Glen Cove, NY Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

City Code § 270-9 makes the owner responsible for maintaining the water service line from the main to the meter once the city has accepted and approved the connection; the curb stop itself remains the city's responsibility. If a leak develops in the owner-maintained portion, the Department of Public Works sends written notice, and the owner has two days to complete the repair, or a longer period if the Department grants a reasonable extension. Missing that deadline lets the city choose between two remedies: tripling the property's water bill, or repairing the leak itself and billing the owner for the full cost plus an additional 50% charge for supervision and administration.

An unpaid repair bill, including that surcharge, becomes a lien against the property, sellable under Glen Cove City Charter § C9-15. A related provision, § 270-15, covers leaks between the curb stop and the meter more generally: the Director of Public Works may estimate the water lost through such a leak and charge the owner for that estimated consumption, separate from any repair penalty. Section 270-12 gives the Director or an authorized city employee the right to enter a consumer's premises at any reasonable time to examine pipes, fixtures and water use, which is how many owner-side leaks are first identified. Chapter 270 is titled the Water Service Ordinance of the City of Glen Cove and applies to every water user inside the city limits.