(a) When a premises is supplied, either in whole or in part, with water from a well or any source other than the public water supply, the source of supply shall be registered on a form provided by the Division of Water and Sanitary Sewage. The owner of the premises shall install and maintain, at his or her expense, meters acceptable to the Division on all water supplies. The metered quantity of water shall determine the sewage service charge.
(b) en a person can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Service that a minimum average of 2,000 gallons per day of the water measured by the water meters does not enter the sewage system, he or she may submit an application, provided by the Division, to install an auxiliary water meter as provided for in subsection (e) hereof. The Director may require an additional meter, installed at the person's expense, to measure the quantity of water actually entering the sewage works. The measured quantity of water actually entering the sewage works shall determine the sewage service charge.
(c) When wells are used as a supplementary water supply for a period not exceeding six months in any calendar year, the base rate portion of the user charge may be waived by the Director for the period of nonusage, subject to any requirement he or she may deem necessary.
(d) Fire protection service branches shall be exempt from all sewage service charges, except for water used for purposes other than fire protection.
(e) Where an auxiliary meter is required to determine the quantity of water subject to sewage service charges, the meter shall be installed only with the approval of the Director. The meter shall be installed, owned and maintained by the property owner. Venturi meters, flumes, weirs and other methods of measuring flow shall be used only when authorized by the Director. Meters which shall be approved are:
(1) Meters purchased from the Division;
(2) Meters equal or similar to Division meters, purchased elsewhere and tested by the Division;
(3) Crest or turbine-type meters of two inches in size and over, used where the meter is under full head at all times, provided that the meter is tested and approved for large constant flows by the Division;
(4) Meters used currently for tax purposes by the Federal Government (which will be accepted without tests); or
(5) Existing private meters now in place, but on a conditional basis. If these meters are suspected of faulty registration, they are subject to a test by order of the Director.
Other meters shall be tested by the manufacturer and a certificate of the test shall be filed with the Director. Such meters shall not be used without the written approval of the Director.
Where an auxiliary meter has been installed, it shall not be removed without the approval of the Director.
(f) All meters shall be installed according to the standard rules and regulations of the Division or other applicable public water works.
Where private meters are used on wells or in an industrial water distribution system, and are set behind the primary water supply meter, the prescribed standard rules and regulations may be modified or waived by the Director.
(g) If a person who discharges clean wastewater installs and operates equipment to dispose of such wastewater or to prevent such wastewater from entering the sewerage works, he or she shall be exempt from payment of sewage service charges for the quantity of clean wastewater disposed of or diverted. When such equipment is operational, the person shall install a meter, at his or her expense, to measure the quantity of water disposed of or diverted.
(h) If the Director finds that it is not practical to measure the wastewater by meters, he or she shall determine, by any method he or she finds practical, the percentage of metered water entering the sewerage works. The quantity of water thus determined shall provide the basis of the sewage service charge.
(Ord. 91-59. Passed 10-21-91.)