Operating Rules
Adopted December 12, 2007
Last Amended July 9, 2008
Effective Date August 1, 2008

Operating Rules in PDF format*

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article X of the Charter of the City and County of Denver

Chapter 1 - General

1.01 Authority

1.02 Effectiveness

1.03 Amendment of Rules

1.04 Severability

1.05 Definitions

Chapter 2 - LICENSES AND CONDITIONS FOR WATER SERVICE

2.01 Application of this Chapter

    2.01.1 General Conditions

    2.01.2 Eligibility for Service

2.02 Standard Service License

    2.02.1 Activation

    2.02.2 Water Conservation Limitation

    2.02.3 Continuous Metering Required

2.03 Fire Protection License

    2.03.1 Conditions for Issuance of Fire Protection License

2.04 Auxiliary License

2.05 Stub-In Permit

    2.05.1 Stub-In Tap Installed Prior to Meter Setting

    2.05.2 Conversion Required

    2.05.3 Compliance with Standards

2.06 Requirements for Obtaining a License

    2.06.1 General Requirements

    2.06.2 License for Service from a Distributor

    2.06.3 Tap Allocations

    2.06.4 Common Service for Individual Units

    2.06.5 Separate Service Required

2.07 System Development Charge

    2.07.1 Payment of SDC Required

    2.07.2 Assessment of SDC

    2.07.3 Schedules of SDCs

    2.07.4 Changes in SDC

    2.07.5 Deferred SDC

    2.07.6 SDC Credits When Water Service Modified

2.08 Participation Charges

    2.08.1 Participation Policy

    2.08.2 Method for Calculation of Participation Charges

    2.08.3 Result of Failure to Pay

2.09 Other Fees and Charges as Conditions of Service

    2.09.1 Costs of Main Extensions

    2.09.2 Cost of Service Lines

    2.09.3 Cost of Public Fire Hydrants

2.10 Suspension of Service under a License

    2.10.1 Causes for Suspension of Service

    2.10.2 Suspension for Non-Payment

    2.10.3 Suspension for Reasons other than Non Payment

    2.10.4 Suspension of Service for Emergencies or Unauthorized Use

2.11 Revocation of Licenses

    2.11.1 Notice of Proposed Revocation

    2.11.2 Effect of Hearing and Appeal

    2.11.3 New License Required

2.12 Cancellation of Licenses for Inactivity

    2.12.1 Failure to Activate License

    2.12.2 Failure to Convert Stub-in Permit

    2.12.3 Inactive Water Service

Chapter 3 - TEMPORARY WATER SERVICE

3.01 Temporary Use of Water

3.02 Hydrant Use Permit

3.03 Construction Water Use

3.04 Temporary Water Use License

Chapter 4 - NONPOTABLE WATER SERVICE

4.01 Applicability

4.02 Nonpotable Policy

    4.02.1 New Licenses

    4.02.2 Conversion of Existing Potable License

4.03 Requirements of Nonpotable Service

    4.03.1 Interconnections Prohibited

    4.03.2 Marking of Facilities

    4.03.3 Use Schedule

4.04 Special Conditions for Use of Recycled Water

    4.04.1 Compliance Required

    4.04.2 Recordkeeping

    4.04.3 Operational Requirements

    4.04.4 Modifications to Recycled Water Facilities

    4.04.5 Signage

Chapter 5 - SERVICE OUTSIDE DENVER

5.01 Contractual Relationships

5.02 Distributor Contracts (Water Service Agreements)

    5.02.1 Total Service

    5.02.2 Read and Bill

    5.02.3 Master Meter

5.03 Integrated and Consecutive Systems

    5.03.1 Water Quality Regulation

    5.03.2 Integrated System

    5.03.3 Consecutive Systems

    5.03.4 Change in Status

5.04 Other Water Supply Contracts

    5.04.1 Connector Agreement

    5.04.2 Non-potable Water Contracts

    5.04.3 Carrier Facility Contracts

5.05 Contracts for Water Supply Outside the Combined Service Area

    5.05.1 SDCs and Rates

    5.05.2 Obligations under Fixed-Amount Contract

    5.05.3 Limitations on Delivery

Chapter 6 - RATES AND BILLING

6.01 Payment Responsibility

    6.01.1 Payment Required for Continued Service

    6.01.2 Billing Address

6.02 Metered Service Rates

    6.02.1 Cost of Service

    6.02.2 Establishing Rates for Metered Service

6.03 Other Types of Rates

    6.03.1 Fire Protection Service

    6.03.2 Nonmetered Service

6.04 Billing Procedures

    6.04.1 Billing Frequency

    6.04.2 Group Billing

    6.04.3 Interconnected System Billing

    6.04.4 Billing for Separately Owned Structures or Units Within a Structure

    6.04.5 Account Adjustments

    6.04.6 No Authorization to Accept Payment

6.05 Delinquency in Payment of Charges

   6.05.1 Timing of Delinquency

   6.05.2 Delinquency Charge

   6.05.3 Payment Plans

   6.05.4 Suspension of Service for Delinquency

6.06 Other Charges

   6.06.1 Special Service Fees

   6.06.2 Penalty Fees

   6.06.3 Distributor Improvement Charge

Chapter 7 - RESERVED

Chapter 8 - WATER MAINS

8.01 Ownership

8.02 Operation and Maintenance

    8.02.2 Mains Owned by Distributors

    8.02.3 Unauthorized Operation

    8.02.4 Variations in Operation

8.03 Construction of Water Mains

    8.03.1 Denver Water May Require Construction

    8.03.2 Main Extensions Inside Denver and Total Service and Total Service Improvement Areas

    8.03.3 Main Extensions in Other Distributor Contract Areas

8.04 Engineering Standards

Chapter 9 - SERVICE CONNECTIONS

9.01 Service Connection Defined

    9.01.1 Ownership

    9.01.2 Dividing Point

9.02 Taps

    9.02.1 Authorized Persons

    9.02.2 Procedure

    9.02.3 Abandoned, Cancelled or Unused Taps

9.03 Service Lines

    9.03.1 Definitions

    9.03.2 Location

    9.03.3 Installation

    9.03.4 Maintenance

    9.03.5 No Guarantee of Pressure or Continuous Flow

    9.03.6 Protection of Water-Using Devices

    9.03.7 Maintaining Conformity with Standards

9.04 Modification of Existing Service Connections

    9.04.1 Convenience of Denver Water

    9.04.2 Redevelopment

    9.04.3 Unused Service Line

    9.04.4 Cut-Off Permits

9.05 Leak Repair Service

    9.05.1 Repair Services Available

    9.05.2 Licensee Responsibility

    9.05.3 Extent of Leak Repair Services

9.06 Access to Property

Chapter 10 - METERS AND METER PITS

10.01 Ownership

10.02 Specifications

    10.02.1 Meter Pits or Vaults

    10.02.2 Meters

    10.02.3 Interconnection of Meters

10.03 Location

    10.03.1 Accessibility Required

    10.03.2 Meter Pit or Inside Building

    10.03.3 Maintain Conformity

10.04 Meter Installations

10.05 Maintenance

    10.05.1 Meter Pit

    10.05.2 Maintenance of Meter

    10.05.3 Convenience of Denver Water

    10.05.4 Licensee Responsibility

Chapter 11 - CROSS CONNECTIONS

11.01 Protection of Potable Water Quality

11.02 Commingling Prohibited

    11.02.1 Dual Supply Premises

    11.02.2 Exceptions for Approved Systems

11.03 Backflow Prevention

    11.03.1 Backflow Prevention Devices Required

    11.03.2 Enforcement

Chapter 12 - EXISTING DENVER WATER FACILITIES

12.01 Third Party Operation of Denver Water Facilities

    12.01.1 Prior Approval Required

    12.01.2 Standards for Work

    12.01.3 Permits

    12.01.4 Penalties for Unauthorized Operation

12.02 Relocation of Denver Water Facilities

    12.02.1 Facilities in Public Rights of Way

    12.02.2 Facilities Located in Denver Water Property and Easements

    12.02.3 Costs of Relocation

Chapter 13 - RESERVED

Chapter 14 - WATER CONSERVATION

14.01 Water Waste Prohibited

    14.01.1 Water Waste Defined

    14.01.2 “Water Use Restriction” Distinguished

14.02 Irrigation Uses

    14.02.1 Xeriscape

    14.02.2 Irrigation of More Than One Acre

    14.02.3 Irrigation of Narrow Strips of Land

    14.02.4 Soil Amendment for Irrigation of Turf at Newly Licensed Premises

    14.02.5 Rain Sensors Required

14.03 Industrial, Commercial and Public Use

    14.03.1 Best Management Practices

    14.03.2 Heating or Process Water

    14.03.3 Cooling

    14.03.4 Car Washing

    14.03.5 Commercial Power Washing

14.04 Decorative Water Features

14.05 Lakes and Ponds

14.06 Emergency Water Use Restrictions

14.07 Enforcement

    14.07.1 Enforcement During Drought Conditions

Chapter 15 - DROUGHT RESPONSE

15.01 Application of this Chapter

    15.01.1 Application of Drought Response within Master Meter Districts

15.02 Stage 2 Drought Responses

    15.02.1 Irrigation Watering Restrictions

    15.02.2 Exemptions from Irrigation Restrictions

    15.02.3 Irrigation of Trees and Shrubs

    15.02.4 Irrigation of Flowers and Vegetables

    15.02.5 Irrigation System Installation, Operation and Repair

    15.02.6 Outdoor Water Features

    15.02.7 Washing of Vehicles

    15.02.8 Washing of Impervious Surfaces

    15.02.9 Food and Lodging Establishments

    15.02.10 Enforcement of Drought Restrictions

    15.02.11 Fixed-Amount Water Contracts

15.03 Stage 3 Drought Responses

    15.03.1 Prohibition on Irrigation

    15.03.2 Exemptions from Irrigation Prohibition

    15.03.3 Irrigation of Trees and Shrubs

    15.03.4 Irrigation of Flowers and Vegetables

    15.03.5 Irrigation System Installation, Operation and Repair

    15.03.6 Outdoor Water Features

    15.03.7 Washing of Vehicles

    15.03.8 Washing of Impervious Surfaces

    15.03.9 Food and Lodging Establishments

    15.03.10 Enforcement

    15.03.11 Fixed-Amount Water Contracts

15.04 Appeal Process

15.05 Use of Water Not Controlled or Provided by Denver Water

Chapter 16 - HEARING PROCEDURES FOR DISPUTES UNDER THE OPERATING RULES

16.01 Application of this Chapter

16.02 Informal Resolution

16.03 Formal Hearing

    16.03.1 Appointment of Hearing Officer

    16.03.2 Request for Formal Hearing

    16.03.3 Timing of Formal Hearing

    16.03.4 Notice of Hearing

16.04 Conduct of Hearing

    16.04.1 Attendance

    16.04.2 Rights of the Parties

    16.04.3 Evidence

   16.04.4 Burden of Proof

   16.04.5 Recording

16.05 Decision of the Hearing Officer

16.06 Jurisdiction of the Hearing Officer

16.07 Appeals to the Manager

    16.07.1 Nonpayment Appeal

    16.07.2 Procedure for Appeals to the Manager

    16.07.3 Manager’s Decision

Chapter 17 - HEARING PROCEDURES FOR DISPUTES ARISING UNDER DENVER WATER CONTRACTS

17.01 Application of this Chapter

17.02 Appointment of Hearing Officer

    17.03.1 Hearing Officer to Decide

    17.03.2 Scope of Relief

17.04 Conduct of Hearings

    17.04.1 Notice of Hearing

    17.04.2 Attendance

    17.04.3 Rights of the Parties

    17.04.4 Exchange of Evidence

    17.04.5 Evidence

    17.04.6 Objections and Motions

    17.04.7 Burden of Proof

    17.04.8 Recording

    17.04.9 Costs

17.05 Decision of Hearing Officer

17.06 Final Determination and Judicial Review

Chapter 18 - PUBLIC RECORDS

18.01 Purpose

18.02 Official Custodian

18.03 Informal Requests

18.04 Formal Requests

18.05 Media Requests

18.06 Inspection of Public Records

18.07 Fees for Copies, Printouts, or Photographs of Public Records

18.08 Record Generation Fees

18.09 Exemptions

Chapter 19 - DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

19.01 Purpose

19.02 Definitions

19.03 Unclaimed Property to be Returned to Water Works Fund

19.04 Disposition of Unclaimed Property Having an Estimated Value Over $50

19.05 Disposition of Unclaimed Property Having an Estimated Value Less than $50

19.06 Failure to Make Claim

19.07 Procedures Governing Claims

19.08 Unclaimed Warrants

 

Operating Rules Table of Contents

 

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