§ 47-37. Misuse of water; altering plumbing system.

(a)

No person shall apply water furnished by the city to any use different from that named in the application or contract for water service, nor shall any customer supply water to other persons or to other families or permit them to take water, nor shall any person, after the water is introduced to any building or upon any property make any tap or connection upon such property for the purpose of altering, repairing, or making extensions or attachments to furnish water to other families on such property. Misuse of water also includes theft of water service, making an unauthorized connection, construction of a by-pass of the water meter or use of any other device or arrangement that would prevent the water meter from correctly measuring the customer's water supply from the city. Any waste or misuse of water shall be an offense.

It is prima facie evidence that a person has misused water or tampered with the meter if the person is the customer or owner of the property and:

(1)

Water is prevented from passing through the city's meter;

(2)

The city's meter is prevented from correctly registering the quantity of water supplied to the property unless the faulty measurement is due to age, normal wear and tear or natural causes;

(3)

Water is diverted or bypassed around the meter;

(4)

The city's meter or service connection to the property is removed; or

(5)

Wastewater is prevented or diverted from flowing from the property into the city's wastewater system.

(b)

It shall be an offense for any person to use water (i) from a connection to a city water main except through meter properly measuring the flow, (ii) for any property that does not have a separate meter to measure water for the family or business receiving the water, or (iii) for any purpose not specified in the application, contract or permit with the city.

(c)

Unmetered fire sprinkler lines installed prior to October 2, 2002, and fire sprinkler lines with city approved backflow prevention devices with a bypass meter may be used only for fire protection. If there is any other usage of the fire sprinkler lines in excess of 1,000 gallons per month for each fire system, except for permitted construction, remodeling or expansion of existing systems, the department shall require that line be metered with a fire rated meter as specified in subsection (b) of section 47-38 of this Code.

(Code 1968, § 49-36; Ord. No. 02-926, § 3, 10-2-02; Ord. No. 03-332, § 2, 4-2-03; Ord. No. 07-599, § 13, 5-16-07)