Agenda Item 7C - Ordinance 80-14-86CITY OF ATLANTIC BE ACH
C lTY COMMI SSION MEETING
STAF F REPORT
AGE NDA IT EM: Detector Chec ks for Fire Line Meterin g
Pro posed Ord in ance No . 80-14-86
SU BMITTED BY: Do nn a Ka luzni ak, Utilit y Direc tot@
DAT E: May 19,20 14
STRATEGl C PLAN LI NK: No ne
A G~NDA ITEM II 7C
JUNI~ 9, 20 14
BACK GROUND: In 20 05, as part of th e Cit y's Wa ter Los s Preve nti on Progra m, staff
reco mmend ed and th e Co mmi ss ion approved an Ordin a11ce requiri ng ful1 meterin g of new fir e
servic e lin es. Fire ser vice lines are indivi dua l wa ter services th at are used stri ctl y for fi re
s prink ler sys tems o r for private fir e hydra nt s. Typi ca ll y, th ey wo ul d onl y be used duri ng a fire,
o r whil e tes tin g or repai rin g th e fi re spri nk ler sys tem or hyd ra nt s for prope r fun cti on.
Staff was co ncemcd th at wa ter Joss mi ght be occurrin g through th ese lin es , whi ch we re no t
required to be metered. However, since enac tin g th e Ordin ance, staff has not see n an y
une xplain ed water usage.
In stall ati on of a full meter on a fir e lin e is ve ry ex pensive for bu sin esses. These lin es are
typi call y 6-inc hes or more in di ameter. The cost of th e meter, and co nst ru ct ion of a meter va ult ,
bypas s lin es, etc. ca n cos t $14,00 0 to $2 0,000.
To redu ce th e burd en on bu siness es, staff wo ul d like to revise th e ordin ance to requi re th e
in stall ati on of detecto r check mete rs on fir e lin es ins tead . T hese are small meters th at are
in sta lled o n a bypa ss on th e fir e service lin e. Th e met er will reg ister th at fl o w has occurred, bu t
will n ot indicate th e full fl ow through the line. Th e City can monitor wheth er fl ow has occun·cd,
a nd require verifi cat ion th at th e fl ow was for a fir e or fir e I i ne test. If verifi ca ti on is not
provid ed, th e City ca n th en requi re th e owne r to in sta ll a full fire lin e mete r.
BUDGET : T he City does n ot rely on nor an ti cip ate reven ue from th is se rvi ce and therefore
th ere is no bud get imp ac t.
RECOMMEND ATION: Approve Introd uct ion and F irst Re ading of Ordin ance 80-l 4 -86
rcquiiing detector c heck meters on fi re se rv ice lin es in stea d of fu ll meters.
ATTACHM ENT S : l . Ordin ance No. 80-14-86
REVlEWED BY CITY MANAGER: ---n V~ d~
ORDINANCE NO. 80-14-86
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 22 UTILITIES,
ARTICLE II, AMENDING SECTION 22-30, PRIVATE FIRE
PROTECTION SERVICE TO PROVIDE METHOD OF
MONITORING FIRE LINE USAGE; TO PROVIDE FOR
SEVERABILITY; TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
AGENDA ITEM# 7C
JUNE 9, 2014
WHEREAS, the City has encouraged water conservation using several methods to
include public education and implementing restructured inclining block water rates, and;
WHEREAS, loss of water may occur from unmetered fire lines through leaks, improper
connections, or misuse, and;
WHEREAS, it is important to be aware of and measure all uses of water to the extent
possible, and;
WHEREAS, in the current code there is a requirement that fire protection services on
new facilities be metered.
WHEREAS, use of a detector check meter will be less burdensome on businesses while
allowing the City to check for unusual water use through the fire service line.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON BEHALF
OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, that;
Section I. Chapter 22 Utilities, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlantic Beach,
Florida is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 22-30. Private fire protection service.
Fire protection service charges shall be billed the monthly water base rate for a %"
meter. Fire protection service, either private hydrants or sprinkler systems, shall be
installed from the connection to_the main inward at the expense of the consumer. All
such installations shall be made in strict accordance with the rules of the American
Insurance Association in force at the date of installation and with such requirements as
may be prescribed by the city manager. No taps will be allowed which may be used for
other than fire protection purposes, and unless pursuant to special permit from the city
manager, there shall be no connection with any other source of water except in case a
storage tank or fire pump is installed as a secondary supply for such fire protection.
Fire protection services on new facilities shall be metered have a detector check meter
installed on the fire line. Customers with existing fire protection services will be required
to install a detector check meter on the fire line. No water volume charge shall be made
for water used while fighting a fire or testing the fire sprinkler system; however, evidence
with documentation of such fire fighting or equipment testing may be required by the
AGENDA ITEM# 7C
JUNE 9, 2014
city. Water used for other than fire fighting or testing of the sprinkler system will be
charged the normal volume rate and the base charge appropriate for the size of meter, and
the city may require the customer to install an appropriately sized meter on the fire
service line.
SECTION 2. Severability
If any section, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is held to be invalid or
unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, then said holding shall in no way
affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
SECTION 3. Effective Date
This Ordinance shall take effect upon its final passage and adoption.
Passed by the City Commission on first reading this __ Day of ____ 2014.
Passed by the City Commission on this second and final reading this __ Day of
___ 2014.
Carolyn Woods
Mayor I Presiding Officer
Approved as to form and correctness:
Rich Komando, Esquire
City Attorney
ATTEST:
Donna L. Bartle, CMC
City Clerk