(a) Authorized employees. The director shall designate those individuals who are employed by the department and authorized to carry a credential of the department. No person other than an authorized employee shall have or use any credential of the department. An employee must surrender credentials to the director upon termination of employment or at the request of the director.
(b) Right to access. An authorized employee shall carry a credential when dealing with the general public. Upon presentation of the credential, an authorized employee shall have free access, at reasonable hours, to private premises receiving service, for the purpose of reading or inspecting a water meter, a backflow prevention device or for other service- related activities. Only an authorized employee may have free access to parts of the water and wastewater systems for purposes of operation, construction, repair or maintenance.
(c) Access by non authorized persons. A person commits an offense if he is not an authorized employee under this section and he knowingly:
(1) uses a department credential to obtain access to private property or to a part of the water or wastewater system; or
(2) falsely represents, by other than the display of a credential, that he is an authorized employee of the department to obtain access to private property or to a part of the water or wastewater system.
(d) Private contractors. A person performing construction or repair work for the department pursuant to a contract with the city, or a private development contract under Section 49-60(f), has a right of access to those parts of the water or wastewater systems as is reasonably necessary to fulfill performance of the contract; provided, that no person shall have the right under this subsection to open or operate any valve in these systems. Access is subject to the express directions of the director, the terms of the contract documents, and all requirements of this code concerning permits. (Ord. 19201)