Danbury, CT Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Who's responsible
- the water consumer
- City backstop
- repairs owner fails to make
- Cost recovery
- billed to owner
- Continuous flow
- banned without special agreement
Summary
Danbury customers must keep their water service lines and fixtures in good repair and frost-protected; if the Superintendent of Public Utilities finds them out of repair, the owner must fix them or the City will and bill the cost, per Code § 48-23.
All persons supplied with water must keep the service lines, pipes, stop-cocks, and all fixtures and apparatus connected therewith (whether located in the City right-of-way or private property) in good repair and protected from frost, and so arranged and provided with stop- and waste-cocks as to allow the pipes to be kept free of waste during all periods of dangerous exposure to the action of frost, whether by night or day, and must keep the same shut off and free from water whenever the safety of such pipes requires it. No continuous flow to guard against frost or for any other purpose will be allowed, except in special cases and with special agreement as to conditions and rates. Whenever the Superintendent of Public Utilities shall discover that the service lines, service pipes, stop-cocks, and all fixtures and apparatus connected therewith, (whether located in the City right-of-way or private property) are out of repair, he shall at once notify the owner of said premises or sidewalk to make the necessary repairs. If the owner fails to comply with such order within a reasonable time, said Superintendent shall make the repairs, and the expense thereof may be collected from such owner in an action brought in the name of the City.
(Code 1961, § 21-6; Ord. No. 150, 9-23-1970)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 48-23 requires everyone supplied with City water to keep their service lines, pipes, stop-cocks, and connected fixtures, whether in the City right-of-way or on private property, in good repair and protected from frost, and to shut them off when safety requires it. Continuous flow to prevent freezing is banned without a special agreement. When the Superintendent of Public Utilities discovers disrepair, he must notify the property owner to make repairs; if the owner doesn't act within a reasonable time, the Superintendent can make the repairs himself and recover the cost through a City legal action.
Violations & Fines
No fixed fine is set; the City can perform the repair itself and recover the cost from the owner through a civil action brought in the City's name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays to fix a leaking water pipe in Danbury?
What happens if I ignore a repair notice from the water department?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Danbury
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