A. Metered Water Required; Tampering With Meters Prohibited: Except for the extinguishment of fires, no person other than an authorized city or district employee shall use water from the district drawn therefrom unless the water passes through a meter supplied or approved by the city. No person not authorized by the city shall connect, disconnect, take apart, or in any manner change or interfere with any such meter or its use. (Ord., 7-17-1978; amd. 2005 Code)
B. Cost To Customers; Repurchase By City: Meters shall be supplied to customers at a price established in section 3-1-3 of this code. Only meters supplied by the city may be used. The city may repurchase meters at such time as they are no longer needed by the customer. If repurchased, the purchase price shall be the original sale price. (Ord. 2017-01, 1-3-2017)
C. Installation Requirements: Every water meter shall be installed in accordance with the following provisions:
1. The service pipe from the water main to the meter shall be brought through the floor in a vertical position where the pipe enters the building. The stop valve shall be twelve inches (12") above the floor.
2. The bottom of the meter shall be between six (6) and twelve inches (12") above the finished floor line. The meter shall be set not more than twelve inches (12") horizontally from the inside line of the basement wall unless a different position is approved by the city. A suitable bracket shall be provided to support the meter in a proper vertical position and prevent noise from vibration.
3. Each meter installation shall have a stop valve on the street side of the meter. In no case shall there be more than twelve inches (12") of pipe between the point of entrance through the basement floor and the stop valve. A stop valve shall also be installed on the house side of the meter.
4. The water pipe connecting with the main shall not exceed two feet (2') under the basement floor from the inside of the basement wall to the water meter connection.
5. Meter setting devices shall be of copper or brass pipe or tubing from the terminus of the service pipe up to and including the stop valve on the building site.
D. Access To Meters: Authorized meter readers and repair personnel shall have free access at reasonable hours of the day to all parts of every building and premises connected with the city water supply system in order to read meters, make inspections and make repairs. Denial of access shall cause the water to be shut off.
E. Maintenance And Repair: The city shall maintain and repair, at its expense, any meter that has become unserviceable through ordinary wear and tear and shall replace it if necessary. The consumer or owner shall be responsible for maintenance and repair of isolation valves and piping to and from the meter. Where repair or replacement is made necessary by act or neglect of the owner or occupant of the premises it serves, any city expense caused thereby shall be a charge against and collected from the water consumer, and water service may be discontinued until the cause is corrected and the amount charged is paid.
F. Complaints; Meter Testing: When a consumer complains that the bill for any past service period is excessive, the city shall have the meter reread on request. If the consumer remains dissatisfied, he may, on written request, have the meter tested. If the test shows an error in the city's favor exceeding five percent (5%) of water consumed, a new meter shall be installed, and the bill shall be adjusted accordingly. If the test shows an error in the customer's favor exceeding five percent (5%) of the water consumed, such adjustment shall not extend back more than the last billing period from the date of the written request.
G. Removal And Replacement Of Meters: Water meters may be removed or replaced as to size and type when deemed necessary by the city. (Ord., 7-17-1978; amd. 2005 Code; Ord. 2024-03, 5-62024)