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INTRODUCTION
RULES
AND REGULATIONS
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
I.
Corporation's Responsibility
II. Consumer's Responsibility
III. Extension of Service
IV. Connection and Initial Billing Date
V. Access to Premises
VI. Chance of Occupancy
VII. Bulk Rates
VIII.Service to Plateed Development Areas
IX. Meter Reading - Billing - Collecting
X. Disconnection of Service Without Notice
XI. Application for Water Service - Membership
XII. Classification of Service and Rates
SCHEDULE
OF FEES
Rate Schedule I - Farm
Rate Schedule II - Seasonal Residential
Rate Schedule III - Large Commercial/Industrial
SPECIFICATIONS FOR INSTALLATION
OF PRIVATE
SERVICE
LEAD
General
Installation of Service Leads
Thermal Expansion Conditions
State Plumbing Code
PHASE
I, II, AND III DIFFERNTIATION
Member
Handbook
Introduction
The Southeast
Water Users District, is incorporated under the laws
of the State of North Dakota. It has its primary function
to bring domestic water service to the corporation’s
service area in southeastern North Dakota.
The corporation’s
Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws govern the actions
of the association’s management. The membership
delegates this management to a Board of Directors that
is elected from among themselves. The Board of Directors,
in turn, have delegated the responsibility of the operations
of the association to management personnel where various
adopted policies will serve as a guideline for management
decisions that are in compliance with the aforementioned
Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. Those policies
will provide for uniformity in actions and result in
the operations of the system to the best interest of
the association and its members and without discrimination.
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Rules
and Regulations
OBJECTIVES
1. To
establish rules and regulation setting forth the corporation’s
intentions for the conduct of the business affairs of
the corporation in a manner that will result in a successful
operation.
2. To
treat all consumers alike with respect to recurring
situation requiring the establishment of a set of rules
and regulations.
3. To
provide high-quality service to the consumers of the
corporation at the lowest possible cost, consistent
with sound business practices.
4. To
make known, to the consumers, the rules and regulations
of the corporation.
5. To
created a favorable image among the consumers and general
public.
6. To
promote maximum beneficial utilization of water among
the consumers by providing additional services desired
by the consumers.
7. To
represent at all times, the interests of the consumers
in the most fair and equitable manner.
The Board
of Directors of the Southeast Water Users District,
resolves that the following rules and regulations shall
be recognized, and maintained as representing their
intentions in governing the affairs of the corporation.
It is intended that these rules and regulations reflect
long range intentions and authority on actions to be
taken by the management. The Board of Directors shall
review all rules and regulations at appropriate intervals
and make whatever changes necessary
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Conditions
of Service
I.
Corporation’s Responsibility
A. The corporation shall run a service line from its
main distribution line to the agreed upon point of connection
of the consumer. In the absence of an agreement, the
corporation reserves the right to determine the point
of connection. The corporation shall furnish and install
a curb-stop valve at that location.
B. In
regard to range or standby classifications, the corporation
may install its meter at the property line, or at the
option of the corporation on consumer’s property,
or in a location mutually agreed upon.
C. When
two or more meters are installed on the same premises
for different consumers, they shall be closely grouped
and each clearly designated to which consumer it applies.
D. The
corporation does not assume the responsibility of inspecting
the consumer’s piping or apparatus and will not
be responsible therefore. However, all meters will be
inspected periodically or caused to be inspected periodically
by the corporation.
E. The
corporation reserves the right to refuse service unless
the consumer’s line or piping is installed in
such manner as to prevent cross-connection, or backflow.
F. The
corporation shall not be liable for damage of any kind
whatsoever resulting from water or the use of water
on the consumer’s premises unless such damage
results directly from negligence on the part of the
corporation. The corporation shall not be responsible
for any damage done by or resulting the consumer’s
premises. The corporation shall not be responsible for
negligence of third persons or forces beyond the control
of the corporation resulting in any interruption of
service.
G. The
corporation shall be responsible for damage to property
resulting from maintenance or repair activities.
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II. Consumer’s Responsibility
A. Piping of the consumer’s premises must be so
arranged that the connections are conveniently located
with respect to the corporation’s lines or mains.
The consumer shall furnish, install and maintain a service
line from the curb stop to the consumer’s metering
point. The corporation will furnish for the water service
to each member the curb stop with box, meter, check
valve (backflow) and pressure regulator, also referred
to as the water meter package. Installation of each
of these items shall be a responsibility of the consumer
and installed according to specifications furnished
by the corporation.
B. If
the consumer’s piping on consumer’s premises
is so arranged that the corporation is called upon to
provide additional meters, each place of metering will
be considered as a separate and individual account.
C. The
consumer shall provide a suitable frost-proof place
for a meter placed on the consumer’s premises;
it shall be unobstructed and accessible at all times
for reading.
D. The
consumer shall furnish and maintain a private cut-off
valve on the consumer’s side of the meter and
on the corporation’s side of the pressure reducing
valve.
E. The
consumer’s piping and apparatus shall be installed
and maintained, by the consumer and at the consumer’s
expense, in a sage and efficient manner and in accordance
with the corporation’s rules and regulations and
in full compliance with the sanitary regulations of
the North Dakota Department of Health of any other governmental
agency having jurisdiction.
F. The
consumer shall guarantee proper protection for the corporation’s
property placed on the consumer’s premises and
shall permit access to it only by authorized representatives
of the corporation.
G. In
the event that any loss or damage to the property of
the corporation or any accident or injury to persons
or property is caused by or results from the negligence
or wrongful act of the consumer, his agents, or employees,
the cost of the necessary repairs or replacements shall
be paid by the consumer to the corporation and any liability
otherwise resulting shall be assumed by the consumer.
H. The
amount of such loss or damage or the cost of repairs
shall be added to the consumer’s bill, and if
not paid, service may be discontinued by the corporation.
I. Water
furnished by the corporation shall be used according
to the classification of the consumer. The consumer
shall not sell water to any other person. Water shall
not be used or irrigation, nor other purpose, except
that when water is available in sufficient quantity,
without interfering with regular classified used, in
the area served, the water may be used for any other
purpose. Disregard for this rule shall be sufficient
cause for refusal or discontinued service.
J. In
regard to watering livestock, the consumer may be required
provide a constant flow valve or other device, acceptable
to the corporation, so that water will be more uniformly
delivered to the livestock water throughout the twenty-four
hour period. Such device shall be installed at all principal
livestock water places in accordance with sanitary regulations
of the North Dakota State Department of Health or any
other governmental agency having jurisdiction.
III.
Extension of Service
A. The
corporation will supply service for temporary purposes,
provided the corporation has water available in excess
of regular needs, and provided the corporation has available
material and equipment necessary to supply and service.
Each applicant for such servicemust pay in advance to
the corporation an estimate of the cost of labor and
materials less salvage value on removal, for installing
and cost of removing such service, at the rates established
by the corporation for the classification of use.
B. Upon
application for service to Southeast Water Users District,
the Board of Directors, along with management shall
determine the feasibility and economics of serving the
applicant, and shall determine the cost to be paid by
the applicant for the extension of service.
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IV.
Connection and Initial Billing Date
A. The
Member shall connect his service lines to the Association’s
distribution system and shall commence to use water
from the system on the date that the water is made available
to the Member by the Association. Water charges to the
Member shall commence on the date that the service is
made available regardless if Member makes use of the
service.
B. Water
available to the property between the first and fifteenth,
inclusive, shall be charged no less than monthly minimum
for that period to the end of the month. Water available
to the property between the fifteenth and the end of
the month shall be charged no less than the monthly
minimum rate starting on the first of the following
month.
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V.
Access to Premises
Duly
authorized agents of the corporation shall have access,
at all reasonable hours, to the premises of the consumer
for the purpose of installing or removing the corporation’s
property, inspecting piping, reading or testing meters
or for any other purpose in connection with the corporation
service and facilities.
Each
consumer shall grant or convey, or shall cause to be
granted or conveyed, to the corporation a permanent
easement and right of way across any property owned
or controlled by the consumer wherever said permanent
easement and right of way is necessary for the corporation’s
water facilities and lines, so as to be able to furnish
service to the consumer.
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VI.
Change of Occupancy
Not less
that seven (7) days notice shall be given by the consumer
to the corporation office in writing, to discontinue
service or change of occupancy.
The outgoing
party shall be responsible for all water consumed up
to the time of departure, or the time specified for
departures, whichever period is longest.
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VII.
Bulk Rates
The rate
to cities, requesting bulk water service, shall be determined
on an individual basis and such rate shall be based
upon the costs involved.
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VIII.
Service to Platted Development Areas
Where
water service is requested by a developer of a platted
area, the board shall determine the conditions of providing
such service and those conditions shall be based upon
the specific costs of the corporation.
The developer
shall be required to furnish the Board of Directors
all pertinent information on the development area.
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IX.
Meter Reading – Billing – Collection
Customer
billing will be done monthly based on the meter reading
for the prior month. On or before the 10th or each month,
each customer shall enter his or her current meter reading
in the place provided on the billing stub and return
it to the corporation together with payment as billed.
The actual
reading on the main meter shall be used as the reading
of record for Southeast Water Users District. The main
meter is the meter that has water flowing through it.
The remote meter is for your convenience and is the
meter attached to the main meter. Any difference of
greater than 500 gallons between the main meter and
the remote meter should be reported to your Southeast
Water Users District office. The member is responsible
for what the main meter reads. Do not submit false readings
in an attempt to bank gallons of water.
The charge
for service commences when the curb stop is installed
and connection made, whether used or not. (See Condition
of Service, Policy No. 26, Section LV, for minimum billing
date.)
Reading
from different meters will not be combined for billing,
irrespective of the fact that said meters may be for
the same or different premises, or for the same or different
consumers, or for the same or different services. Estimate
bills will be rendered for consumers who fail to submit
a meter reading monthly.
Bills
shall be declared delinquent after the 10th of the month.
Thereafter, service may be discontinued by the corporation
without notice to the consumer. All bills not paid on
meter readings by the 10th of the month are subject
to a late charge of $5.00. In addition, a five dollar
($5.00) fee will be assessed for not sending in a meter
reading.
The corporation
shall cause all meters to be read periodically. The
corporation may obtain readings as often as it feels
necessary.
The corporation
may use whatever means available to them to effectuate
recovery of bad checks received for payment of water
bills, materials and supplies, or any other services
performed by the corporation. Such accounts will be
treated as delinquent accounts and the charges applicable
to such accounts will be charged. Additional expenses
incurred by the corporation to make payment good will
be borne by the consumer.
The corporation
may refuse personal checks for payment of amounts due
from consumers who have established an unreliable payment
record; or the corporation may require a security deposit
in an amount sufficiently equal to three months’
average bills.
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X. Disconnection of Service Without
Notice
The
corporation reserves the right to discontinue its service
without notice for the following reasons:
1. To
prevent fraud or abuse.
2. Consumers
willful disregard of the corporation rules.
3. Emergency
repairs.
4. Insufficiency
of supply due to circumstances beyond the corporation’s
control.
5. Legal
processes.
6. Direction
of public authorities.
7. Strike,
riot, fire, accident, or any unavoidable causes.
8. Consumer
tampering with meter or other devices of the corporation.
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XI.
Application for Water Service – Membership
The consumer
will make application for services, in person, by signing
the proper form and making the payment of a $700.00
(Seven Hundred Dollar) membership fee.
In case
an application is made for a site where a curb stop
still exists, a membership fee of $250.00 will be assessed.
The corporation
may reject any application for services not available
under the standard rate, or which involves excessive
service cost, or which may affect the supply of service
to other consumers, or for other good and sufficient
reasons.
Re-Application
The corporation
may reject any application for service when the applicant
is delinquent in payment of bills incurred for service
previously supplied at any location.
If water
service has been provided at a location and that service
not paid for by either the consumer or the owner of
the premises, the corporation shall not be required
to render service to anyone at that location until said
delinquent water bill has been paid, or until satisfactory
arrangements have been made.
If it
is found that there are any violations of the requirements
relating to application of service, the corporation
may be at the expiration of fifteen (15) days after
mailing a written notice to the last known address of
the consumer, remove the meter and discontinue service.
Where the meter is thereafter reconnected or reinstalled,
the consumer shall first pay to the corporation:
Re-connect
Charge - $20.00
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XII.
Classification of Services and Rates
Following
in the next section are the rates and classification
for various types of service. The corporation reserves
the right to make the determination of such classification.
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Schedule
of Fees
Rate
Schedule I
Farm
Availability
Includes the domestic water uses of the residence and
limited seasonal users of water for any laborer’s
or migratory worker’s quarters all of which are
located on the same farmstead.
Monthly
Rate for Phases I & II
First
2,000 gallons
$26.00
Next
6,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand gallons
Next
7,000 gallons
$ 3.00 per thousand gallons
Next
10,000 gallons
$ 2.50 per thousand gallons
Over
25,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand gallons
Minimum
Monthly Charge for Phases I & II
The minimum monthly charge shall be $26.00.
Monthly Rate for Phase III Arsenic Trioxide Project
First
2,000 gallons
$22.00
Next
6,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand gallons
Next
7,000 gallons
$ 3.00 per thousand gallons
Next
10,000 gallons
$ 2.50 per thousand gallons
Over
25,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand gallons
Minimum
Monthly Charge for Phase III
The minimum monthly charge shall be $22.00.
Terms of Payment
The above rates are net; all bills are due within ten
(10) days of receipt of bill. In the event the current
month’s bill is not paid by the 10th of the month,
it is subject to an additional $3.00 late charge. In
addition, a $5.00 fee will be assessed for not sending
in a meter reading, and service is subject to be disconnected
without further notice to the consumer.
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Rate
Schedule II
Seasonal Residential
Availability
Available to seasonal dwellings of migratory and other
part-time residents, rage operations, etc., separated
and/or independent of a farm or ranch location. (Seasonal
shall be construed to be less than eight (8) month of
any calendar year.)
Monthly
Rate for Phases I & II
First
2,000 gallons
$26.00
Next
6,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand gallons
Next
7,000 gallons
$ 3.00 per thousand gallons
Next
10,000 gallons
$ 2.50 per thousand gallons
Over
25,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand gallons
Minimum
Yearly Charge for Phase I & II
The minimum yearly charge shall be $312.00.
Each seasonal account shall be required to pay in advance
the estimated annual total of monthly charges for water
service. The amount would equal 12 monthly minimums,
plus the charges for any water use above 24,000 gallons.
Monthly
Rate for Phase III Arsenic Trioxide Project
First
2,000 gallons
$22.00
Next
6,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand gallons
Next
7,000 gallons
$ 3.00 per thousand gallons
Next
10,000 gallons
$ 2.50 per thousand gallons
Over
25,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand gallons
Minimum
Yearly Charge for Phase III
The minimum yearly charge shall be $264.00.
Terms of Payment
Each year, on or about April 15th, all seasonal accounts
shall make an annual payment on the basis described
above, and the corporation shall read such meters on
or about October 15th to determine any adjustments due.
It may be agreed that the meter be disconnected for
the winter months and that shall be done at the time
of the fall meter reading.
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Rate
Schedule III
Large Commercial/Industrial
Availability
Available to any service when the primary use is for
business or industrial use or service requirements demand
more than a five/eighth inch meter. Applies to any single
metered service to multiple rental units where owner
furnishes distribution system beyound the metering point.
(Typical examples are apartment houses, duplexes, trailer
parks, etc.)
Monthly
Rate for Phases I & II
First
2,000 gallons
$29.00
Next
6,000 gallons
$ 5.00 per thousand gallons
Next
7,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand gallons
Next
10,000 gallons
$ 3.00 per thousand gallons
Over
25,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand gallons
Minimum
Monthly Charge for Phases I, II, & III
The minimum monthly charge shall be $29.00, except for
apartment houses, duplexes, or trailer parts where the
monthly demand charge shall be $10.00 per unit. The
sum of the demand charges shall become the monthly minimum
and entitles the member to gallons of water available
for such charge under rate schedule.
Terms
of Payment
The above rates are net; all bills are due within ten
(10) days of receipt of bill. In the event the current
month’s bill is not paid by the 10th of the month,
it is subject to an additional $3.00 late charge. In
addition, a $5.00 fee will be assessed for not sending
in a meter reading, and service is subject to be disconnected
without further notice to the consumer.
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Specifications
for Installation of Private Service Leads
General
It is
the intent of these specifications to insure that the
private service leads from the curb stops shall be installed
in an acceptable manner and that quality materials are
used.
It is
the responsibility of the individual user for all costs
of material and labor of install the service lead from
the curb stop to the desired location of the service.
Responsibility for repairs and maintenance of all service
leads (except the water meter and pressure reducing
valve) and the home plumbing system shall remain with
the user.
The user
shall install service leads to buildings or locations
in accordance with the policy established by the Board
of Directors. In no case shall there be any taps of
any kind between the curb stop and water meter.
The water
meter package will be furnished by the Corporation at
no charge. These items shall be installed in a locations
such that they will not be permitted to freeze. Normally
the location of the water meter and pressure reducing
valve will be located in a heated building, such as
the home or pump house, but they may be located in a
frost-proof manhole. The manhole shall be approved by
the Corporation. The water package remains the property
of Southeast Water Users District.
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Installation
of Service Leads
The user
may install the service lead, water meter, and pressure
reducing valve himself if he so desires. All work shall
meet the application requirements of the North Dakota
Plumbing Code and these specifications stated herein.
Prior to obtaining water, the Corporation shall check
and certify all work. Corrections to the work must be
made prior to obtaining water from the rural water system.
All service
leads or other piping installed by the user shall be
¾ inch nominal size unless approved by the Engineer.
All service leads shall be either copper (type K of
L) or plastic (NSF approved minimum continuous working
pressure of at least 160 lbs. at 73.4 F.) with appropriate
approved fittings. All service leads shall be installed
to a minimum depth of 7.0 feet below ground level. This
depth shall be maintained even when crossing ditches
or other dips in the ground.
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Thermal
Expansion Conditions
The backflow
preventer will not normally allow water to flow backward;
therefore, you will need to install an expansion chamber
on your side of the backflow preventer to eliminate
the build up of pressure resulting from the expansion
of the water as it heats in your water heater (thermal
expansion). Please contact your plumber.
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State
Plumbing Code
All plumbing
shall meet the application requirements of the North
Dakota State Plumbing Code. In no case shall the rural
water system be directly cross-connected to the present
source of water, such as a well or cistern without an
approved backflow preventer.
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The
North Dakota Aresenic Trioxide Superfund Project, hereinafter
referred to as Phase III, of RRW Users Inc., has two
major differences from SEW Users Inc. Phase I and Phase
II.
This
handbook addresses Phases I, II, and III.
For Phase
III, the service line, metering, and a connection to
the user’s piping will be installed under the
contract that exists between the Corporation, The North
Dakota State Department of Health, and Consolidated
Laboratories, and The Farmers’ Home Administration.
Pages
14 and 15 hereof does not apply to those person, who
signed up to rural water service, under the Phase III
contract, however, the section “Specifications
for Installation of Private Service Leads” does
not apply to all persons in any area since Phase III
was completed.
The Domestic
Rate Schedule I – Farm on page, will remain in
effect for all domestic users and future users in the
Phase III service area.
The commercial
rates described in the Rate Schedule III – Large
Commercial/Industrial, hereof will remain in effect
and be used throughout the entire system.
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Revised
- December 1994
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