(A) The owner or occupant of premises where a meter is installed shall be held responsible for its care and protection from freezing or hot water and from other injury or interference from any person or persons. In case of any injury to the meter, or in case of its stoppage or imperfect working, said owner or occupant shall give immediate notice to the office of the Water and Sewer Department. In all cases where meters are broken or damaged by negligence of owners or occupants of premises, or by freezing, hot water, or other injuries except wear and tear, the necessary repairs to the meter shall be made by the Department and the cost of such repairs, with a minimum of a $50 repair charge, shall be paid for by such owner or occupant and shall also include an additional $100 charge if water was shut off on an emergency basis not during normal city work hours, and in case payment thereof is neglected or refused, the water supply shall be turned off and shall not be turned on until full payment has been made, together with a $50 charge for turning on the water again. Damaged meters may be repaired by the department without first giving notice thereof to the owner of premises served by such meter.
(B) No one shall in any way interfere with the proper registration of a water meter, and no one except an authorized employee of the Department shall break a seal on a meter. However, the City Engineer may grant written permits to licensed plumbers in case of emergency to break such seal for draining pipes or stopping water leaks.
(C) Wherever a water meter is installed on a water service in premises that is to be remodeled, removed or destroyed, or where the service is discontinued so that the water meter is no longer needed, the owner of such premises shall give notice in writing to the City Engineer to remove such meter, and free access to such meter must be provided at least 24 hours after notice is given so that the meter may be removed. The owner of the premises shall be held responsible for the meter until such written notice is given, and if the meter is covered or lost, the owner shall be required to pay for the same at the actual value.
(D) When the Water and Sewer Department is called by the owner or occupant of a premises to inspect the water system or perform some service to the water connections of said premises to the city water system, on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or any other day except between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., the owner or occupant who has requested such inspection or service call shall pay the department the sum of $100 for each such inspection or service call, except that no such payment shall be required if a leak, flaw, break or other defect is found to exist in the city water system adjacent to the premises rather than on the premises of the owner or occupant. The owner or occupant shall pay a $100 charge for any inspection that is requested on an emergency basis not during normal city work hours. If the inspection reveals that the act or acts of the owner or occupant of the premises has damaged the water system, then said owner or occupant shall be liable to the city for any and all sums or charges incurred by the city to repair said damage, including, but not limited to, overtime pay for city employees. Said sum shall become a lien upon the premises served by the repairs.
(Ord. 549, passed 12-22-75; Am. Ord. 970, passed 6-2-99; Am. Ord. 1114, passed 7-2-03; Am. Ord. 1533, passed 1-15-14; Am. Ord. 1825, passed 7-20-22)