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Mooresville holds first reading to update water and sewer ordinance, including sewer-use rules
Summary
Staff presented a comprehensive rewrite of Chapter 24 of the town code consolidating water and sewer provisions, incorporating an existing sewer-use ordinance and updating customer/responsibility language; the council scheduled a second reading for June 16, 2025.
Town staff presented the first reading of an amended water and sewer ordinance to consolidate and update utility provisions in Chapter 24 of the code of ordinances. The Board held the first reading and was told a second reading is required for adoption on June 16, 2025.
Why it matters: the ordinance modernizes decades-old language, consolidates the sewer-use ordinance under the single chapter, clarifies town and customer responsibilities, restates system-development and connection rules, and retains enforcement measures for illegal discharges and cross-connection control that carry civil and, in some cases, criminal penalties.
Key points from the presentation - Historical context and purpose: Staff noted parts of the water and sewer ordinance date to 1975 and have been updated piecemeal. The rewrite consolidates provisions that previously lived in a separate sewer-use ordinance and brings them under Chapter 24 for clarity and public access. - Customer and town responsibilities: The draft clarifies what the town maintains and what customers must maintain, account activation requirements and billing expectations. - Technical and regulatory updates: The rewrite includes updated statutory references, definitions for tampering, master-meter relationships (e.g., apartments) and the town’s authority to test water quality when concerns arise. - Sewer-use provisions: The sewer-use section covers illegal discharges and the town’s fats, oils and grease (FOG) program and industrial pretreatment. Staff emphasized that some sewer-use provisions carry criminal penalties and thus require two readings.
Enforcement and penalties Staff said the town has not previously used criminal penalties but included them to protect public health and the sewer system in the event of an egregious illegal discharge. Staff described existing administrative tools and fines for illegal dumping to protect system infrastructure.
Next steps The ordinance will return for a required second reading and final adoption on June 16, 2025. Staff said they will continue to coordinate with finance, billing, legal and other departments as the ordinance becomes the primary reference for developers and the public.
Quote - "If you've ever looked in the water and sewer ordinance, you'll note that there are a number of provisions that are original to the last time that ordinance was really, maybe written from scratch the first time… dating back to 1975," said a staff presenter.
Ending The Board held a first reading and scheduled a second reading for June 16, 2025, to consider final adoption of the consolidated water and sewer ordinance.
