(A) All water consumers supplied by the Waterworks and Sewerage Department of the city shall be supplied through meters only except that in cases where it is temporarily impracticable to set a meter, the use and consumption of water shall be governed by other applicable provisions of this chapter.
(B) All meters used in connection with said Waterworks System shall be purchased by the user from the city. After installation all meters shall be given to the city and shall remain the property of the city for all time.
(C) After the meter is placed, only officers or employees of the Waterworks and Sewerage Department shall be allowed to repair, remove or in any manner interfere with the same. A meter stop or valve furnished and installed by the consumer shall be placed on each side of the meter.
(D) The ordinary cost of keeping each meter in repair shall be paid by the city. The person upon whose application any meter is installed or the then owner and/or occupant of the premises served shall be jointly and severally liable for any breakage or damage done to such meter, including damage by freezing, hot water or breakage or damage done to such meter, including damage by freezing, hot water or breakage and also for the theft thereof and the cost of making good such loss or damage shall be paid by the owner and/or the occupant of the premises in which such meter was installed as soon as the bill for same is presented and the amount therefore shall be a lien against the premises for which said meter was installed to the extent and with the same effect as water rates.
(E) It shall be unlawful for any person to injure, deface, mar, destroy or in any manner to interfere with any meter. It shall be the duty of the owner or occupant to notify promptly the said Department of defects in any such meter or of its failure to register properly the quantity of water passing through the same.
(F) The Superintendent shall in all cases determine the kind, size, and pattern of water meters to be installed and no other kind shall be installed at any time. Water meters shall be located at such places and in such manner as the said Superintendent shall direct, within the premises to be served or in boxes or vaults as he shall determine and all such installations shall be made in accordance with the specifications to be prescribed by the said Superintendent and such meter locations must be so situated as to prevent freezing of water flowing through such meters.
(Ord. 652, passed 8-21-95) Penalty, see § 51.999