(a) METERS REQUIRED.
All water services must be metered without exception. No water will be provided to any consumer without first having applied for water use per subsection (b) hereof. Water obtained via any other method not identified in these regulations is considered to be theft of Village property and violators will be prosecuted.
(b) APPLICATIONS IN WRITING.
All new tap applications for the use of water from the Village must be made in writing by the owner of the premises on the form provided by the Village. A permit for water service may be obtained at the North Baltimore Village Clerk’s office. This permit, together with application and fee for the tap must be presented to the Water Department Clerk. Cost for this permit is identified in the Water Department Rate Schedule.
(c) EACH SERVICE BRANCH SHALL BE METERED SEPARATELY.
One meter shall service each service branch. Where more than one existing building, apartment or section is served through one water meter, and owner desires to ascertain the amount of water used in such additional building, apartment or section, the installation of second meters to record such consumption will be permitted. The cost of installation of second meters must be borne by the owner. The Village will not undertake to read such meters or to render statements on same.
(d) MORE THAN ONE METER PER SERVICE BRANCH.
The Village Administrator or his authorized representative may grant a permit for the installation of more than one master meter on a service branch supplying an apartment building or a building containing more that one distinct apartment when plans showing the piping arrangements are submitted to and approved by the Village Administrator or his authorized representative. In cases where such additional meters are permitted, it shall be required: (1) That the meters all be contained compactly or in a meter room, and that each be controlled independently of the others; and (2) That the owner assume all responsibility for the installation and maintenance of meters, other than expressly assumed by the Village. (Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(e) WATER FOR CONSTRUCTION.
Water for construction, private or public, will be furnished at the bulk water purchase rate as prescribed in the current Water Department Rate Schedule. Water may only be purchased at the Water Plant with prior approval of the Village Administrator or his authorized representative or the Water Department Superintendent. The name, address and telephone number of consumers purchasing water in bulk must be provided to the Water Department Billing Clerk prior to the purchase of water. (Ord. 07-21. Passed 8-7-07.)
(f) METERS NUMBERED.
All meters are registered by serial numbers and not to property owner’s name. Inquiries regarding meters should give street number and, if possible, serial number.
(Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(g) ONE METER PROVIDED.
One (1) meter 5/8" will be furnished by the Village at its own expense. All meters of a size larger than aforesaid, re-registering or auxiliary connections shall be furnished at the expense of the person or persons applying therefor and shall comply with the requirements or specifications prescribed by the Village, and shall be of the make, type, model and design approved and adopted by the Village. (Ord. 07-21. Passed 8-7-07.)
(h) MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT OF METERS.
The cost of maintenance, including repair or replacement of all meters furnished by the Village at its own expense, including those meters whose titles have been assigned to the Village by individual owners according to the section authorizing transfer of ownership to the Village, will be at the expense of the Village. However, the consumer will be charged and held responsible for all repairs or cost of replacement occasioned by hot water, neglect, or any act of negligence on the part of said consumer on a time and materials basis.
(i) RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR THEFT OF METERS.
Property owners shall be held responsible for and shall reimburse the Village for the loss or theft of any meter furnished and maintained as herein before provided.
(Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(j) TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF METER TO THE VILLAGE.
Individual meter owners may enter into an agreement with the Village providing for the assignment of title of their meter to the Village. Said meter must be of the type and style approved by the Village and be in good working order at the time of transfer. Only meters fed by Village owned distribution mains will be considered for transfer of ownership. In consideration thereof, the Village agrees to keep and maintain said meters so transferred in repair, or replace same at the expense of the Village as provided for by Ordinance of the Village of North Baltimore. The Village shall not endeavor to assume ownership of any meters larger than 1".
(Ord. 07-21. Passed 8-7-07.)
(k) METERS TO BE REPAIRED AT EXPENSE OF OWNER.
All damaged or improperly functioning meters, not owned by the Village will be repaired or replaced at the option of the Village at the expense of the owner.
(l) METERS TO BE REMOVED BY WATER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY.
A meter shall be removed only by an authorized employee or designated contractor of the Water Department. Unauthorized persons removing or tampering with meters will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
(m) PENALTY FOR UNLAWFUL BREAKING OF METER SEAL.
When, upon inspection, any meter seal has been found broken from any cause whatsoever the water will be turned off and the water will not be turned on again until a penalty as prescribed in the current Water Department Rate Schedule has been paid to the Village as liquidating damages and expenses involved. The Village Administrator or his authorized representative has discretion to waive or modify this charge under rare and unusual circumstances.
(n) METERS TO BE REMOVED FOR REPAIRING OR TESTING.
The Village reserves the right to remove a meter from any premise and substitute another meter in its place for the purpose of making repairs or testing.
(o) WHEN METERS WILL BE TESTED WITHOUT REQUEST.
The Village Administrator or his authorized representative will on his own initiative, undertake to test any meter which in his judgment, is registering incorrectly without charge to the owner.
(p) REQUEST BY PROPERTY OWNER OR CONSUMER FOR TESTING OF METER.
In cases where the property owner or consumer requests the Village to test the meter owned by such property owner, the Village reserves the right to charge for the cost of testing fees and for removing the meter at the prevailing wage scale of Water Department workers.
(q) METERS MUST BE KEPT ACCESSIBLE.
Meters must be kept freely accessible to meter readers and other authorized employees of the Water Department and must not be permitted to become covered with, or obstructed by, rubbish, overgrowth, or other material regardless of whether such meters are located in meter vaults, meter tile or basements. Meters will not be permitted to be installed in coal bins or coal cellars. The Village reserves the right to shut off water when violations of this article are discovered.
(r) LOCATION OF NEW INSTALLATIONS.
All new meter installations shall be installed at a location approved by the Village Administrator or his authorized representative and if installed within meter tile, the meter shall be at line depth of service of 36”. At the discretion of the Village, meters may be located inside the premises serviced. All new meters installed inside a premises shall have a remote reading unit located outside the premises. Costs associated with installing a remote reading unit will be borne by the premises owner on a time and materials basis. (Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(s) MOBILE HOME PARKS AND APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
A master meter is required for all mobile home parks and apartment complexes. It is the sole responsibility of the development owners to operate and maintain the distribution system within the park/complex. Reading of individual meters and special billing arrangements may be contracted to the Village as negotiated between the Village Administrator or his authorized representative and the development owners. It is recommended that meters be of the type normally supplied and approved by the Water Department. (Ord. 00-14. Passed 5-2-00.)