§ 74-148. Fire hydrants.

(a)

No person shall open or use any hydrant connected with the city water distribution system without having first obtained a permit from the director authorizing such use under such conditions and with such safeguards as the director determines necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare. A condition of the issuance of such permit shall be, in addition to any other applicable fees, a deposit of a sufficient amount of money to pay for the estimated consumption of water throughout the hydrant. A person who opens or uses any hydrant with the permission of the city must report to the director when the use is terminated. The city shall bill the user for the actual amount of water consumed and the cost of repairing the hydrant if the hydrant is damaged by the user, and shall credit the user with the amount deposited for payment of such bill. Any person opening or using any fire hydrant without the permit required by this section shall, in addition to being subject to the penalties provided herein, pay for the amount of water estimated by the city to have been consumed by such unauthorized use.

(b)

The city must approve the type, size of openings and types of nozzle thread in all hydrants installed.

(c)

No person, firm or corporation shall in any manner obstruct or prevent free access to or place or store temporarily or otherwise any object, material, snow, debris, automobile or structure of any kind within a distance of 20 feet of any hydrant. Any such obstruction when discovered may be removed by the city at the expense of the person, firm or corporation responsible for the obstruction.

(d)

Hydrants are located within the road right-of-way or easement, and any person, firm or corporation desiring to have a hydrant moved to another location shall bear the complete cost of moving said hydrant.

(e)

Where pipes have been provided for fire protection on any premises where hose connections for fire apparatus are provided on any pipes, such connection or opening on said pipe shall have not less than 25 feet of fire hose constantly attached thereto, and no water shall be taken or used through such openings or hose for any purpose other than for extinguishing fires except for the purpose of testing said fire equipment. In such case, the test must be conducted under a special permit and under the supervision of the water system.

(f)

Each premises to or for which a separate unmetered fire line connection is provided for sprinkler or hydrant service shall pay therefor a quarterly charge as follows:

For four-inch service connection, per quarter ..... $ 25.00

For six-inch service connection, per quarter ..... 50.00

For eight-inch service connection, per quarter ..... 75.00

For ten-inch service connection, per quarter ..... 100.00

For 12-inch service connection, per quarter ..... 125.00

(g)

Fire service lines. All fire service lines shall conform to the standards determined by the department, as well as the Auburn Hills Fire Department. All fire services lines must be equipped with a detector check meter or a double check valve assembly with a bypass meter to account for water use. There should be required a post or wall indicator valve which operates from a convenient location on the outside of the building. A pumper input pipe (standard size) composed of two and one-half inch wye connection with female Detroit standard threads, placed at a location near the indicator valve, will also be required.

(h)

The city shall pay for all water used by it at the established rates except that for hydrant rental. The fire department shall pay $45.00 per year for each hydrant connected to the system, such rental shall be payable in equal quarterly installments.

(i)

All service connections, except separate fire connections, shall be metered and shall pay for water at the rate established by the council. In no case will water be supplied, except for temporary use with water system approval, at other than the established water rate.

(j)

Where persons, firms, corporations or others request permission of the city to perform a hydrant flow test, to determine the adequacy of the existing city water system, the department shall perform all the work of opening and closing the necessary water system valves and hydrants to accomplish the test. The department shall issue a permit and a minimum fee of $50.00 shall be assessed. The city shall be provided with a copy of the test results.

(Ord. No. 634, § 1, 9-21-98)