(A) All meters shall be furnished and installed by the city, complete with couplings, and shall remain the property of the city and subject to its control. The size and kind of meter shall be as the city deems necessary. They shall be accessible and conveniently located at a point approved by the city so as to control the entire supply, and a suitable place and protection therefore shall be provided by the applicant. It is required by the city that each applicant shall furnish a flat head (stop-cock or lock wing) meter stop on the inlet side of the meter. Where pressure reducing valves are required or installed by the applicant, this installation shall be on the customer’s side of the meter. Prior to connection to the city water system, applicants having wells or private water supply shall disconnect their water supply from plumbing to be metered.
(B) Separate meters shall be used for each building supplied with water and the city may require a separate meter for each tenant in any building. Where buildings are remodeled to provide individual apartments, the city may require the installation of a meter for each apartment. A group of buildings on one site, occupied by one tenant for nonresidential purposes, may be served through one meter.
(C) The separate meter requirement for each tenant, however, shall not apply to hotels, rooming houses (where light housekeeping is not done) or houses where the owner or occupant lets only one or more rooms that are not separated as apartments with separate water fixtures.
(D) Separate meters shall be required for all mobile homes or trailers.
(E) A customer shall notify the city of any damage to, or the nonworking of, any meter as soon as it comes to his or her knowledge.
(F) (1) Meters will be maintained by the city so far as wear and tear are concerned. The consumer, shall, however, at all times, properly protect the meter upon his or her property from damage, by frost or other cause, and shall be responsible for the cost of all repairs to any such meter damaged through his or her negligence or that of any of the members of his or her family, his or her agents, workmen, servants or employees. Such charge shall be payable in full at the time when his or her next water bill shall be due and payable. The fee for such repair of a frozen meter shall be fixed by resolution of City Council.
(2) Frozen meter charges are set by the most recent fee schedule, as amended from time to time and which is on file in the city offices.
(G) No person or persons, except duly authorized employees of the city, shall repair or work on meters.
(H) In case of a disputed account involving the accuracy of a meter, such meter shall be tested upon the request of the applicant. In the event the meter so tested is found to have an error in registration of 4% or more, the bills will be decreased or increased accordingly.
(I) (1) Each request for the test of a meter for accuracy shall be accompanied by a deposit, the amount of which shall be determined by the size of the meter as follows: the fee for such meter test shall be fixed by resolution of City Council.
(2) Meter test for accuracy rates are set by the most recent fee schedule, as amended from time to time and which is on file in the city offices.
(J) If the meter so tested shall be found to have an error in registration of less than 4%, the deposit shall be retained by the city as compensation for such test. If the error is found to be 4% or more, then the cost of the test shall be borne by the city and the amount of the deposit shall be returned to the applicant.
(K) Where water is furnished through a meter, the quantity recorded by it shall be conclusive for both the applicant and the city, except when the meter has been found to be registering inaccurately or has ceased to register. In such case, the quantity may be determined by the average registration of the meter when in order, or by such other fair and reasonable method as shall be based upon the best information obtainable.
(L) No bypass or connection between the meter and the main shall be made, maintained or permitted except as may be directed or installed by the city or upon written permission from the city.
(M) The city may require a sealed bypass on any meter where water service is critical, and such a bypass, or a tandem meter installation, shall be required on all services one and one-half inch or larger. The cost of the necessary valves and piping and the cost of their installation shall be borne by the customer as part of the building connection.
(N) (1) No charge shall be made for the furnishing of any meter, but a fee as fixed by resolution of City Council shall be charged for the furnishing and installation of an “outside reading” attachment to any present meter installation, if requested by the customer. Such installations shall be made by city forces when scheduling allows, and the cost included with the first water billing following installation. All new services provided by the city, except those in meter pits, shall be equipped with such attachments on the meters and shall be charged as an addition to the original cost of connection for water service.
(2) Outside reading attachment rates are set by the most recent fee schedule, as amended from time to time and which is on file in the city offices.
(O) (1) Temporary meter removal shall be made upon request and the fee for such removal shall be fixed by resolution of City Council. Such fee shall include reinstallation of the meter during normal working hours upon request of the customer.
(2) Temporary meter removal (reconnection fee): flat fee of an amount set by the most recent fee schedule, as amended from time to time and which is on file in the city offices.