Chapter 15 · Utilities

Article 2. Water

Sections 15-201 to 15-225 · 25 sections

15-201 Superintendent of water and sewage.

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

(Code 2013)

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 2013)

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 2013)

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 or her own expense to make connection to such public water main. Multi-unit dwellings with less than five (5) units shall have an individual meter per unit unless approved by the governing body. If the requirement to have individual meters per unit is waived by the governing body the property will be billed as if individual meters were installed.

(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 2013; Code 2021)

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 2013)

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 2013)

15-207 Connection fees.

(a)Prior to installation of water service by the City, the customer shall pay in advance an installation and connection fee as follows:

(1)1” meter with back flow prevention device - $50.00

(2)For all meters over 1” in diameter, installation and connection fees will be determined by the Governing Body.

(b)If an existing customer with a line less than 1” diameter wishes to install a 1” meter with back flow prevention device, prior to installation of the 1” meter by the City, the customer shall pay in advance an installation and connection fee in the amount of $50.00 plus additional costs as determined by a written estimate by the City.

(c)In addition to the above, the actual cost of any additional device or apparatus which is required by state law or administrative regulation to be installed on the service line as part of a customer’s water service shall be assessed and paid in advance by the customer.

(Ord. 1573, Sec. 1; Code 2013; Ord. 1735A)

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 2013)

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 2013)

15-210 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.

(Code 2013)

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. 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 property line.

(Code 2013)

15-212 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 $10.00 will be made to the customer.

(Code 2013)

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 2013)

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 pass 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 2013)

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 2013)

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 2013)

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

(Code 2013)

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 2013)

15-219 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 2013)

15-220 Rates.

(a)The monthly rates to be charged for water sold from the municipal water system of this City shall be as follows:

(1)Meter charge for 5/8” and 3/4” meters

(A)Water consumers within the city limits - $39.45

(B)Water consumers outside the city limits - $46.03

(2)Meter charge for 2” meters, $61.81.

(3)Meter charge for 3” meters, $78.90.

(4)Meter charge for 4” meters, $111.78.

(5)Water consumption, all meter sizes, $6.58 per 1000 gallons of water.

(6)Bulk water rate shall be $19.73 per 1000 gallons.

(7)Future infrastructure fee shall be $7.89 per month.

(b)The monthly rates to be charged for water sold from the municipal water system of the City to any person for wholesale sales to others shall be as follows:

(1)For purchases up to the amounts specified in contracts with wholesale purchasers, the charges shall be as specified in the contracts.

(2)For all amounts taken in the absence of a contract, or in excess of the amount specified in a contract with a wholesale purchaser, the charges shall be at the bulk water rate specified in subsection (a).

(c)Beginning January 1, 2028, the rates and charges established in subsection (a) shall automatically increase as follows:

(1)Effective January 1, 2028, all rates and charges shall increase by one percent (1%).

(2)Effective January 1, 2029, all rates and charges then in effect shall increase by two percent (2%).

(3)Effective January 1, 2030, and on each January 1 thereafter, all rates and charges then in effect shall increase by three percent (3%).

(4)The City Clerk is authorized to calculate and implement the adjusted rates and charges required by this section without further action of the Governing Body. In calculating the adjusted rates, each rate or charge shall be rounded to the nearest cent.

(Ord. 1475; Ord. 1716; Code 2013; Ord. 1814; Ord. 1892; Code 2021; Ord. 1951)

15-221 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 2013)

15-222 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.

(Ord. 1203, Sec. 1; Code 2013)

15-223 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.

(Ord. 1203, Sec. 2; Code 2013)

15-224 Same; inspection.

The city utility 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.

(Ord. 1203, Sec. 3; Code 2013)

15-225 Same; protection from contaminants.

Pursuant to the city’s constitutional home rule authority and K.S.A. 65-163a, the city by its utility 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 utility 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.

(Ord. 1203, Sec. 4; Code 2013)