(A) Tenants residing on streets that may be served by water may apply for water service, provided that the cost for the installation of service connection must be paid in full at the time of application.
(B) Application for service connections shall be made by a master plumber only at the main office of the Water Department on a printed from furnished by the Department.
(C) Water meters.
(1) Ownership.
(a) All meters shall be and remain the property of the Department, which shall maintain all meters in service, making such periodic tests and repairs as are necessary to insure correct registration. The customer shall be charged for only those repairs made necessary by damage caused by willful act, carelessness or neglect of the occupant, such as failing to protect the meter from freezing temperatures, or allowing the hot water to back through the line to the meter.
(b) All persons are forbidden to interfere with or remove a water meter from any service connection without first receiving permission from the Department.
(2) Responsibility.
(a) The owner of the property is responsible for the safekeeping of meters installed on his premises and shall, if the meter is lost or stolen from the premises, be charged with the actual cost of replacing the missing equipment.
(b) In the event that any meter is found defective or fails to register, the customer will be charged an estimated sum based upon the amount of water consumption of the preceding similar quarter.
(3) Setting and locating of meters.
(a) Meters and their valves will not be allowed in closets or compartments that are kept locked, in coal bins, in or under toilet room floors, under buildings, porches, show windows, show boards or where they are difficult of access.
(b) All meters shall be set horizontally in dry, clean, sanitary places perfectly accessible, with gate valves on both sides, and where a small leak and the spilling of water will do no damage.
(c) The plumber shall install connections ready to receive the meter in a location to be approved by the Department.
(4) Meter wells.
(a) Upon special permission being granted by the Department, meters may be installed in meter wells of a type approved by the Department.
(b) Should it be impossible to drain a meter well, the owner or occupant must, under penalty of having the water shut off, pump out said well whenever required by the Department.
(5) Remote (outside) reading devices for water meters.
(a) Any structure hereafter built or moved within the city requiring the installation of water meters shall be so constructed so that the remote reading device connected to the water meter shall be located outside of the building which shall be easily accessible to the personnel of the Water Department.
(b) The Water Department is hereby authorized upon request of property owner to alter all water meters presently located inside of any building within the city, so that a remote reading device connected to said water meter is outside of such building in a location convenient and accessible to the personnel of the Water Department. The cost of such alteration shall be initially paid for out of funds of the Water Department.
(c) The owner or owners of buildings, wherein inside water meters are located, and which are to be altered for outside reading devices, in accordance with division (C)(5)(b) of this section, are to repay to the Water Department the sum as set from time to time by Council resolution to help defray the cost of altering said water meter. Said amount shall be repaid in quarterly installments by adding same to the quarterly water bill of said owner or owners, and shall be considered a proper water charge.
(d) The city, through its Water Department, shall determine type, location and number of remote reading devices required for any service.
(Ord. 215, passed 4-20-64; Am. Ord. 490, passed 3-17-75)