Knox City Council Passes Amended Water Tap Ordinance

Knox City Council members considered an amendment to their existing water tap ordinance when they met Tuesday night. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston informed council members that the ordinance presented was a combination of a few different documents.

He explained, “This is an ordinance for a new water tap ordinance and it’s really amending ordinance 950 and I’m kind of melding that in with the new rate ordinance.”

Houston elaborated, stating that Ordinance 950 contained the City’s rates from 1996. The rates have been increased since then so the proposed ordinance would incorporate the most recent rates.

The clerk-treasurer also shared why this needed amendment came to light.

Houston said, “Somebody wanted a tap and we work out a fee schedule where somebody can phase in their payments for a tap over 18 months. The old schedule only allowed for $350 and the tap now is $700.”

Houston said some of the language was also changed to reflect the updated rates and the new payment schedule.

The ordinance received unanimous council approval on first reading. The rules were then suspended so it could be considered on the second and third readings. It was subsequently adopted.