Subd. 1. Meter use required. Except for extinguishing of fire, no person except authorized city employees shall use water from the water supply system or permit water to be drawn therefrom unless the same be metered by passing through a meter supplied by the city.
Subd. 2. Installation of meters. All water meters shall be installed by a licensed plumber in accordance with the following rules:
a. The service pipe from the water main to the meter shall be brought through the floor in a vertical position. The stop and waste valve shall be installed approximately 12 inches above the floor.
b. The meter shall be located so that the bottom is from twelve to 24 inches above the finished floor line. The meter shall be set not more than 12 inches, measured horizontally from the inside line of the basement wall, unless an alternate method is approved by the City Water Inspector.
c. All meter installations shall have a stop and waste valve on the street side of the meter. In no case shall there be more than 12 inches of pipe exposed between the point of entrance through the basement floor and the stop and waste valve. A stop and waste valve shall also be installed on the house side of the meter. Meter setting devices shall be of copper pipe or tubing from the terminus of the service pipe up to and including the house side stop and waste valve.
d. A remote reader shall be installed on the outside of the building in which the meter is contained at a height of three feet to five feet above grade.
Subd. 3. Maintenance, repair and replacement.
a. Replacement of meter. All water meters shall be and remain the property of the city and may be removed or replaced or changed as to size and type by the city whenever deemed necessary.
b. Maintenance and repair. The city shall maintain and repair all meters when rendered unserviceable through ordinary wear and tear and shall replace them if necessary. However, where any replacement or repair or adjustment of any meter is necessary because of damage from hot water backup, damage from freezing water, or damage from any act, carelessness or negligence of the owner or occupants of any premises, any expense incurred by the city to repair the damage shall be charged against and collected from the property owner, and water service may be discontinued until the cause is corrected and the amount charged collected.
Subd. 4. Meter tests. When a consumer makes a complaint that the bill for any past services has been excessive, the city shall, upon written request, have the meter re-read. If the user remains dissatisfied and desires that the meter be tested, the user shall then make a deposit in an amount established by ordinance of the City Council, and the city shall test the meter. The user shall, if he or she so desires, be present when the test is made. In case a test should show an error of over 5% of the water consumed in favor of the city, the deposit will be refunded to the user and a correctly registering meter will be installed and the date of written request and the minimum charge shall not be affected. In case the test shows an accurate measurement of water or an error in favor of the user, the amount deposited shall be retained by the city to cover the expenses of making the test.
Subd. 5. Unauthorized tampering with meter. All water meters shall be inspected and sealed by the City Water Inspector. No person not authorized by the city shall connect, disconnect, take apart, remove the seal, or in any manner change or cause to be changed or interfere with any meter or the action thereof.
(Ord. 395, passed 7-28-2003; Am. Ord. 464, passed 2-22-2010)