The Hillsboro City Council concluded their meeting on Tuesday with a discussion about sewer and water line maintenance.

Much of the discussion focused on where the city is responsible for repairing or replacing lines versus where the property owner's responsibility lies. Public Improvements Commissioner Don Downs said an ordinance was passed by a previous council in 2006 outlining such responsibilities.

"A property owner shall be responsible for the service line from the corporate stop on the water main to the water meter," Downs said reading the ordinance, "as well as the line from the meter into the premises served." The ordinance is in Chapter 38, Article 3, Section 17 of the Hillsboro Municipal Code.

City Attorney Kit Hantla said he believes the rationale behind the ordinance was to ensure that any new construction by a property owner is tied onto the existing water line. Mayor Brian Sullivan said the council that passed this ordinance was looking ahead, and that he believes they were correct in making this decision. He also said the city should not be held responsible for lines that they did not install.

The discussion stemmed from an incident on Anna Street, in which a service line is leaking, causing damage to the road. Downs said he has spoken with the property owner about the line on multiple occasions, but the individual has refused to repair it. The owner will be issued a written warning, and then the water may be shut off if the problem is not remedied, Downs said.

The council's next meeting will be a special meeting held on Tuesday, July 30, at 7 p.m.