property owner’s line needing repair, work will cease, if practical, and the owner notified. All Utility expenses will be billed to the owner.

Editor’s Note: For definitions of terms used in this chapter, see Chapter 110.
For Customer Service Policies, see Chapter 111.
For additional General Service Policies, see Chapter 112.
For Water Service Rates, see Chapter 113.

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