SERVICE RULES

Huntsville Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. IV, div. 2

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-531 Cutting off water in cases of leakage or wastage.

Sec. 26-531. - Cutting off water in cases of leakage or wastage. The city shall have the right, power and authority to cut off the water from any house, building or property when the underground service pipe or service line or any part leading from the water meter to the house, building or property shall become defective or out of repair so as to cause a leakage or wastage of water. (Code 1982, § 23-4)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-532 Opening and closing valves on pipes or mains.

Sec. 26-532. - Opening and closing valves on pipes or mains. No person, except an employee of the waterworks, shall be permitted to open or close the valves upon the pipes or mains. (Code 1982, § 23-5)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-533 Consent of city for use of water.

Sec. 26-533. - Consent of city for use of water. No person having charge or control of any hydrant or water pipe connected with the waterworks of the city shall allow or permit any other person to habitually take, draw or use any water from any such hydrant or water pipe as the other person's primary source of water without first obtaining the permission and consent of the city. (Code 1982, § 23-10)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-534 Application for service.

Sec. 26-534. - Application for service. Each prospective customer desiring water service may be required to sign the city's standard form of application for service or contract before service is supplied by the city. (Code 1982, § 23-11)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-535 City to maintain mains and service lines up to water meter.

Sec. 26-535. - City to maintain mains and service lines up to water meter. It shall not be the duty of the city to keep in repair any underground pipe, service pipe or service line except the main pipe, generally known as the city water main and the service pipe or service line from the city's water main to the water meter on the customer's premises; nor shall it be the duty of the city to furnish water to any customer whose water pipe is not in a fit condition to receive the water and prevent its waste. (Code 1982, § 23-12)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-536 Customers to maintain water pipes.

Sec. 26-536. - Customers to maintain water pipes. When a customer owns or uses any water pipe and becomes a customer of water from the city, it shall be the duty of such customer, or the owner of the house, building or property, to keep all water pipes from the point where the customer's line is connected with the city's water meter in fit condition to receive water; and if such customer or owner of the house, building or property fails to do so, the city shall not be liable for cutting off the water upon such premises upon such failure of the customer or owner to keep such water pipe or line in fit condition. If the customer owns or uses any water pipe jointly with any other customer who may have separately contracted with the city to furnish water through such common line into the respective branches, the city shall have the right to cut off the water from such common line when the pipe of either or any of the service lines or any branch have been permitted to get out of repair or in condition unfit to receive water; and the city shall not be liable for so cutting off water because of the getting out of repair or unfitness of any common line, pipe, service or branch line. (Code 1982, § 23-13)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-537 Equipment and maintenance of water systems.

Sec. 26-537. - Equipment and maintenance of water systems. Persons taking water from the water system must keep their own water pipes and all fixtures connected with the system in good repair and protected from frost. They must provide a stopcock and waste cock properly located, and have the pipes so arranged that the water can be drawn from them when there is danger of freezing. Water will not be furnished any premises not provided with a stopcock and waste cock. (Code 1982, § 23-14)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-538 Tanks, containers, reservoirs kept in sanitary condition.

Sec. 26-538. - Tanks, containers, reservoirs kept in sanitary condition. (a) Any tank, container or reservoir not owned, controlled and operated by the city located within the city which is being used or maintained or which in the future may be used or maintained by any person for the storage of city water obtained from any of the city water pipe lines, from which tank, container or reservoir consumers of city water receive or obtain a supply of city water, shall at all times be kept in a sanitary condition, free from and protected from contamination, subject to the examination and approval of the health officer. (b) Any person who owns or has control of any such tank, container or reservoir and who fails or neglects to maintain it in a sanitary condition free from and protected from contamination shall be guilty of a misdemeanor each day such container, tank or reservoir is permitted to remain in an unsanitary condition, and not free from and protected from contamination. (c) Whenever it may be found that any such tank, container or reservoir is in an unsanitary condition and not free from and protected from contamination, the city shall have the right to cut off all consumers obtaining water from such supply without liability to the city. (Code 1982, § 23-15)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-539 Backflow prevention.

Sec. 26-539. - Backflow prevention. (a) Responsibility. The city water system shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollutants due to the backflow or back siphnonage of contaminants or pollutants through the water service connection. The customer has the primary responsibility of preventing pollutants and contaminants from entering their potable water system or the public water system through the elimination or protection of all cross-connections on their premises. The customer's responsibility starts at the service connections to the public potable water system and includes all of their water system. (b) Backflow preventer required. When any customer or consumer of the city water system is engaged in any type of activity or business, the nature of which may or might result in backflow or backsiphonage which could or might result in pollution or contamination of any portion of the city water system, the city water system shall require such customer or consumer to install, at the expense of the customer or consumer, a backflow preventer of such nature and design, as determined by the city water system to be installed in such places and manner as shall be required by the city water system. (c) Inspection and notice. The city water system shall conduct a survey or inspection of the premises of a customer or consumer to determine whether such customer or consumer is engaged in such activity or business as shall require the installation of a backflow preventer and if the city water system determines that such backflow preventer is necessary to prevent possible pollution or contamination of any portion of the city water system, such customer or consumer shall be given written notice by the city water system that such backflow preventer is necessary, together with the type to be installed and the manner and method to install the preventer. Any customer who cannot or will not allow city water system personnel on the premises for an inspection of the customer's water and piping shall be required to install the backflow prevention assembly that will provide the maximum protection to the public potable water supply system. Refusal by a customer to allow an inspection or refusal to install the required backflow prevention assembly shall be a reason to discontinue service for noncompliance. (d) Installation of backflow preventer. The customer or consumer, within a time frame prescribed by the city water system which shall not exceed 90 days, after receipt of the written notice as set forth in subsection (c) of this section, at the expense of the customer or consumer, shall install the backflow preventer as specified by the city water system in the manner and method as set forth by the city water system. (e) Failure to install backflow preventer. If the customer or consumer fails or refuses to install a backflow preventer as specified in the manner and method as set forth by the city water system, or fails or refuses to install the specified backflow preventer in a manner and method as set forth by the city water system, within 90 days from the receipt of the written notice from the city water system to the customer or consumer, which written notice is set forth in subsection (c) of this section, the city water system shall terminate the water supply to such customer or consumer until such time as the specified backflow preventer is installed in the manner and method as required by the city water system. For justifiable cause shown, the city water system may grant written extensions of time to install the specified backflow preventer for such periods of time as shall be reasonable. (f) Discontinuance of service. The city water system may deny or discontinue water service to any customer if a required backflow prevention device is not installed, tested or properly maintained, or if a cross-connection exists on the premises and there is inadequate backflow protection at the service connection. Water service shall not be restored to such premises until the deficiencies have been corrected or eliminated. (g) Unauthorized consumption. Any person or persons who fails to install backflow preventer within the time required by the city water system and takes or causes to be taken any water from the city water system or carries away or causes to be carried away water for any purpose or use whatsoever without first obtaining the consent and permission of the city water system shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Code 1982, §§ 23-17—23-20; Ord. No. 15-7, 1-22-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-540 Right of entry; refusing entry.

Sec. 26-540. - Right of entry; refusing entry. Where a service line is located on private property and is connected with the city's water system for service, the city shall, at all times, have the right and authority to go upon and enter such premises for the purpose of cutting off the water, reading, repairing, inspecting or testing its water meter or service line or making any repairs the city deems necessary. When any property owner or tenant refuses to allow the city or any of its properly authorized agents, servants, officers or employees to enter the premises for any one of the purposes set out in this section, the city shall have the right and authority to cut off the water from such premises at any other convenient place; and water service shall not be reinstated until the property owner or tenant shall authorize such service line and water meter to be repaired and placed ready for service. The city shall not be liable for cutting off the water on such premises. (Code 1982, § 23-21)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-541 Cutting off water from mains for repairs or extensions.

Sec. 26-541. - Cutting off water from mains for repairs or extensions. The city expressly reserves the right to cut off the water without notice from any or all of its water mains for the purpose of making repairs or extensions. (Code 1982, § 23-22)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-542 Discontinuing service to consumers using common line where one branch out of repair.

Sec. 26-542. - Discontinuing service to consumers using common line where one branch out of repair. If one of several branches from a common line through which water is distributed individually and separately to the several consumers from the common line should get out of condition and leak or waste water, although such branch belongs individually to the consumer or owner of the house, building or property, the city shall have the right to cut the water off to the entire common line as mentioned in section 26-536 and thereby deprive other consumers on such common line of water, though their individual branches are in repair, if such cutting off the water is necessary and without fault of the city, to avoid the creation or maintenance of a nuisance to property owners not connected with or interested in the common line, or to any other person or property. (Code 1982, § 23-23)

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26UT_ARTIVWASE_DIV2SERUFetched: 11/6/2026