Chapter 15 · Utilities

Article 2. Water

Sections 15-201 to 15-233 · 33 sections

15-201 Superintendent of water and sewage.

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

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

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 2014)

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 2014)

15-204 Service connections required.

(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/her own expense to make connection to such public water main.

(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/her authorized representative for a permit to make such connection.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

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 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/her authorized agent.

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

(Code 2014)

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 2014)

15-207 Connection fees.

The fees for connection to the city waterworks system shall be as follows:

(a)For connecting the water main with a three-fourths inch tap, three-fourths inch service line and installing three-fourths inch meter the fee (plus tax) shall be set by the council.

(b)For connecting water main with larger than a three-fourths inch tap, service line or meter the fee (plus tax) shall be set by the council.

(Code 2014)

15-208 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 2014)

15-209 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 2014)

15-210 Unauthorized service.

(a)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.

(b)Every single-family home having water service provided by the City of Pleasanton shall be connected to said water service by a separate and individual meter.

(c)Every business having water provided by the City of Pleasanton, other than a business lawfully operating as a home business under the zoning ordinances of the City of Pleasanton, shall be connected to said water service by a separate and individual meter.

(d)Any property owner or occupant connecting a second home or business to an existing meter in violation of this section shall be notified by the public works superintendent in writing that said connection is in violation of city ordinance and given 30 days to discontinue violation. Failure to do so may result in water service being terminated to the meter in questions. Service will be reestablished upon evidence that the violation has been corrected and a reconnect fee paid.

(Code 2014)

15-211 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 or in such place as is best suited for safety and access.

(c)The city’s responsibility stops at the water meter.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

15-212 Same; testing.

(a)At the discretion of the city, meters may be tested before being set and at any other time thereafter when they appear to be measuring incorrectly.

(b)Upon request of any water customer who has a reasonable belief that said customer’s water meter is inaccurate, the public works department may, at the direction of the mayor, remove the meter and submit it for a test of its accuracy, provided that the customer deposits with the city a deposit of $100 prior to such removal and submission.

(c)If the meter is found to be inaccurate beyond the normal limits of variability, with the result that the customer may have been charged for more water than has likely been used, the city will make any adjustments to the water bill allowed under this policy and the deposit will be applied to the water bill, provided that if the total bill due and payable is less than $100, the balance will be refunded to the customer.

(d)If the meter is not found to be inaccurate beyond the normal limits of variability, the deposit will be forfeited to pay the cost of the meter’s removal and testing.

(e)In the event that a customer has an unusually high-water bill, whether or not the reason is able to be determined, the customer may request the city council to adjust the rate charged for the excess water usage over and above the customer’s monthly average for the previous 12 months. The council or its designee may, at its sole discretion, adjust the rate to the wholesale rate. Further, if it appears that said high usage is the result of an inaccurate meter as determined under the terms of Section (b) above, the council may, at its sole discretion, reduce the total amount of water billed.

(Code 2014)

15-213 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 2014)

15-214 Leaks prohibited; penalty.

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/she may consider excessive.

(Code 2014)

15-215 Reserved.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

15-216 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. Meter deposits shall be transferable from one address to another address under the following conditions:

(a)All water charges, fees and penalties at the original address are fully paid and current.

(b)An “overlap” of no more than two business days will be allowed. If a longer “overlap” is needed, a second deposit, at current rates, must be refunded or applied to water usage at the original address. In this situation, failure to pay the 2nd deposit will result in termination of service.

(Code 2014)

15-217 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 2014)

15-218 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 2014)

15-219 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 2014)

15-220 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 2014)

15-221 Rates.

(a)Beginning with the water usage period billed August 1, 2013, the minimum water charge for residents within the city limits and for residents living outside the city limits shall be $30.00 for the first 1,000 gallons.

(b)Beginning with the water usage period billed January 1, 2014; the basic sewer rate adjustment for the first 5,000 gallons of water usage shall be $22.00.

(c)Beginning with the water usage period billed July 1, 2014; the basic sewer rate adjustment for the first 5,000 gallons of water usage shall be $30.00.

(d)Beginning with the water usage period billed January 1, 2015, and thereafter upon the first billing period of each year, the basic 1,000 gallon charge and the sewer rate adjustment shall each be automatically increased 3% each year for all users, unless the council shall act to postpone, cancel, or suspend such increase.

(e)Beginning with water usage period billed January 1, 2021, and thereafter, a $30.00 service fee will be added to the water bill for customers outside the city limits. In addition, there will be an increase of $5.00 to the minimum water charge for customers living outside the city limits.

(Ord. 1996; Code 2014; Ord. 2042)

15-222 Payment of bills.

All water bills for the previous month’s water service shall be paid on or before the 15th day of the month following the service. For any billing not paid when due, a late charge of 10% will be added to the bill.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

15-223 Delinquent accounts; notice; hearing; finding; liability.

Water service shall be terminated for non-payment of service fees or charges as provided in Sections 15-102:104.

(Code 2014)

15-224 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 2014)

15-225 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 unless the source is approved by the city council of the city and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

(Code 2014)

15-226 Protective backflow devices required.

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

(Code 2014)

15-227 Inspection.

The head of water and wastewater department or other designate of the city council of the city 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.

(Code 2014)

15-228 Protection from contaminants.

Pursuant to the authority given under home rule authority and K.S.A. 65-163a, the city 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 back-siphoning condition exists which may be hazardous to the health of customers served by this public water supply system of the city.

(Code 2014)

15-229 Incorporation by reference.

There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating cross connections between the public water supply and any source of contamination that manual adopted by the governing body of the city, known as “Manual of Regulations Regulating Backflow and Back-siphoning of Contaminants Due to Cross Connections for the City of Pleasanton Public Water Supply.” When completed, no fewer than three copies of said manual shall be marked or stamped, “Official Copy as Adopted by Proper Ordinance Number 1732” and filed with the city clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours.

(Code 2014)

15-230 Non-profit water rate.

(a)Non-governmental non-profit organizations which have water service within the City of Pleasanton, Kansas, shall, upon documentation of their non-profit status, be provided up to 3,000 gallons of water per monthly billing cycle without charge. The organizations covered by this section include, but are not limited to, formally organized churches, the Pleasanton Community Building, the Senior Center and the Linn County Museum.

(b)Organizations qualifying and receiving water under this section shall be charged the “wholesale” water rate for any water use in any monthly billing cycle which exceeds 3,000 gallons.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)

15-231 Employee water usage reimbursement.

Every full-time city employee who is employed by the City of Pleasanton on December 1 of any year, and who has residential water service from the City of Pleasanton, and who receives that service at a residence occupied by the employee within the city limits of the City of Pleasanton, shall receive an annual reimbursement of certain portions of the water/sewer rates charges for water they have used during the previous year. Said reimbursement shall be calculated during the month of December each year and shall be based on water usage reports available for the twelve months beginning December 1 of the PREVIOUS year to December 1 of the CURRENT year. The amount of reimbursement shall be the cost of up to the first 5,000 gallons per month of actual water usage as recorded by the employee’s residential water meter. Water/sewer usage beyond 5,000 gallons per month shall be charged the regular retail rate, including applicable minimums, for all water in excess of 5,000 gallons. The reimbursement shall be included in the employee’s final paycheck of the year and shall be considered taxable income to the employee.

(Code 2014)

15-232 Bulk water sales.

The city may sell water at Bulk Rates to qualified purchasers under the following conditions:

(a)The Sale of water at Bulk Rates is deemed beneficial to the interests of the City.

(b)The purchaser has completed an Application for Bulk Water Purchase.

(c)The purchaser’s application has been reviewed and approved by the city administrator or his designee.

(d)The purchaser’s equipment, including hoses, shall only interface with the City water system by way of City-owned and supplied Hydrant Adaptor/Meter, which shall be rented by the purchaser from the City at a rate of $20/day, or $100/7-day week, or $300/month.

(e)Renters of said equipment shall make a deposit of $500 to cover lost or damaged Adaptor.

(f)The City may require an additional deposit to cover the anticipated cost of water to be used and the cost of Hydrant rental.

(g)Water sold at a Bulk Rate shall be charged on the basis of the following formula:

Gallons used divided by 17, multiplied by 0.25, multiplied by the current base water rate= Bulk Rate.

(Ord. 2026)

15-233 Locking of water meters.

Pursuant to City Code Sections 15-101 through 15-111, it is the policy of the City of Pleasanton to lock water meters of city water customers when those customers are delinquent in paying water bills.

Upon receipt of payment of all delinquent water bills and the re-connection fee authorized by 15-111, locked water meters will be unlocked, and the account re-activated within one business day.

(Code 2014; Code 2025)