(1) Form. All applications for service installations and for water service shall be made to the city on printed forms furnished by the city.
(2) Applicant. All applications for service installations shall be made by the owner or owner's agent of the property to be served and shall state the size and location of service connection required; the applicant shall at the time of making application pay to the city the amount of fees or deposit required for the installation of the service connection as hereinafter provided. Applications for services larger than one inch shall be accompanied by two sets of plans or sketches, indicating preferred location of service pipe and size of service based on building demand.
(3) Prior connection. When service connections have been installed, application for water service may be made to the city either by the owner, owner's agent, tenant or occupant of the premises.
(4) Size and meters. The size of water service connections and meters shall be subject to approval of the city engineer. For all meters up to and including one inch size, a meter spacer with tailpiece couplings will be furnished to the contractor or plumber, at the time a connection permit is issued. Meter spacers will be picked up when the city installs a meter after completion of water service installation.
(5) Notice to city. The plumber shall notify the city within 24 hours after piping is complete and ready for meter installation, giving street address and permit number.
(6) Billing. Water billing shall start at the time of installation of the water meter or, in the event the meter is not installed, seven days after completion of outside piping, and shall be calculated upon the minimum quarterly rate, pro-rated on a monthly basis.
(7) Installation of water meters.
(a) The permit and location shall be approved by the public superintendent.
(b) Installation of the water meter, remote and remote wire, raising the curb box to finished grade, turning on the water and flushing of the lines shall be the responsibility of a plumber duly licensed and registered according to Minnesota Plumbing Codes. The meter setting shall be provided as follows:
1. Meter settings shall be located in the utility, laundry or furnace room and in every case shall be located no more than eight feet from the nearest floor drain unless there is prior approval from the public works superintendent;
2. The setting shall be installed to provide that the meter be between six and 12 inches from the wall and between 18 and 36 inches from the finished floor;
3. The water meter shall have full accessibility with a clear space of three feet in all directions except as noted in division (7)(b);
4. Each meter setting shall be provided with a ball valve on the street side and the house side of the meter. The valves shall be well protected from freezing;
5. Meter setting shall be accomplished with brass mechanical joint ahead of the inlet ball valve;
6. A meter interface unit (MIU) shall be securely installed on the exterior surface of the wall closest to the water meter. A single RJ11 telephone jack receptacle shall also be installed on the exterior surface of the wall within 18 inches of the MIU. This jack receptacle shall be wired into the existing active telephone circuit. The water meter encoded register (ECR) shall be connected to the MIU with three wire conductor type as specified by the city. The MIU shall be connected to the telephone jack with telephone wire and a RJ11 jack plug. All wires shall be secured by use of wire ties of clips; and
7. Remote reading devices: remote touch pads shall be installed in the area of the utility meter three or four feet above finished ground level on the finished exterior wall. Typically, the remote shall be installed on a side wall within 12 feet of the front line of the building. In no case shall the remote be allowed on the front or rear of the building without prior permission from the city. The wire to the remote may not be exposed on the exterior wall. The wire must be of three wire conductor type as specified by the city, with two of the wires being connected to the touch pad from the MIU.
(8) Inspection. The city shall be notified when the meter setting is complete, at which time the city will inspect and approve the installation, seal the water meter and program the MIU.
(Prior Code, § 401.18) (Am. Ord. 26-97, passed 9-8-1997)