The municipality shall repair or replace, as the case may be, the curb stop, the stop box, and all fittings required for connection of copper tubing at the main. The customer shall bear the expense of all other costs that are necessary to bring water service from the main to the place of dispersement. When leaks occur in service pipes, the Utilities Superintendent shall shut off water service until the leak is repaired at the expense of the customer to the satisfaction of the Utilities Superintendent. All water meters shall be kept in repair by the municipality at the expense of the municipality. When meters are worn out, they shall be replaced and reset by the municipality at the expense of the municipality; provided, that if the customer permits or allows a water meter to be damaged, injured, or destroyed through his or her own recklessness, carelessness, or neglect so that the meter must be repaired or replaced, the Utilities Superintendent shall bill and collect from the customer the cost of such meter repair or replacement in the same manner as water rent is collected. Permitting a water meter to be damaged or destroyed by freezing shall always be considered negligence on the part of the customer. All meters shall be tested at the customer’s request at the expense of the customer any reasonable number of times; provided that if the test shows the water meter to be running 2% or more fast, the expense of such test shall be borne by the municipality. The municipality reserves the right to test any water service meter at any time, and if said meter is found to be beyond repair, the municipality shall always have the right to place a new meter on the customer’s water service fixtures at municipal expense. Should a consumer’s meter fail to register properly, the customer shall be charged for water during the time the meter is out of repair on the basis of semi-annual consumption during the same semi-annual period of the preceding year; provided, that if no such basis for comparison exists, the customer shall be charged such amount as may reasonably fixed by the Utilities Superintendent. It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with any water meter, or by any means device to divert water from the service pipe so that the same shall not pass through said meter, or while passing through said meter, to cause the same to register inaccurately.
(Neb. RS 17-537) (1991 Code, § 3-108) Penalty, see § 10.99