11.10.120 Main extensions.
(1) A main extension and/or special facilities shall be required to service all property which cannot obtain service as outlined in MMC 11.10.100.
(2) The following rules shall apply to all extensions:
(a) The minimum size of the water main to be installed shall be six inches in diameter where a larger size is not needed to provide required fire flows, provide adequate system or customer flows and/or pressures.
(b) All water mains shall be public, installed in public rights-of-way or public utility easements. The normal routing for the water main extension shall be in a dedicated street right-of-way.
(c) The Public Works Director or Director’s agent shall design or approve extensions to the water system and shall have the sole right to determine size, location and type of facility to be constructed. All engineering shall be based on both domestic and fire protection design criteria. Those not designed by the Public Works Director or Director’s agent shall be designed by a registered engineer licensed in the State to design these facilities. All water main extensions shall be designed and constructed to meet the approval of the utility and the State Health Division. All extensions shall be consistent with the water system facility plan.
(d) The installation of all water facilities shall be by City forces or through a bonded contractor.
(e) All main extensions shall extend to the extreme property line of the development or lot. If the property has excess frontage on the right-of-way and only partial development is to occur, then some consideration may be given to shortening the extension, provided sufficient assurance is given to ensure the completion of the extension at the time other development occurs. Where mains are being extended into the interior of a property or development, the mains shall be extended through to the boundaries of the property at all such points as shall be determined as needed, unless it is determined that the extensions are not needed to provide current or future looping of water mains or to provide current or future service to adjacent properties.
(f) The utility may pay for the additional cost of materials due to the oversizing of main extensions over eight inches in low- and medium-density residential development, provided the petitioner’s individual service and fire protection needs do not dictate a larger line size. The utility may pay for the additional cost of materials due to the oversizing of main extensions over 12 inches in diameter for all other land uses, provided the petitioner’s individual service and fire protection needs do not dictate a larger line size. The oversize payment shall be limited to pipe and fitting material cost differences only.
(g) The utility may, at its option, supply materials for main extension projects. All material supplied by contractors must meet strict material specifications set forth by the utility. Failure to do so will result in nonacceptance of the projects. All materials supplied by the utility to any main extension project shall be billed at the utility’s replacement cost, plus a 15 percent overhead and handling charge.
(h) All main extensions and system design shall include fire hydrants and other devices at intervals consistent with the recommendations of the water system facility plan, except as modified by the Fire Marshal. The fire hydrants shall be considered as incidental to the water mains. Where local improvement districts are established, the cost of fire hydrants shall be considered as part of the total assessable cost. Where mains are extended under permit, the cost of fire hydrants shall be the responsibility of the permittee. Where fire hydrants are installed on an existing water main to provide fire protection for a proposed development, the installed cost of the fire hydrants shall be the responsibility of the developer.
(i) Under conditions where hydrants are required within the property to be served, the main must be extended to the hydrant locations. Easements for these internal lines and hydrants must be provided by the developer.
(j) In large projects, or projects where extensive engineering or design is required prior to preliminary estimates or design being obtained, a cash advance may be required to cover the cost of such engineering or design. All engineering drawings and documents and other work completed by the utility will be understood to be the property of the utility.
(k) In areas of service above the main system service elevation, special facilities will normally be required in addition to main extensions to provide service (MMC 11.10.130).
(l) There are two basic means of financing main extensions, as outlined below:
(i) Total Project Cost. Under this method, the developer is required to pay the total cost of the project. An estimate covering approximate total costs related to the project may be supplied by the utility. If developers install the project themselves or through their own contractor and supply materials, a cash advance sufficient to cover the estimated cost for the utility services needed on the project may be required prior to starting the project. Upon completion of the project, actual costs will be computed and an adjustment made to the contractor or to the utility appropriately. In the case of complex projects (projects involving disruption of or cutting into existing roadways, utilities or pedestrian ways or other projects where partial completion of the project could result in expense to the utility), the developer may be required to supply a bond to cover the estimated cost of engineering and construction; and
(ii) Local Improvement Districts. Local improvement districts may be formed and bonds sold to fund main extensions and special facility projects.
(m) Subject to available funds, refunds may be made to the developer in areas where the developer is required to extend mains beyond the property frontage. If developers are to install the project themselves or through their own contractor and supply materials, they must secure three competitive bids for the total construction cost of the extension. These bids must be turned into the utility for review and approval of utility participation, prior to beginning work. Where approved for funding, an invoice shall be submitted to the utility after construction is completed for its portion of the project cost. The cost to the utility shall not exceed the cost determined using the lowest bid.
(n) Installers of any and all water lines or appurtenances must meet minimum standards. These standards shall include, but are not limited to, insurance requirements, bonding requirements and experience in the field of water line installation. The water lines must be installed in accordance with the utility’s specifications which are available upon request. Unless the work is being performed under a City contract, all main extensions shall require a “permit to construct public facilities” and the payment of the associated permit fee. The permit fee shall be two and one-half percent of the total construction cost, unless otherwise set by Council resolution.
(o) If developers install and purchase the material themselves, they must guarantee the project for a period of one year from the date of acceptance of the project by the utility.
(p) A contract agreement between the developer and the utility outlining the above criteria must be signed before the start of the project. (Ord. 68 § 1, passed 2-19-1991; Code 2014 § 50.12)