A. Metered Water Required: All water furnished consumers shall be metered.
B. Village To Furnish Meters: All meters shall be furnished and set by the Water and Sewer Department at customer expense, but owners must provide suitable location in piping system for same.
C. Installation:
1. Meters shall be placed on service pipe not to exceed two feet (2') from the wall where such pipe enters the premises. There shall be a stop between the meter and the wall, and a suitable place provided for the meter so as to keep it dry and clean, and readily accessible at all times to the meter reader and inspectors of the Department. A gate valve shall also be placed on the pipe on the meter. All valves and fittings necessary to comply with these requirements and to provide connection to meter, except a coupling or flange at each end of meter, shall be provided by the owner of premises to be served.
2. Where a service pipe larger than two inches (2") in diameter is used, the plumber shall call at the Department office for instructions regarding the fittings and space to be provided for the water meters.
3. In the case that two (2) or more meters are desired for measuring water to different tenants in the same building from one service connection, they shall be so placed that no one of them shall measure water which has passed through another one.
4. Every mobile home park or multiple-family dwelling shall have a separate water meter for each dwelling unit or shall pay such minimum rates or charges for water service under subsection 8-3-1A of this Title, based upon the number of mobile homes or individual dwelling units located within a multiple-family building or structure, and such other rates and charges as provided in Chapter 3 of this Title.
5. When it is necessary to install a meter or meters in newly constructed houses or buildings, or when it is necessary by reason of alterations in a house or building to install one or more additional meters, or when it is necessary to install a larger size meter in a house or building, the owner of the premises or the contractor doing the construction or alterations on said premises shall reimburse the Water and Sewer Department for the actual cost of the meter or meters furnished by the Department plus ten percent (10%) for overhead expenses.
D. Type of Meter:
1. All meters to new dwellings or new connections shall be of the "remote read" variety. The owner shall protect the reading device and maintain accessibility and visibility for reading of the meter.
2. Customers may request a remote reading adapter to be attached to their present meter or the Village may install such a device if the owner is habitually absent during working hours, or the Village elects to install such devices. The fee for installation of the remote reading adapter is thirty dollars ($30.00) and the same shall be paid by the customer.
E. Replacement Meters: The Village Council may from time to time institute a water meter replacement program to the extent that it deems the same necessary and advisable for the efficient operation of the water system. All water meters installed under any such program shall be of the remote reading variety, and all customers shall permit access to their premises for the purpose of implementing the program.
F. Protection and Maintenance of Meters: 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. In case of any injury to the meter, or in case of its stoppage or imperfect working, he 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, the necessary repairs to the meter shall be made by the Department and the cost of such repairs paid for by such owner or occupant, 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 ten dollars ($10.00) 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.
G. Tampering with Meters Prohibited: 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; provided, however, that the Superintendent of Water and Sewer Department may grant written permits to licensed plumbers in case of emergency to break such seal for draining pipes or stopping water leaks.
H. Removal of Unused Meters: 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 Superintendent to remove such meter, and free access to such meter must be provided at least twenty four (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, he shall be required to pay for the same at the actual value.
I. Service Calls; Costs: 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 Village water system, on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or any other day except between seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and three thirty o'clock (3:30) P.M., the owner or occupant who has requested such inspection or service call shall pay the Village man hour cost at a minimum of two (2) hours 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 Village water system adjacent to the premises rather than on the premises of the owner or occupant. (Ord. 85-05, 6-5-84; 1994 Code)