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(a) Periodically, the City is replacing water mains throughout the City and during this replacement process, it has been discovered that some private service water lines (private line) also need to be replaced. In each such case, the City Engineer will determine if the private line needs to be replaced and the time frame for replacement. The property owner/occupant of the premises will be notified of this determination.
(b) Within forty-eight hours of notification, the property owner may elect to have the City's contractor replace the private line from the curb stop to the meter, at the property owner's expense, at the cost negotiated by the City with the City's contractor.
(c) In the event that the property owner elects to have the City's contractor replace the private line, the property owner shall enter into an agreement with the City acknowledging that the property owner agrees to pay the costs for said installation and that if the property owner does not pay the City within thirty days of receipt of an itemized statement for such services, then 110 percent of the actual costs paid by the City for such services shall be placed as a lien/assessment against said property to be paid with real property estate taxes, over ten years. The amount certified to the County Auditor shall be the actual costs paid by the City, plus any charges by the County Auditor to process said lien/assessment.
(d) Within fifteen days of receipt of the bill for replacement costs of the private line, the property owner may file an appeal through Public Utilities Department due to undue hardship. Said appeal shall be heard under the procedure for utility appeals. If the hearing office finds undue hardship, the costs may be abated not more than twenty percent. If said reduced amount is not paid within thirty days, the same shall be certified to the County Auditor as herein provided.
(Ord. 2020-133. Passed 9-21-20.)
METERS
The City staffs are authorized to enter all properties served by City utilities for the purpose of installing, reading, testing, and maintaining the metering system, as well as for meter setting, leak or tampering investigations, or for any other purpose which the City may deem necessary for the proper operation and maintenance of the City utilities systems.
(Ord. 2017-10. Passed 2-6-17.)
Water service may be terminated for failure of a customer to provide access to the property, for the purpose of installing, reading, or maintaining the metering system, within seventy-two hours or three business days of first access notice or twenty-four hours of second access notice.
(Ord. 2017-10. Passed 2-6-17.)
In special cases the City may allow the use of a private meter to award credit to a sewer use bill for metered water that is not discharged to the sanitary sewers. The following rules are to be applied when approving and administering the application of private meters on the City wastewater collection system.
(a) Application for a Sewer Deduct Meter Permit. No account holder shall install or have installed a deduct meter without first obtaining a permit from the City. Account holders wishing to apply for a sewer deduct meter permit must submit the following items to the City prior to installation of the deduct meter:
(1) A completed application form (available from the Utilities Department Billing Office);
(2) A building floor plan showing both the water meter and the proposed private meter locations; and
(3) A plumbing schematic showing the private meter and all fixtures and equipment downstream.
(b) Private Meter System Design. The account holder will be responsible for the design of the private meter system. The design shall be such that no water that flows through the private meter will be discharged to the sanitary sewer. The private meter must be located within a reasonable distance from the water meter, in a safe location that is easily accessible for reading. The private meter system must be designed such that no corrosive solutions or hot water from the customer's process are allowed to pass through the private meter causing meter damage resulting in inaccurate readings. The private meter shall also be protected from back-siphonage.
(c) Meters. All private meters will be calibrated to read in cubic foot units and be equipped with a register compatible with the City's electronic reading system. All meters shall be fitted with shut-off valves on both the inlet and outlet sides. Meters shall be purchased from the City at cost plus the administrative fee as stipulated in the current fee ordinance. Private (sanitary deduct) meters shall be restricted to EPU account holders who receive water service from the City of Elyria. This provision is not applicable to the existing private (sanitary deduct) meters of those EPU account holders receiving water service from other providers, obtained on or before the effective date of this section. Maintenance, repair, and/or replacement of said meter is the sole responsibility of the EPU account holder.
(d) Inspection. The installation of the private meter system shall be inspected by the City and shall be in accordance with City plumbing standards. The installation may also be subject to re-inspection at any time thereafter. Failure to meet the inspection requirement shall result in the termination of the private meter permit, and the sewer use fee being charged upon all water consumed.
(e) Inaccurate Meter Registration. If it is determined by the City that the water meter or private meter is registering incorrectly, the reading on the private meter will not be deducted from the sewer use bill until such time that the account holder has made the appropriate repairs.
(f) Changes to an Account Holder's Private Meter System. Any time that the account holder changes, modifies or extends the private meter system, he/she shall have the system inspected and recertified as described previously. Failure to meet the requirements of this section will result in possible termination of sewer and/or water services, fines for tampering with the water and/or sanitary sewer system, and termination of the private meter permit.
(g) Change of Tenant or Property Owner. Sewer deduct meter permits are not transferable. At any time when the use of a premise changes, as from the change of tenant or owner, the sanitary sewer deduct permit will be terminated. The new tenant or owner shall be required to reapply by updating any applications for such service already on file for a new private meter.
(h) Permit and Inspection Fees. Private meter permit fees and inspection fees shall be as established by the City in the fee ordinance.
(i) Compliance with Other Meter Regulations. Private meters are subject to all other rules and regulations for meters stated herein.
(Ord. 2017-10. Passed 2-6-17; Ord. 2018-174. Passed 11-5-18.)
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