CHAPTER 9 – SERVICE CONNECTIONS
9.01 Service Connection Defined. Water is conveyed from mains owned by Denver Water or a Distributor to licensed premises by service lines and their appurtenances. The service connection comprises the Tap and the Service Line, which together move water from Denver Water’s main to the plumbing within a licensed premises. Meters are installed on the service line, as described in Chapter 10.
9.01.1 Ownership. The service line and fittings through which a licensee receives water service from the facilities of the Water System, including the meter pit and the meter, shall be owned by and installed at the expense of the licensee, except as otherwise provided by these Operating Rules.
9.01.2 Dividing Point. The dividing point between Denver Water-owned mains or Distributor-owned mains and licensee-owned service lines shall be defined as the connection on the corporation stop tapped into the main or the discharge side of the valve closest to the Denver Water-owned or Distributor-owned main. At the dividing point, water irrevocably leaves the common, public system and enters privately owned facilities to serve individual premises.
9.02 Taps.
9.02.1 Authorized Persons. Notwithstanding the issuance of a license, no connection may be made to any main carrying water from the Water System except as authorized by Denver Water. Denver Water may permit a contractor or a Distributor to make taps larger than two inches, so long as Denver Water approves the plans for and conducts an inspection of such installations.
9.02.2 Procedure.
a. Service Line Required. Except as permitted under a stub-in permit issued pursuant to Rule 2.05, no Tap may be made to any main carrying water from the Water System until the service pipe with fittings, including the meter setting, has been installed.
(1) Taps 2 inches or smaller. Prior to the installation of a tap 2 inches or smaller, the service line, stop box, meter pit and all other appurtenances must be installed and ready for inspection and installation of the meter.
(2) Taps 3 inches and larger. Taps 3 inches and larger may be installed prior to the installation of service lines, but only after plans for such installations are approved by Denver Water.
b. Installation Charge. In addition to the fees applicable to licenses under Chapter 2, the applicant shall pay to Denver Water at the time of submitting an application for service, a fee to cover the cost of installing a tap, including the cost of materials and labor for the requested connection.
c. Location and Size of Tap. At the time of application, Denver Water will specify the main to be tapped and the location of the tap. The tap must be reasonably sized, in the judgment of Denver Water, based on the size of the licensed premises, the applicant’s statement of projected water use, and the applicable Engineering Standards.
d. Notice for Tap Connection. Once the prerequisites in subsection (a) have been satisfied, Denver Water will install the tap on the main. The licensee or other party responsible for the installation of the service connection shall make arrangements for tapping of the main by providing notice to Denver Water not less than 3 business days before the desired date of the tap installation.
9.02.3 Abandoned, Cancelled or Unused Taps. If a license or stub-in permit is canceled pursuant to Rule 2.12, the tap must be cut off at the water main at the licensee’s expense. Denver Water may require a deposit of the estimated cost to cut off a tap. All cut-offs must be inspected by Denver Water and, under special circumstances, may be cut off by Denver Water at the licensee’s expense. If Denver Water cuts off the Tap, the cost of the work will be charged to the property and must be paid before any future Water Supply License will be issued.
9.03 Service Lines.
9.03.1 Definitions. Service lines include all pipe and fittings up to and including the stop and waste valve in a building with an outside meter setting, and up to and including the valve at the downstream side of the meter for an inside meter setting.
9.03.2 Location. No connection between the Water System and the water facilities of a licensee may be made except in a public street adequate to accommodate water works facilities, or in a paved easement to which Denver Water has as free a right of vehicular access as it would have in a public street. The curb stop, service box and meter pit or vault must be conveniently accessible by vehicle from the street or from a paved easement to which Denver Water has as free a right of access as it would have in a public street.
9.03.3 Installation. All service pipes, valves, and appurtenances shall be installed by the Licensee at the cost of the Licensee. The Engineering Standards shall prescribe standards relating to the number, location, size and strength of pipes and the number, location, size and type of valves, so as to enable Denver Water to control the water supply to the premises.
9.03.4 Maintenance. The maintenance and protection of privately owned piping, including service pipe and fittings, fixtures and water?using appliances, except meters, whether located in or upon public or private property, is the exclusive responsibility of the owner thereof, except as set forth in these Operating Rules.
9.03.5 No Guarantee of Pressure or Continuous Flow. Denver Water is not responsible or liable for damage from any cause whatsoever to service connections, fixtures, and water?using appliances, and no person is entitled to damages or payment of refunds by reason of temporary or permanent pressure changes or stoppage of the flow of water through the Water System. Dirt or debris can enter water lines for any number of reasons under normal operations of the Water System, and no person is entitled to damages by reason of dirt or debris entering a licensee’s service connection.
9.03.6 Protection of Water-Using Devices. The protection of water?using devices and systems which require limited or sustained water pressure or a continual water supply is the responsibility of the licensee or the owner of the device or system. The licensee or owner of any such device or system shall take suitable protective measures at the owner’s expense. The licensee or owner should also protect water-using devices and systems from dirt or debris that may enter the service connection.
9.03.7 Maintaining Conformity with Standards. If at any time an existing service connection does not conform to these Rules or the Engineering Standards, the Licensee, or any party causing non-conformance with the Engineering Standards, is responsible for bringing the connection into compliance.
9.04 Modification of Existing Service Connections.
9.04.1 Convenience of Denver Water. When proper management, operation or maintenance of the Water System requires, Denver Water may relocate the service pipe and fittings through which a licensee receives water service at Denver Water expense. All service pipes and fittings so relocated shall be the property of the licensee.
9.04.2 Redevelopment. In case of redevelopment or “scrape-off” of an existing licensed premise, Denver Water will require the replacement or upgrade of any existing service connection or portion thereof to meet current Engineering Standards. Existing water service must be metered at all times during redevelopment activity, or the tap must be physically disconnected at the main until a new meter can be installed. If a service line is to be abandoned, it must be cut off at the main before any demolition begins. If a service line is to be replaced in order to supply the same premises, it must be cut off at the point designated by Denver Water before or at the same time a new service line is connected.
9.04.3 Relocation or Modification of Service Lines. Construction activities by any party including Denver Water, a Distributor or the owner of the licensed premise that disturb, relocate, sever or in any other way impact a service line shall be required to repair, restore, or replace the service line from the water main to the meter yoke as required by the Engineering Standards. If the meter is relocated as a result of any construction activities, or if a non copper service line downstream of the meter pit is disturbed, relocated, severed, or otherwise modified, replacement of the entire service line, including relocation of the meter to an outside meter pit, from the main to the first copper or brass fitting inside the structure will be required. Specific requirements will be determined on a case by case basis by Denver Water or the Distributor depending on factors including but not limited to the degree of disturbance to the service line, the potential impacts on lead levels, and the potential for leakage.
All such work must be pre-approved by Denver Water or the Distributor and may require submittal of detailed construction plans for review. All work must be inspected by Denver Water or Distributor at the cost of the party initiating the construction activity. Water service lines that have not been inspected by Denver Water or the Distributor may not be reactivated or reconnected to the water system of the Board or the Distributor.
9.04.4 Cut-Off Permits.
a. Application. Prior to the initiation of any service line cut?off, a completed application form for a Cut-Off Permit must be submitted to, and approved by Denver Water, and all outstanding charges must be paid.
b. Deposit. Denver Water may require a deposit to be paid prior to issuance of a Cut-Off Permit. Denver Water may retain such deposit to the extent necessary to fully compensate Denver Water for all its costs and expenses, or to rectify any failure by the licensee to properly perform the cut?off.
c. Responsibility. No cut?offs will be performed by Denver Water, except when deemed by Denver Water to be in its best interest. If Denver Water decides to perform all or any portion of the work, the licensee shall deposit the estimated cost of the work prior to issuance of the Cut-Off Permit, and will be responsible for paying the actual costs incurred by Denver Water.
d. Inspection. Denver Water personnel must inspect and verify any cut?off of the service pipe made by the licensee prior to any backfilling operations.
9.05 Leak Repair Service
9.05.1 Repair Services Available. Although the licensee owns and is responsible for maintaining the service connection, Denver Water may provide limited leak repair services to licensed premises located inside Denver or in areas served under Total Service or Total Service Improvement Distributor contracts. The availability of leak repair services as a service to licensees under this Rule 9.05 shall not impose any duty upon Denver Water, and Denver Water shall not be liable for any consequence of not providing such service.
a. Normal Wear and Aging. The repair service described in this section shall be provided only for those leaks attributed to normal wear and aging of the service pipe. Leaks caused by actions such as excavation, demolition, landscaping, or by any construction activity initiated by any third party that impacts the service line or Denver Water’s operation of the licensee’s facilities as required to enforce these rules, are not included in the repair service provided by Denver Water. The repair of such leaks is the sole responsibility of the licensee.
b. Notice and Availability. Denver Water will perform the repairs described in this section only if (1) Denver Water has actual notice of the leak; and (2) Denver Water determines that sufficient manpower and equipment are available to make repairs.
c. Without Cost. The leak repair service described in this section will be performed by Denver Water without cost to the licensee.
d. Limitations. Repair services provided by Denver Water under this section shall not include any responsibility for replacement of service lines, the thawing of frozen service pipes or appurtenances, or repairs to stub?in connections.
9.05.2 Licensee Responsibility. Regardless of the repair service provided by Denver Water under this section, the licensee shall be responsible for all damage to persons or property resulting from leaks on the licensee’s service line or appurtenances. All service line fixtures replaced or installed by Denver Water hereunder shall upon installation become the property and the responsibility of the owner of the premises served thereby.
9.05.3 Extent of Leak Repair Services. The leak repair service will consist of the following:
a. Curb Stop. Denver Water may repair leaks on service lines with curb stops which originate between the water main and the outlet (house) side of the curb stop. The licensee shall repair leaks on the outlet side of the curb stop, beginning at the tube nut which threads onto the curb stop on the outlet side.
b. Outdoor Meter Without Curb Stop. Denver Water may repair leaks on service lines with outdoor meters and no curb stop, which originate between the water main and the inlet side of the meter. The licensee shall repair all leaks emanating from the service line or any of its appurtenances located on the outlet side of the meter. The licensee shall maintain the meter pit.
c. Lines Without Curb Stops or Outdoor Meters. Denver Water may repair leaks on service lines without curb stops or outdoor meters, which originate between the water main and the property boundary of the licensed premises. The licensee shall repair all leaks emanating from the service line or any of its appurtenances located inside the property line of the licensed premises.
d. Private Lines. Repair of leaks on domestic service lines connected to privately owned fire protection service lines shall be performed as set forth above, except that Denver Water will also make repairs of leaks on the fire protection service line between the main and the inlet side of the property line valve on the fire protection service line. Denver Water shall not maintain or repair fire protection service lines that are not connected to domestic service lines.
9.06 Access to Property. Authorized employees of Denver Water or its contractor shall be allowed free and unimpeded access at all reasonable hours to any building or premises where water is used, for purposes of inspection, repair, meter reading, meter or AMR installation and maintenance. Where a meter or AMR device is installed inside a building or in another location where access is limited, the licensee shall provide access to the meter or AMR device upon notice to do so. All Denver Water employees shall carry an identification card signed by the Manager and containing a picture of the employee. Unless a Denver Water employee presents such an identification card, the employee need not be admitted to the premises involved.