GUIDE FOR WATER MAIN EXTENSIONS

Transcription

1 This guide will provide you with a summary of the water main extension process for Indiana American Water. While it is our goal to make this guide as complete and easy to follow as possible, it is recommended that you meet with your local Indiana American Water Developer Services Contact who can fully review the process with you in detail. This guide is for all areas served by Indiana American Water. It is organized into the topics shown below. Preliminary Approval/Engineering Review IDEM Notice of Intent Application Fire Service Application Contractor Pre-Qualification Agreement Construction Acceptance Refund

2 PAGE 2 OF 9 Preliminary Project Discussion/Meeting Contact your local Developer Services Contact (DSC) or Indiana American Water (INAW) Developer Services. A meeting or discussion will take place to: Determine if your development can be served by Indiana American Water Discuss details and requirements of the development Determine if Off-Site main is needed to get to the development Discuss installation in easement vs. right-of-way Discuss required Utility Fee involved with project Discuss Subsequent Connection Fee, if required Utility Fee: The Utility Fee covers engineering, administrative costs, legal costs, direct labor cost, direct labor overhead and transportation costs incurred by the Utility. The amount of this fee may change each year, based on the previous year s actual costs. Indiana-American Water notifies the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) of the amount of the utility fee on an annual basis, as well as the method of calculation. Subsequent Connection Fee: If your new development has frontage along an existing water main installed within the last ten years, you may owe a subsequent connector fee. Approval/Engineering Review The following items are required from the developer prior to review by an INAW engineer: Proposed Plans. The Developer will provide proposed plans for water main installation. The plans must meet Indiana American Water s Minimum Requirements for Preliminary Review, Approved and As-Built Drawings and the Indiana-American Water Company Specifications. Off-Site vs. On-Site Main. An off-site Main is defined as the main installed to a development site where the developer is not developing the land on one or both sides of the main. The developer s land may front the main, but the services may not necessarily be connected directly to the off-site main. An on-site Main is defined as the main installed within a development where the developer is developing the land fronting both sides of the main. Off-Site and on-site mains must be submitted as separate projects.

3 PAGE 3 OF 9 Overall Project Drawing. If your project is a part of a larger development, an overall project drawing must be submitted. Preliminary Plat. Preliminary plat must be submitted along with the plans. The recorded plat will be required prior to project acceptance. Engineer. Provide name and contact information for your engineer. The engineer must be a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Indiana. Plan Review. Your plans will be reviewed by an INAW Engineer. If changes to the plans are necessary, a marked-up plan indicating the changes will be returned to the developer for revisions. The proposed plan must be approved by the INAW Engineer before construction of the water main may begin. The approved plan will also become an exhibit to your agreement. Main Upsizing. There may be situations where INAW will desire a main larger than required for your development, for future growth or other needs. INAW will pay the developer the actual cost difference between the smaller and larger mains. If upsizing is involved in your project, this will be documented on your project agreement. IDEM Notice of Intent Application The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires that a Notice of Intent to Construct a Water Main Extension (NOI) letter be submitted for all water main extension projects, regardless of main size or length. Depending upon the length of the project, fees may be required. The developer must utilize a registered professional engineer to prepare the NOI Letter. The following items should be completed: Boxes 1 through 16 Box 8 please verify this number with your local DSC. The number is different for each Indiana American Water district. Box 17 preference checked Box 18 marked appropriately and fee included when appropriate Box 19 Responsible Person Signature Engineer Signature Developer Signature

4 PAGE 4 OF 9 The NOI letter and fee should be submitted to INAW along with the project plans. INAW will complete the Water Utility Information. When the project plans are approved, the INAW Engineer will mail the application and fee to IDEM, by certified mail. The required 30-day waiting period begins upon IDEM s receipt of the application. Construction may begin after the 30-day waiting period is complete. The Developer will be copied on the correspondence with IDEM, which will include the certified mail number. Construction must commence within 12 months of the submittal date of the NOI. If construction does not commence within that 12 month period, a new NOI submittal will be required. (Ref. IAC ). Please note that if water main extension plans deviate from Indiana American Water s Minimum Standards for Preliminary Review, Approved and As-Built Drawings for Developer Installed Water Mains, a full IDEM Construction Permit may be required. Fire Service Application If private fire lines or hydrants are anticipated, contact the Local Developer Services Contact for assistance. The developer will work with the local contact to get the application package and actual flow test data from the nearest location. The fire service is then designed based upon the flow test data and specific project needs. The following should be submitted to the local contact: Application for Private Fire Service (two original signed and witnessed copies) Data Sheet for Proposed Fire Service Installation Sheets from the Water Main Extension plans showing: Area map showing streets adjacent to proposed site/development, including at least one intersection. General Site Layout with: Utilities (existing and proposed) Fire Services Vault Point of connection between the proposed fire service and the existing water main Fire Service Vault Detail with project specific information added to the INAW standard (not a copy of ours). Include a note stating the make, model and size of the DCDA device (double check with detector backflow preventer) or specification/submittal sheets for it. Note that the State of Indiana requires USC approved backflow prevention devices.

5 PAGE 5 OF 9 Fire Pump and associated piping and suction pressure control valve. Include specification/submittal sheet(s) for the suction pressure control valve. Note: The INAW engineer does not require hydraulic calculations or drawings of the sprinkler layout inside the building. However, most fire departments require these. Some districts may forward them to the fire department with the application. Check with your local DSC for details. Note: The process in our Indiana Northwest district varies slightly from what is outlined here. The Northwest DSC will provide details. Contractor Pre-Qualification All contractors who install water mains and/or who perform taps on existing mains must be on our Approved Contractor List. If your contractor is not on the Approved Contractor List, they must complete the Contractor Work Experience Questionnaire and Qualification Statement and submit it to INAW. Please allow plenty of time for processing this paperwork prior to the start of construction. Agreement The developer submits the following items to the local DSC prior to preparation of project agreements: Estimated Cost Form. This form is required and will become part of your water main extension agreement. It gives an estimate of your costs for labor and materials. Please note that the materials shown on the Estimated Cost Form must match what is shown on the approved plans. Water Main Installation Contractor. Provide the name and contact information for your water main installation contractor. All contractors must be on our Approved Contractor List. If your contractor is not approved, please see the Contractor Pre- Qualification section of this guide. Approval must be granted prior to start of construction. Fire Hydrant Authorization. Some Indiana districts require authorization letters from the local fire department on location of hydrants. Your local district contact can tell you if this is a requirement for your development.

6 PAGE 6 OF 9 Approved Waterline Construction Plans (3 copies). Three full sets of approved plans are required. The Agreement for Water Main Extension will be prepared and sent to developer upon approval of the water main extension plans. The agreement will include the approved plans as Exhibit A and the Estimated Cost Form as Exhibit B. Subsequent Connector Fees will be established for Off-Site main projects and will be documented on the agreement. The fee is calculated by taking the total estimated cost of the main (including utility fees) and dividing it by the amount of serviceable frontage along the new main. Serviceable frontage includes all main that can be tapped for service, on both sides of the street. This fee is paid by any property owner, not a part of the development, who desires to connect to this main to receive water service. The fee is paid per foot of frontage that the property owner has on the main. This fee is collected by INAW and immediately refunded to the developer. The Utility has the right at any time to construct other new main extensions and appurtenant facilities connecting to the main extension installed by the developer. Neither the connection of any such new main extension nor any service connection furnished from it shall be subject to subsequent connector fees. The developer will not be entitled to any refund based on the new main extension or service connection from it. When the signed agreement is returned to INAW, the developer will be notified by letter that a pre-construction meeting may be scheduled. To schedule this meeting, call your Local Developer Services Contact. Construction The IDEM 30-Day waiting period for the NOI must be complete. The pre-construction meeting will be held with INAW, the developer, the contractor and the developer s engineer. The following items must be complete prior to the start of construction: Construction of road subgrade must be complete. Please note that some districts require curbs to be in place before main installation begins. This ensures that the main is located in the proper place and at the proper depth. Your local DSC can provide details on this requirement. Centerline or off-set stakes must be maintained until construction of the water main is complete

7 PAGE 7 OF 9 Developer must provide verification that all required permits have been obtained, prior to the start of construction. Obtaining the required permits and approvals is a critical element for the successful completion of your project. The Developer is responsible for all required permits and approvals, including all permit fees for the water mains and appurtenant facilities for the project. The contractor will install the water main as per the approved plans and according to the Indiana American Water Company Specifications. Developer s engineer shall provide written progress reports and periodic inspections of the main installation as required by INAW at the preconstruction meeting. Developer will have the new main flushed, disinfected and pressure tested. A representative from INAW must be present during this process. This representative will collect bacteriological samples and will send them to a State Certified Lab. The developer s representative must complete the Pressure and Leakage Tests for Main Extensions form and have it signed by the INAW representative. Acceptance After construction and testing is complete, the following items are required from the developer prior to acceptance of the water main by INAW: As-Built Drawings. The Developer will provide three sets of certified As-Built drawings. The drawings must meet Minimum Requirements for Preliminary Review, Approved and As-Built Drawings. All mains must be shown in right-of-way or easement, as documented on the final recorded plat or recorded easement documents. Note: Some districts may require additional smaller size as-built drawings for use in determining meter pit placement. Your DSC will discuss this with you. Certification by Engineer. This form is to be completed by the developer s engineer and must be stamped by a registered Professional Engineer. This document certifies the accuracy of the As-Built Drawings. Plat Map. Recorded final plat must be submitted. Final Actual Cost Form. This form documents the developers final actual costs for the project and it must be signed by the developer. If the cost varies substantially from the Estimated Cost Form provided at the beginning of the project, an explanation of

8 PAGE 8 OF 9 the difference may be requested. All materials listed on this form must match exactly to what is shown on the As-Built Drawings. Transfer of Ownership. This document transfers ownership of the new water main and appurtenances from the developer to INAW. The dollar amount at the top of the form must match the dollar amount on the Final Actual Cost Form. The Transfer of Ownership document must be signed by the developer. Utility Fee Check. Check for utility fee is required. The fee is a percentage of the final cost reported on the Final Actual Cost Form. The percentage is documented in the project agreement. Easements. Provide original recorded easement documents if required for your project. The easements must be on the INAW standard easement document and must be granted to INAW. The legal description of the easement and an easement drawing are required as exhibits. Final Inspection. Contact your local DSC to set up a final inspection of the main and its appurtenances. The inspection will include making sure that the valves and hydrants are to finished grade, the hydrants are painted properly, the valves are operational and the valve boxes are straight. The inspection will also include verification that the As-Built drawings match what was installed. Acceptance Letter. When all the above requirements have been met, an acceptance letter is mailed to the developer. This letter includes the amount of the Refundable Advance Account, described below. Refundable Advance Account. The developer has the opportunity to recover an amount up to, but not exceeding, their original investment in the main extension. The Refundable Advance Account is established in the amount of the actual cost of the main, as reported on the Final Actual Cost Form, plus the utility fee paid. Subsequent Connector Fees. For Off-Site main projects, the subsequent connector fee documented on the agreement will be revised based on the final actual costs of the project. A copy of the revised agreement page will be sent to the developer along with the Acceptance Letter. Main Upsizing. If a main upsizing refund is involved in your project, and documented on your agreement, the refund check will be issued at the time of project acceptance. Water Service Connections. New service connections may be requested from the local district after the acceptance letter has been issued.

9 PAGE 9 OF 9 Revenue Refunds A one-time revenue refund is issued for each new service connected to the main installed for your project. As described below, revenue refunds are based on connections to the main and the developer may or may not receive the entire Refundable Advance amount back in refunds. The refund period expires ten years from the in-service date of the project, as documented on the acceptance letter, or when the balance in the Refundable Advance Account is depleted. Residential refunds are calculated by using the estimated annual revenue for a residential customer. This one-year revenue amount is multiplied by three to establish a three-year revenue amount. The estimated cost of a service connection for a residential customer is then deducted from the three-year revenue to establish the refund amount. Commercial, Industrial, and Multifamily Refunds are calculated by using the actual first 12 months of revenue for the service. The first 12 months of revenue is multiplied by three to establish a three-year revenue. The cost for the service connection is then deducted from the three-year revenue to establish the refund amount. For the Indiana Northwest district (Gary), refunds are done throughout the year. Contact the local developer services contact for details. For all other Indiana districts, refunds are issued once a year, based on the following schedule: January Greenwood, Winchester February Kokomo, West Lafayette March Jeffersonville April New Albany, Newburgh May Richmond, Warsaw June Noblesville July Shelbyville August Wabash Valley/Sullivan, Mooresville September Wabash, Muncie, Somerset, Summitville October Crawfordsville, Franklin November - Seymour