(A) Meters required.
(1) Except for extinguishing fires, no person other than an authorized city employee shall use water from the city water supply system or permit water to be drawn therefrom unless the water passes through a meter supplied or approved by the city. No person not authorized by the Water Department shall connect, disconnect, take apart or in any manner change or interfere with any such meter or its use.
(2) Every water meter shall be owned, installed and maintained by the city. Also, every consumer shall supply a suitable place where the meter can be installed.
(B) Maintenance. The city shall maintain and repair at its expense any meter that has become unserviceable through ordinary wear and tear and shall replace it, if necessary. Where repair or replacement is made necessary by act or neglect of the owner or occupant of the premises it serves, any city expense caused thereby shall be a charged against and collected from the water consumer, and water service may be discontinued until the cause is corrected and the amount charged is paid.
(C) Complaints - meter testing.
(1) When a customer complains that the bill for any past service period is excessive, the city shall have the meter reread on request. If the consumer remains dissatisfied, he or she may, on written request and the deposit of $50, have the meter tested.
(2) If the test shows an error in the city’s favor exceeding 5% of the water consumed, the deposit shall be refunded, an accurate meter shall be installed and the bill shall be adjusted accordingly. Such adjustments shall not extend back more than one service period from the date of the written request.
(D) Meter reading and inspections. The Water Superintendent, or his or her designated official, shall be permitted at all reasonable times to read meters or inspect service connections or meters, and shall have the right to enter private property at all reasonable times for that purpose. Any refusal to permit inspection or interference with any such inspector in the performance of his or her duty will be deemed a violation of this part.
(E) Multiple dwelling and meter care.
(1) All water shall be sold at meter rates, except as otherwise provided herein. Each family using city water shall have a meter installed for the use; provided, however, that, when two or more families occupy the same house and use one common entrance to the house, one meter may be used for two or more such families. Tenements, flats and multiple dwelling may be supplied through one meter; provided that, no water pipes shall be placed through any fire wall or other wall which has no door regularly used for passing from one side to the other. Each store, place of business, shop and factory shall have a meter for each user, and in no case shall a water pipe be placed through a party wall, fire wall or any other solid wall having no door regularly used for passing from one side to the other.
(2) No person or persons, including an authorized plumber, shall break a seal on a meter or open, take apart or change the reading of any water meter in use or intended use for measuring water in the city.
(3) Parties whose water meters are broken or out of order or in need of repair shall immediately report the same to the office of the City Clerk. When a water meter is disconnected, the City Clerk’s office shall make a record of the reading and the date of disconnection of the same.
(4) Meters shall be set so as to measure all water passed through the service pipe or used by the consumer for any purpose, and shall be placed in such a way as to be easily accessible in order to facilitate the reading and inspection of the same. It shall be a violation of this part to interfere with the reading or inspection of any meter.
(5) The owner shall pay for all damage caused to meters by his or her negligence or by the negligence of his or her agents and occupants of the premises.
(F) Discontinuing service/reconnection. Consumers wishing to discontinue the use of water shall notify the City Clerk to that effect. The water shall then be turned off at the curb shut-off box, and the charges for water shall cease; provided, all water rents, penalties or other charges under this part are paid. Water service shall be resumed upon notification to the City Clerk and payment of a reconnection fee based on costs revised by the city.
(G) No claims against the city. No claim shall be made against the city for the breaking or freezing of any service cock nor for failure to supply water, nor from damage arising from shutting off the water for any purpose deemed necessary, such as repairing mains, making connections or extensions or for any other reason. The city hereby reserves the right to shut off the water supply at any time, regardless of permits granted or arrangements made. It shall not be necessary for the city to give notice before shutting off the water supply, but whenever practical, such notice will be given before shutting off the water.
(H) Water during construction. A tap may be granted and meter installed upon deposit to supply a building during construction or before the time it is completed and ready for occupancy by special permission from the Water Superintendent. All water supplied through said tap shall be charged for at the regular meter rates or the minimum monthly charges. When the building has been completed and the water no longer needed, the water no longer needed, the water shall be turned off and the meter removed. The meter used may be returned to the city, if examined and found in good repair, the consumer shall be entitled to a refund for the meter equal to the sum deposited with the City Clerk’s office less $5 for each month for the time said meter was used.