(A) Once a water meter is installed, the ordinary cost of routine maintenance, repair and replacement shall be at the expense of the Village. Whenever in the sole determination of the Director a water meter is worn, obsolete or in a condition of disrepair so as to be unfit for its purpose, the Director shall cause a new meter or parts thereof to be installed upon the premises. Except for breakage or damage done to meters by the Village and/or its agent, the customer upon whose premises any service is provided shall be liable for any breakage or damage done to such meter howsoever caused, including but not limited to damage done by tampering, freezing, hot water or theft and the amount of the loss shall be a lien against the premises as though such amount were for unpaid water service. Before issuance of a building permit in case of new construction or any work by the customer which requires the relocation or removal of an existing meter, the applicant for a building permit shall pay all of the labor costs, fees and expenses for the water meter and its installation, corporation cock, roundway, water supply valve, buffalo box, service line and any and all other equipment or supplies associated with connection to the AMR system. The fees to be charged for the water meters, MXU's and connections shall be in an amount equal to the Village's cost thereof, plus 10%. Installation in the premises where the meter is to be located must occur as follows:
(1) No equipment, structure or other impediment to the efficiency of the AMR other than the equipment associated with the AMR shall be installed within 12 inches of the water meter. In addition:
(a) For those premises wherein an MXU is required to be installed, the MXU shall be mounted as specified by the Director wherever necessary in order that the Village or its agent may receive a proper radio signal.
(2) The Director will inspect or cause to be inspected all connections and installations.
(B) The Director shall read or cause to be read every water meter in the Village that is connected to a service pipe as often as is necessary in order that the Finance Director may forward water and sewer bills to the customers in accord with this Chapter.
(1) All water meters shall be read through the AMR system. If meter reading is not available through the AMR system, the Village will obtain the reading by entering the premises and visually reading the meter or through the use of a touch pad device. If a visual reading is necessary, a fee of $75 per reading will be charged. However, if a touch-pad reading is necessary, a fee of $5 will be charged for each reading. At any reasonable hour, the Director or his agent shall be afforded entry to the premises upon which the meter is located for the purpose of causing an inspection of the meter and register on the premises in order to verify that the AMR reading is consistent with the inside register reading.
(2) At any reasonable hour, the Director or his agent shall be afforded entry to the premises upon which the meter is located for the purpose of changing the meter and/or the battery in the MXU, and/or providing other maintenance as well as for the purpose of testing the accuracy of the meter. The costs associated with such testing will be borne by the Village, however, in the event the test reveals that the meter had been tampered with or damaged, the costs of testing shall be added to the cost of replacement or repair and paid the Village by the customer.
(3) In the event a meter and/or MXU fails to register the amount of actual water service, until such time as the devices can be replaced or an actual water meter reading can be obtained, the Finance Director shall estimate the amount of water service for water and sewer billing purposes.
(4) In all cases, provided it is accurate, the meter will remain the "meter of record" for recording the amount of water service. In the event the meter fails to accurately measure the quantity of the flow of water through it, the Finance Director shall prepare the billing statement pursuant to his estimate based upon the quantities of past service to such premises.
(Ord. 00-2245, passed 8-22-00; Am. Ord. 05-2519, passed 4-26-05; Am. Ord. 12-2895, passed 7-24-12)
Penalty, see § 53.99