(A) Before any water conveyed through the city water system shall be used or utilized on the land or premises of any person, firm or corporation, there shall first be installed a water meter that will accurately measure the water consumed on the premises, except and unless such installation shall be exempted by the city.
(B) All applicants for the installation, maintenance and repair of water meters shall be made to the City Administrator, who shall proceed to comply with such application within a reasonable time thereafter. All meters installed shall be purchased from the city. Regulations for the cost of furnishing and use of water meters shall be established by Council resolution or ordinance.
(C) For all new services, the water meter shall be purchased from the city and installed by a licensed plumber. All meters, fittings, wiring and remote reading devices shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the city.
(D) No person, firm, or corporation other than the city or its designee shall install, maintain, or repair any water meter within the city limits. Every water meter connected to the water system shall be sealed by or under the direction of the City Administrator or Public Works Department, and no person, firm or corporation shall break or remove such seal; provided, however, that a plumber licensed to do business in the city may break such seal or remove such meter if removed by a licensed plumber, such plumber shall notify the water utility of the fact within 24 hours after the seal is broken or the meter is removed. Whenever any seal attached to a water meter by or under the direction of the City Administrator or water utility is found broken, the broken condition of such seal shall be prima facie evidence that such seal was broken contrary to the terms and provisions in violation of this chapter.
(E) All water meters connected to the water system shall be accessible to the City Administrator or designee at all hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. of any business day and the refusal of admission by any owner or occupant of any premises wherein a water meter is installed after such owner or occupant has been notified that admission is desired for the purpose of inspecting a water meter installed in the premises shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
(F) Water meters shall be repaired or replaced from time to time as is necessary to insure accurate measuring of the flow of water. The city shall bear the cost of the repair or replacement, except that whenever a meter has been damaged due to negligence on the part of persons other than the employees of the city, the owner, occupant or user of the premises or such other person desiring the use of the water shall reimburse the city for the expense of repairing or replacing any such meter. Upon failure to reimburse the city within a reasonable time and upon demand therefore, the water service and supply to said premises may be shut off or discontinued as determined to be in the best interest of the city.
(G) It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with, alter, bypass or in any manner whatsoever interfere with the proper use and functioning of any water meter within the city.
(H) Whenever a water user questions the accuracy of the meter and desires that his or her meter be tested, he or she shall pay a fee, the amount of which shall be established from time to time by Council resolution or ordinance, if the meter tests accurate within a range of minus 3% to plus 1.5%. If it is not accurate within this range, no charge will be made for testing and an adjustment on the water bill will be made for the period of time that the meter is assumed to be inaccurate, not to exceed two billing periods.
(Ord. 295, passed 2-1-2022)