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(A) (1) The utility authorized representatives shall have the right to enter upon the premises of the customer at all reasonable times for the purpose of inspecting and/or testing cross-connection protective devices, atmospheric tank installations, booster pump-vacuum breaker-type valves, general plumbing, as well as meter readings, inspection, repairs, testing, removal, replacement and relocation in connection with the water service.
(2) Failure to provide or allow access for the utility to the customer premises for the herein state purposes, after written notice of such purpose, shall be cause for discontinuance of water service.
(B) Any customer providing a secondary water system supply on the customer’s premises or available to the premises shall be required to give reasonable access to the utility representative during any inspection of the customer premises. Said customer shall be required to provide evidence that no connection exists between the customer secondary supply and the public water supply system.
(C) (1) The customer shall comply with all rules and regulations as set forth by applicable local, state, federal and health agencies as if in writing herein. (See § 52.11(G).)
(2) Failure to comply as stated shall be cause for immediate termination of water service to the premises with notice of said violation to the State Board of Health and other agencies having jurisdiction over such matters. Water service shall not be reinstated until proof of compliance is furnished to the utility.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
(A) Unless specified in or by contract or tariff on file, all of the water provided to customer shall be measured by meter(s) of standard manufacture, furnished and installed by the utility in accordance with the requirements of the utility in force and effect, and as amended from time to time. The customer shall provide a suitable location for the placement of the meter, near the service entrance either in the basement, in an approved meter box or in a location approved by the utility prior to the water service installation.
(B) The utility will designate the minimum size and type meter to be installed for each customer. Each building to be served from the water main shall be supplied by at least a three-quarter-inch or one-inch line. For water services larger than the minimum size, the utility will reserve the right to designate the number and size of meters that can be supplied for such service requested.
(C) (1) A “bypass” arrangement around all new meter installations will be required under any of the following circumstances:
(a) The service line on the meter outlet side is one and one-half inches or larger;
(b) The service line, regardless of size, serves refrigeration equipment or water supplied is used in and for cooling; and
(c) The water service must not, for any other reason, be so interrupted while the meter is being repaired or replaced.
(2) The bypass shall be furnished and installed by the customer in accordance with the utility’s specifications and/or codes, and shall include a seal. Where existing piping, not containing a bypass, is altered to meet any of the above conditions, such alteration shall also include a bypass arrangement.
(D) (1) All meters, appliances, equipment and appurtenances furnished by the utility and which may be on the customer’s premises, shall remain as the property of the utility, unless otherwise expressly provided herein; the customer shall protect such property from freezing, loss or damage and shall not be permitted to remove, tamper or alter such property.
(2) The customer shall be responsible and liable for all damages to the utility’s property while on the premises in the event that such property is damaged from freezing or hot water and shall pay for cost for repair or replacement necessary to restore service and required accuracy of the metering. Upon repeated instances of damaged meters due to negligence of the customer, the utility can refuse service until the customer can properly protect the equipment from such damage.
(E) Ordinary repairs to meters will be performed by the utility without expense to the customer.
(F) A meter will be tested for accuracy upon request from the customer. A utility representative will first investigate the premises for other reasons for excessive water usage before removing the meter for testing.
(1) If leaks are found or if the meter test establishes accuracy of the meter to be between 98% and 102%, the utility may make a service charge of at least $25 for either service activity. The customer may have a representative present during the investigation or testing.
(2) Such testing and/or investigation will not be performed more than once in 12 months, unless the customer has abnormally high billings. A report of the results of the test will be made to the customer and a complete record of the test will be maintained by the utility.
(G) The utility may place seals on any water meter, bypass or related couplings, in and for any premises, and will replace such seals found to be broken or removed. The water supply may be turned off if such seals are found to be broken or removed.
(H) Where water is taken through one meter servicing a multi-family dwelling, the utility required the owner of the real property to maintain the billing in the owner’s name.
(I) New meter applications shall be installed with “remote-read” equipment as designated by the utility within its ordinances, general rules and regulations and schedules of installation, in effect.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
(A) All new dwelling units constructed within the service areas of the utility shall be pre-wired by the builder with suitable transmission wire as a part of the construction costs to the unit.
(B) When the water service is ordered for the unit, a reasonable fee will be charged by a representative of the utility, in addition to the costs of the water service connection, to compensate for materials, labor and/or equipment to install a water meter remote read unit at the location in the new dwelling unit.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
(A) All water usage charges, other than for unmetered fire service or other special purposes, will be calculated upon the registration of the meter or meters installed, which registration shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of water used.
(B) The utility will make an effort to read meters every month or at intervals as designated by the Town Council. In the event that the utility is unable to read the meter, or should the meter fail to register, or if the utility is unable to gain access to the customer’s premises, the customer will be billed on the basis of average of consumption as shown by the record or previous meter readings. The first charge after a meter reading is obtained will then be adjusted by averaging consumption over a period from the last reading, charging for each period in accordance with the schedule of rates in effect for the periods and allowing credit for the amount of estimated billings as applicable to the event.
(C) After six consecutive months of estimating, the utility will automatically boost the consumption to four times the estimated amount. The customer will continue to be billed at the boosted rate until such time as an actual read is taken and validated. Any necessary billing adjustments will be made on the following billing, after the actual read.
(D) Where water is taken through more than one meter, and, where such arrangement is for the convenience of the customer, then, each meter will be read and billed separately. Where water is taken through more than one meter for the convenience of the utility, then, the meter readings will be aggregated and billed as one reading.
(E) All water passing through meters will be charged for at the applicable rates, whether used, wasted or lost through leakage.
(F) The utility will not be bound by billings rendered under a mistake of fact as to the quantity of service rendered.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
(A) Billings rendered to customers for water service will reflect at least the following information:
(1) The dates at the beginning and ending of the service period, and the meter reading at the end of the period for which the billing is rendered;
(2) The previous balance, if any;
(3) The amount of the billing;
(4) The date on which the billing is due;
(5) If an estimated billing, a clear coding or other indicated identifying the billing as an estimated bill; and
(6) An explanation, which can be readily understood, of all of the codes and/or symbols on the billing.
(B) Billings will be rendered monthly. If a billing is not paid on or before the due date indicated on the billing (approximately 15 days after the bill is mailed to the customer), the customer will be considered delinquent. A period of two consecutive months delinquent will then constitute termination of water service to the customer by the utility.
(C) Failure to receive a billing shall not effect the right of the utility to cut-off and discontinue service for non-payment as provided above.
(D) To qualify for the above consideration, the customer must not be entered into and have breached a similar, agreement with the utility during the last 12-month period.
(E) At the time of the execution of any agreement, the customer must agree to pay all future billings as they become due for water service. Failure to fulfill the terms of the agreement will make the same null and void; and the total unpaid past due amount, together with any associated service charges related thereto, will become due. Failure to comply with the conditions of the agreement will result in the discontinuance of the service without further notice to the customer.
(F) Disputing the accuracy of any billing shall not be a valid reason for non-payment of the billing by the customer, or abatement of charges.
(G) The customer may pay a billing under protest, giving written notice that redress of the dispute is being sought by the customer. Such written notice must be filed with the Utility Office Department of the utility, with payment, prior to the due date of the billing, with no exceptions.
(H) The Town Council shall review the written protest as received from the customer, for disposition of the request. Utility office personnel will not be in authority to render disposition of the dispute.
(I) Failure to make payment on or before the billing due date, pending settlement of a dispute billing, shall be considered the same as with any other past due account, regardless of past payment history of the customer.
(J) All water charges follow the customer rather than the property; if a customer moved from the premises where water service has been supplied, such customer will be held responsible for the payment of all billings rendered for the service supplied to the premises until proper notice of discontinuance of water service has been given to the office of the utility.
(K) Moving from one location to another location in no way absolves the customer from any unpaid charges incurred at a previous location.
(L) A customer’s service may be discontinued for failure to pay any of the unpaid charges due from the customer, regardless of the premises with respect to which the charges were incurred.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
(A) If any service meter is found to have a percentage error greater than that allowed by the Public Service Commission of the state, the following procedure for the adjustment of billings will be observed.
(1) Fast meters. When a meter is found to have a positive average error (i.e., is fast, in excess of 2%), the utility will refund or credit the customer’s account with the amount in excess of that determined to be an average charge for one-half of the time elapsed since the previous test of the meter, or six months, whichever period is shorter. This average charge will be calculated on the basis of the units registered on the meter over corresponding periods either prior or subsequent to the period for which the meter is determined to be based. No part of a minimum service charge will be refunded.
(2) Stopped or slow meters. When a meter is topped or has a negative average error (i.e., is slow, in excess of 2%), the utility may charge the customer an amount estimated to be an average charge for one-half of the time elapsed since the previous meter test or six months, whichever period is shorter. This average charge shall be calculated on the basis of the units registered on the meter over the corresponding periods or subsequent to the period for which the meter is determined to be slow or stopped. Such action may be taken only in cases where the utility is not at fault for allowing the stopped or slow meter to remain in service.
(B) All billing errors, including incorrect tariff applications, will be adjusted to the known date of the error or for a period of one year, whichever is shorter.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
The utility may bring a civil action to recover any delinquent charges together with applicable interest at the statutory rate, the costs and disbursements of said actions, and any other remedies prescribed by law.
(A) Deferred payment charge. All billings for water services not paid on or before the due date indicated on the billing shall be subject to a collection or deferred payment charge as established from time to time by the utility, and in effect at the time that the charge is posted to the account.
(B) Returned check charge. The utility is to receive a return check charge to be determined from time to time by resolution of the utility for any check tendered to the utility for payment which is returned by the institution upon which it is drawn for any reason.
(Ord. passed 3-3-1987)
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