For Members and Consumer of South Lincoln Rural Water, Inc.
South Lincoln Rural Water, Inc. located in the heart of Lincoln County, South Dakota, located at 28647 472nd Avenue, Beresford, South Dakota, 57004.
General business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday. For information and services, call 605-777-9905.
MISSION:
“Provide our members with the highest quality of water possible at a reasonable cost. Promptly respond to members needs, with disregard to the time of day. Embrace and display a level of professionalism that will inspire confidence in our members and the services we provide”.
MOTTO:
“Providing quality services to the good people living on the Prairie”
OBJECTIVE:
The following Governing Rules and Regulations were written to provide guidance to all Members and Consumers alike. As well, creates the conditions that allow the Corporation to conduct its business and protect the rights of each.
The Board of Directors of South Lincoln Rural Water System, Inc. resolves that the following Rules and Regulations shall be recognized, established and maintained in governing the affairs of the System. It is intended that these Rules and Regulations reflect long-range intentions and authority for action to be taken. Rules and Regulations affecting consumers will be given to each after the application for membership has been completed, approved and finalized.
Note: The Board of Directors shall, from time to time and without notice to its members, review its Governing Rules and Regulations and make changes as necessary.
EXPLANATIONS, TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:
CORPORATION: South Lincoln Rural Water System, Inc.
APPLICANT:Person(s) or other consumers applying for membership and services.
CONSUMER: Person(s) or other consumers receiving services.
TENANTS: Person(s) or other entity that receive services through a Member of the corporation. Any Member of the corporation that leases/rents property where the corporation provides services, the Member must contact the corporation prior to the tenant taking residence and consuming services. The tenant is required to leave a deposit of $150.00 with the corporation. Tenants will be reimbursed the deposit by the corporation when all services provided are paid in full. A Member who leases/rents property is responsible for his tenant’s consumption. Tenants that vacate the premises and the deposit is found to be of an insufficient amount to pay for services used, the Member (property owner) will pay to the corporation the unpaid balance for services.
OTHER
CONSUMERS: Municipalities, Business, Agriculture, Religious Organizations (except parsonages), Developers, Associations or Bulk consumers receiving services having special conditions and or requirements.
MEMBER: Person(s) or other consumers having applied for membership that have met the requirements of membership.
TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP: Memberships are transferable for a fee of $35.00.
Note: Membership is a feature of the service (meter pit).
VOTING MEMBER: Person(s) or other consumers having a membership in good standing with the Corporation.
NON-VOTING
MEMBER: Person(s) or other consumers receiving service without a membership or Members not in good standing with the Corporation.
CONSUMERS IN
WAITING: Person(s) or other consumers who have applied for membership and waiting for services not available at this time or where services are available and the Member has elected to reserve service for future use.
Note: Consumers in waiting will be required to pay an annual fee of $150.00 to reserve services regardless if services are available or not.
DISTRIBUTION
MAIN: Water lines that distribute water from the wells and main plant to water towers, ground storage reservoirs and other areas of the system that are not service lines.
SERVICE LINE: Water lines that provide water from the distribution mains to the consumer.
MAINLINE VALVE: A device used for isolating and diverting water on the distribution mains.
SERVICE LINE VALVE: A device used for isolating services from the distribution mains to the consumers meter pit or basement meter that are not mainline valves.
WATER METER: A device used in measuring and recording the amount of services consumed by Members.
PRESSURE REGULATOR: A device used to regulate water pressure.
EASEMENT: A legal document, signed by both parties, filed at the county courthouse of the county in which the property is located, granting the corporation legal privilege to access, both ingress and egress, to install pipes, valves, vaults, meter pit and other apparatus the purpose of delivering and providing services.
METER PIT: A storage device used to assemble equipment, such as, but not limited to, water meter and pressure regulator used to deliver water to consumers.
AMR (Automatic): A device used to transmit data, to a central location, measured and (Meter Reader) recorded by the water meter.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS: A mechanism allowing the Board of Directors or management to modify or change the rules when it is obvious the change is in the best interest of the Corporation or its Members.
MONTHLY MINIMUM: The amount due each month, regardless if services have been used or not.
DUE DATE: The date on which payment is due for the water consumed from the previous month. The due date is the 10th of each month.
Note: Payments post marked after the 10th of the month are subject to a late fee(s).
Exceptions: When the 10th of the month falls on a Sunday or a Holiday.
PAST DUE: Any consumer that has not made payment for service by the 15th of each month
ARREARS: Any consumer that has not made payment for services consumed for a period of 45 days, but less than 60 days. This consumer is not in good standing with the corporation.
DELINQUENT: Any consumer that has not made payment for service for a period of 90 days. This consumer is not in good standing with the corporation.
TERMINATION OF SERVICES
NOTIFICATION: Members or tenants who are delinquent that are notified by either mail, phone or e-mail, that they have five (5) business days to make the account whole. This consumer is not in good standing with the corporation.
TERMINATION OF SERVICES: Any consumer that has not made payment for services consumed for more than 95 days or who has willfully deceived the corporation or violated the Rules and Regulations of Corporation in any way for his/her benefit. When services have been terminated, the member will relinquish all rights of membership. This consumer is not in good standing with the Corporation.
GRIEVANCE: A mechanism for member having a dispute or disagreement with the Corporation.
Note: Grievances are the task of the manager. If the member does not believe management has acted appropriately with regards to his/her dispute or disagreement, the member can request manager to place him/her on the agenda of the monthly Board Meeting. The member will have ten (10) minutes to be heard. The Board of Directors has the right to waive the ten (10) minute rule and grant the Member additional time. All decisions of the Board are resolute.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP and SERVICES:
Any person(s) or other consumers may apply for services, in person, at the offices of the Corporation by filling out the required forms and paying by deposit the current membership fee.
At this time, or at a designated time in the future, the Corporation will determine whether the location for which application is made, has satisfactory water supply and availability. If both are found sufficient, the following actions will be taken:
The applicant will be provided a written estimate of costs associated with providing services to his/her location.
Estimates are good for thirty (30) days from the date provided.
Costs contained within the estimate are not resolute.
If the applicant agrees to the terms and condition for services, he/she will sign the cost for services estimate and given a copy. The original estimate will be filed in applicant’s personal file at the office of the Corporation.
After sufficient supply and availability has been determined, terms and conditions are agreed upon, this is not a guarantee the applicant will receive services. The Corporation has the right to reject an application, if the Corporation can not obtain all necessary easements to supply services to the applicant’s location.
If the applicant is a new build, he/she is not to start construction until all easements have been secured by the Corporation. If the applicant starts construction prior to the Corporation securing all necessary easements, the Corporation can terminate the agreement and return the deposit paid for membership.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify with the Corporation prior to construction or developing Member’s location for construction that all necessary easements have been obtained for providing service.
The applicant will hold the Corporation harmless if the Corporation is unable to obtain all necessary easements.
Once the Corporation has begun construction for providing services and the applicant decides not to receive services, the applicant will forfeit the deposit paid for membership and charged for any expenditure the Corporation has accumulated.
If the applicant does agree to the terms and condition for services, the application will be disregarded and the deposit paid for membership will be returned.
*Members having multiple services with the Corporation are required to have a
membership for each service.
*Multiple consumers are not allowed on a single membership and meter. Each
consumer will have its own membership and meter.
*All devices including service line to the meter pit, meter pit, meter, valves and other items used in the delivery of water to the consumer, are the property of the Corporation. Consumer’s property begins at the point of discharge or where water leaves the meter pit. Also known as, the affluent point of connection.
DENIAL FOR MEMBERSHIP and SERVICE
The Corporation reserves the right to deny any and all applications for membership and services. The list below is not a complete list, but a sampling of reason for rejection.
Any person(s) or entity that has denied the Corporation an easement for providing services to other applicants or Members.
Any current Member asking for additional service that is in “Arrears” or “Delinquent”.
Any previous member or member of another rural water system that was “Terminated”.
Any previous Member that was the subject of collections for non-payment of services.
Any previous applicant that failed to comply with the terms of an agreement with the Corporation and forfeited his/her membership paid by deposit.
Any person(s) or entity caught or found out to be deceitfully taking unmetered water from the Corporation.
Any person(s) or entity diverting water to another person(s) or entity through the Member’s meter to avoid membership.
MEMBER’S RESPONSIBILITIES
Members are responsible for all costs in connecting the meter pits to their residence or location once pit has been placed by the Corporation’s personnel.
Now your residence or location has been connected, you can start enjoying the services provided by the Corporation. When becoming a Member you accepted certain responsibilities that are designed to protect the integrity of our entire system.
“Common Sense Rule” applies to the term “Responsibility”. If you believe there are situations that the Corporation needs to examine, you are obligated to report the same to the Corporation. Listed below are examples of responsibilities you have accepted as a Member:
To keep the Corporation’s easement and meter pit area clear of structures, lawn ornaments, landscaping and landscape structures or shrubbery.
Not to auger, dig or excavate within or around the Corporation’s easement, meter pit, service line or distribution mains in advance of calling “811” for locates.
To notifying the Corporation thirty (30) days in advance of your intent to permanently build a structure within or near the Corporation’s easement.
To notify the Corporation thirty (30) days in advance of razing, rebuilding, replacing or the removal of any structures or foundations that are connected to the system or near the Corporation’s easement.
Immediately notify the Corporation, if you should discover or suspect a leak near or around any meter pit, service line or mainline that services the Members of the Corporation.
Notify the Corporation if you suspect any person(s) or entities have illegally tampered with, are discharging, diverting or pilfering service from the Corporation’s system without the Corporation’s knowledge.
Pay monthly invoice for services on or before the 10th of each month.
Protect all equipment located at the Member’s location which the Corporation uses in the delivery of services to Members, i.e. meter pit, meter, satellite reader, service line valve marker and signs.
To install a constant flow valve to regulate flow of services in pasture locations.
Members are responsible for all services consumed that have passed through their meter and recorded, whether or not the Member was aware of a problem that increased service consumed without his/her knowledge
Consumers are responsible for all piping, fittings and appliances down stream of the meter.
Costs for damages to equipment and labor to repair caused by Member’s negligence or his/her tenant that are not an “Act of God”.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you are unclear of a future or pending situation and whether or not it falls under the Member’s or Corporation’s responsibilities, contact the Manager of the Corporation at 605-372-4211 to discuss the situation and ask for clarity.
CORPORATION’S RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide a safe and sanitary environment that delivers a quality product that is safe for Member’s consumption.
Protect, preserve and provide for the maintenance of wells, pumps, pumping stations, controls, main distribution lines, service lines, generators, towers, storage devices and Member utilities.
Employ competent personnel having appropriate credentials to conduct the affairs of the Corporation as required.
Establish and set rates for services as maybe required to maintain a healthy budget and balance sheet.
Develop a short and long range strategy that permits the system to expand, allowing opportunity for additional consumers.
Protect the consistency and reliability of services of current membership during times of expansion.
Develop a meaningful budget that is balanced and provides for the preservation of the Corporation, system and its Members.
Collect debts owed for services consumed, write checks and pay bills as required, make financial decisions and investments as necessary to make the Corporation whole.
Enforce and interpret the rules and regulations as written, make changes or modifications to these articles as necessary that provide for equal treatment of all Members.
Conduct an annual membership meeting, inclusive of all Members. Purpose, to inform membership of the affairs of the year past; provide statistical data for that year, election of Directors, details of the current year’s events and a futuristic assessment.
Provide assistance and information, when necessary, to preserves the quality Member’s services.
OTHER INFORMATION
Consumers from time to time may experience a discoloration in their water. The discoloration comes from mineral suspended in the water. In these times, we recommend that consumer run water through a garden hose from an outside faucet for a period of no less than one (1) hour or until the water clears.
If after flushing your service line for eight (8) ________________ the discoloration still persists, the consumer should contact the Corporation and ask to have a Corporate Service Personnel address the problem.
Approximately 650 of our members have meters located in basements or crawl spaces. Members rebuilding their foundations due to age or instability are required to relocate their meters to the outside of the foundation walls. The meter will be placed in a frost proof meter pit at the member’s expense.
At times you may experience low water pressure or no services. Generally this happens when water is shut off to repair a main distribution line. Services will in these cases be restored as soon as the repair has been made. The Corporate Office Personnel can provide you with an approximate time when services will be restored.
The Corporation is the only entity that is authorized to remove, repair, place, add to, divert, tamper with devices or handle other equipment, which is owned by the Corporation, unless the Corporation has given its consent, to other entities to do the same. Any unauthorized person(s) or other entities found tampering with the Corporation’s property will be held accountable for their actions.
Services to the Member’s residence or locations are not guaranteed. The Corporation reserves the right to restrict, interrupt, stop the flow or discontinue services at any time for repairs, break downs, lack of sufficient supply, acts of God and/or for reasons of security.
When becoming a Member, or leasing/renting property from a Member, you have given rights to the corporation to access the premises at any reasonable time to evaluate, inspect, verify, repair, remove or replace any and all equipment used for providing services to the Member or consumer.
The Member, when the Corporation has entered his/her premises and crops were damaged, has the right to ask the Corporation to be reimbursed for damages. In these cases, the Corporation’s “Crop Loss” policy will apply.
When Members or other entities request the Corporation’s Service Personnel to investigate a problem at their residence or location and the problem, according to the Rules and Regulations, is found to be the Member’s or other entity’s responsibility, the Corporation has the right to bill for its labors and/or supplies used if the Corporation’s personnel finds and fixes the problem. If the problem fixed is determined by the Corporation’s personnel to be the responsibility of the Corporation, no charges will apply.
When a Member wants to or has installed a sprinkler system, the Corporation will require the Member to install a “backflow device”, in accordance with the State and local laws.
When other information of importance become available or is written for the welfare and safety of the Corporation, it’s Members, consumers and other entities, the Corporation will disseminate the information at its annual membership meeting or by mail, e-mail or text. The Members wanting to know if any new updates are available or have been noted, can call the offices of the Corporation during business hours to receive the latest information.