Article 2 - Taps and Services | Westchester Joint Water Works

Section 1. Applications and Fees

A tap and service line installation shall be made only after an application for service has been filed and the necessary fees paid.

Section 2. Customer's Portion of Service Line

Applicant is responsible for the installation of the service pipe from the proper curb stop location to the premises to be supplied. Such service pipe shall be installed in accordance with Water Works' specifications and applicable local codes and ordinances, and shall be inspected by the Water Works for conformance to such requirements before backfilling is permitted. No tap will be made by the Water Works until such installation has been approved, except for Advance Service Connections as described in Section 6 of this Article.

Section 3. Scheduling of Tap

At least two (2) working days advance notice shall be furnished to the Water Works by the applicant in order that the Water Works may schedule the tap. Applicant understands that emergencies may require the Water Works to cancel the appointment. No tap shall be scheduled for a Monday or the day following a holiday without special approval of the Water Works. Applicant must have trench ready and pipe exposed by the time specified in Fee Schedule D.

Section 4. Fee For Tap and Service Connection

For the charge shown in Fee Schedule D, the Water Works will make the tap and provide and install the service pipe from the main to the curb stop location near the curb line of the property to be supplied, the curb stop and box, adapters and appurtenances as required. An additional charge shall be made for service lines over 35 feet in length. Trenching, backfilling and surface restoration are the responsibility of the applicant for service, and shall be done in accordance with applicable local codes and regulations.

For taps and service lines over 2-inches in diameter, the applicant is responsible for the installation of the service pipe from the main to the proper curb stop location. Such service pipe shall be installed in accordance with Water Works' specifications and applicable local codes and ordinances, and shall be inspected by the Water Works for conformance to such requirements before backfilling is permitted.

Section 5. Backfilling of Trench

Backfill with suitable material under and around the main and service line, and to one foot over the main and service line shall be placed by hand and tamped to Water Works specifications immediately upon completion of the work of the Water Works. Failure to promptly complete such backfilling operation or any delay in meeting the scheduled appointment for a tap may result in an additional charge to the applicant. Service will not be initiated until curb box is properly set, plumb and to grade directly over the curb stop, and curb stop is operable through curb box. Any additional cost incurred by Water Works to make curb stop operable shall be billed to applicant.

Section 6. Advance Service Connection

A property owner may request an advance service connection to a property fronting on an undedicated street through which water service is not immediately desired, in accordance with Fee Schedule E. The standard charge for taps as listed in Fee Schedule D shall apply. In addition, a deposit shall be made in accordance with Fee Schedule E for each advance service connection requested. This deposit shall be heldby the Water Works for a period of up to 5 years from the date of the application for such advance service connection. If no bona fide customer for service has been connected to the service line by that date, the Water Works may apply the deposit towards the cost of severing and/or maintenance of the connection. The balance of the deposit remaining after such charges have been deducted, if any, shall be refundable to the applicant after the line has been severed. If a bona-fide customer is connected to the service line within the 5 year period, the full amount of the deposit, less applicable maintenance charges, shall be returned to the applicant.

Section 7.

No person other than an employee of the Water Works, or a contractor authorized by the Water Works, shall be allowed to make a tap or connect a service pipe to the public water mains, or to operate any valve or curb stop on the service line. Any such unauthorized operation shall be construed as tampering with a public water supply.

Section 8. Types of Service

A. A separate tap and service pipe will be required for each customer. Every building, whether or not the same is a unit in a group of such buildings, shall have a separate tap and service pipe and shall have a separate meter.

B. Seasonal Service - Seasonal service shall be provided between April 15 and October 15 of each year in accordance with the terms of Fee Schedule B.

C. Fire Service - A separate tap and service pipe shall be required for a fire service, except for residential fire sprinklers, and shall be equipped with a detector check valve and bypass meter. A fee shall be charged based on the size of the service line and no additional charge shall be made for sprinkler heads, hydrants or standpipe hose connections supplied by the fire service.

D. Residential Fire Sprinkler Service - Where a customer elects to take fire sprinkler service from the domestic service line in accordance with the terms of Fee Schedule H, that is where a single metered service is utilized with a fire sprinkler branch teed off the domestic service after the meter, the Water Works assumes no responsibility for the adequacy of such combined domestic and residential fire service, and no additional billing for the fire service will be made.

E. Underground Lawn Sprinkler Supplied from Domestic Service - Where a customer elects to connect an underground lawn sprinkler system to the domestic service line, the Water Works assumes no responsibility for the adequacy of the service line or meter and/or for the failure or decrease in water pressure and available flow due to the demand of the sprinkler system. The Water Works assumes no obligation to increase the service line or meter size to accommodate such additional sprinkler system demand. The customer shall complete an application for approval of such system, and the system shall be designed in compliance with the requirements of Article 7, Section 4 of these Rules and Regulations.

Section 9.

Abandoned taps or services, including those resulting from building demolition, shall be shut off at the main and disconnected. A tap or service line shall be construed to be abandoned when no water service has been provided for three (3) consecutive years. The expense of opening the street and other costs incidental to the disconnecting of such service pipe lines shall be a proper charge to the property owner. A deposit shall be made in accordance with Schedule A to assure the disconnection of such abandoned taps or services.

Section 10.

The Water Works will control all taps, mains and meters within the district served and reserves the right, whenever there is a violation of the rules and regulations pertaining thereto, to disconnect the service pipes to the property, or to take any other appropriate action to protect its property and rights.

Section 11.

Service lines shall be laid in a separate trench at right angles to the property, at a depth of four (4) feet below the surface of the ground, which depth must be maintained at all points of the line and at all times. The edge to edge distance of the trenches between the water service and the sewer lateral shall be at least three (3) feet.

Section 12.

The water service and sewer lateral may be placed in the same trench only in rock excavation provided that the water service is laid on a shelf and the horizontal edge-to-edge distance between the water service and the sewer lateral is at least 2 feet. Electric and gas service lines may not be laid in this trench.

Section 13.

The pipe on the inlet side of the meter shall not be smaller than the rated size of the meter, but may be larger.

Section 14.

No change in the service lines will be permitted after the meter has been installed except by written permission of the Water Works. No fixtures shall be placed on the street side of the meter, except that the property owner will be required to have installed on the service line on the inlet side of the meter, within one foot of the meter, an approved quarter-turn ball valve or gate valve. On the outlet side of the meter, a faucet and an approved quarter-turn ball valve or gate valve shall be placed in the order named. Where boilers are directly supplied with water, the Manager may require that a safety valve be installed on the line to prevent damages from explosion or other causes.

The property owner is required to maintain the ball valves or gate valves before and after the meter in satisfactory operating condition. Where such valves do not operate satisfactorily, thereby preventing the Water Works from changing the meter, such valves shall be repaired or replaced within ten (10) days. Where such valves do not function in an emergency, requiring a Water Works response to operate the curb stop, a fee shall be charged for the shutdown and for the reinstitution of service.

Section 15.

An approved double check valve assembly or reduced pressure zone device shall be placed in all services where the following conditions exist:

A. Where a building is supplied by more than one service pipe.

B. Where there is any possibility of backflow from tanks or other apparatus or fixtures within the premises that could result in potential contamination of the public water supply system. Such cross connection control devices shall be placed immediately after the valve on the outlet side of the meter. The determination of the type of cross connection control device required shall be in conformance with Article 7 of these Rules and Regulations. A single check valve shall be placed between the meter and the outlet valve in all other installations, when so directed by the Water Works.

A meter over two (2") inches in size shall be equipped with a suitable bypass containing an approved valve which shall be sealed by the Water Works.

Section 16. Maintenance and Replacement of Service Line

A. Repairs and maintenance of the service between the main and the proper curb box location (as defined in Section 17) shall be made by the Water Works. The property owner is responsible for repairs and maintenance of the service between the proper curb box location and the premises supplied. The Water Works may order the replacement of a service when it is determined that such a service has become corroded or formed internal scale so as to leak or become inadequate for the service for which it was originally installed.

B. The Water Works may require the installation of a larger service if the essential requirements of a property have increased beyond those for which the service was originally installed.

C. The cost of such replacement or installation shall be a proper charge against the property owner.

D. The Water Works shall have the power to order, at the expense of the property owner, the replacement of service lines between the proper curb box location and meter location if it is found to be in a broken or leaky condition. Failure to comply with this order within forty eight (48) hours shall be sufficient cause for discontinuance of the water supply. Moreover, the Water Works shall have the power, after reasonable notice, in order to properly conserve the supply of water, to hire a plumbing contractor to repair or replace any service pipes situated on private property. The cost thereof shall be a proper charge against the property owner and will attach in the same manner as any other charge.

E. In the event that a customer's service line becomes frozen, and the Water Works is requested to thaw such line, such service if available, shall be provided once only in accordance with the terms of Fee Schedule C. The customer shall be responsible for correcting the condition causing the freeze-up.

Section 17.

The curb box shall be located no further than three (3) feet from the edge of pavement (or curb where curbs are in place). In the case where the water main is located between the edge of pavement (or curb where curbs are in place) and the property line, the curb box shall be located as close to the main as practicable, but in any case between the main and the property line. Where a curb box is improperly located on private property, the Water Works shall not be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the service line beyond the proper curb box location, even though no curb box may be in place at the proper location.

Section 18.

All curb boxes now set, or hereafter to be set, shall be adjusted to changes in the sidewalk or street grades, or broken or missing covers replaced, by the property owner at his expense. On failure of the property owner to do this work, and upon due notice, the Water Works may do the work and the cost will be a proper charge against the property owner. Curb boxes shall not be fenced in, paved over, or otherwise made inaccessible to the Water Works.

Section 19.

The Water Works shall not be responsible for any loss or damage which may arise by leakage from fixtures or service lines beyond the proper curb box location or other pipes.