This bill would grant the Commissioner of Environmental Protection discretionary authority to offer rewards to the public for reporting water leaks in taps or service pipes.
- Filed (End of Session)
History
Int. No. 1246
By Council Members Greenfield, Cohen, Richards, Koo and Gentile
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to incentivizing water leak reporting
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 24-316 of chapter 3 of title 24 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:
§ 24-316. Leaking tap or service pipe to be repaired; rewards.
a. As used in this section:
1. “tap” means a connection made between a city-owned pipe or main supplying water and a service pipe.
2. “service pipe” means a pipe used to carry water from a tap to a house control valve, a building or other enclosure or a point at which the water supply is fully metered.
b. When a test made by the department of environmental protection indicates that there is a leak at a tap or in a service pipe, if conditions permit, a notice shall be served by a representative of such department upon the owner or occupant of the premises being supplied by such tap or service pipe. The notice shall direct that all necessary repairs be made to stop the leak.
c. In the event that a tap is shut off by the department because of a leak, the owner or occupant of the affected premises shall be notified that the tap has been closed and that a licensed plumber should be engaged to make the necessary repair and take charge of the street excavation. If the owner or occupant fails within three days after notice, excepting emergencies as determined by the commissioner to engage a licensed plumber, the tap shall remain closed and the department of environmental protection shall backfill the excavation.
d. The commissioner of environmental protection may offer rewards to any person who provides information to the department that leads to the test and detection of a leaking tap or service pipe pursuant to this section. No such reward may exceed $1,000. Such rewards may be offered only if there exists an unexpended appropriation therefor.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner of environmental protection shall take all actions necessary for its implementation, including the promulgation of rules, prior to such effective date.
ARP
LS # 6491
1/20/16 12:29PM