The city shall provide five-eighths by three-quarters inch (5/8" x 3/4") meters for water service pipes of persons using water from the water supply system of the city. Larger meters shall be paid for by the owner or user. Such meters shall be installed on said service pipes in such manner and place as may be prescribed by the director of public works or his authorized representative.
No meters shall be placed in service nor recognized as standard meters within the city unless approved by the public works department. The public works director or his representatives shall prescribe the size of meter to be placed on each service pipe, and no person shall place any other meter on any service pipe, save and except standard meters as herein prescribed and of the size as prescribed by the public works department. All meters heretofore or hereafter installed shall be equipped with a remote read meter reading device approved by the public works department enabling the reading of the meter from the exterior of the premises served. The public works department is hereby authorized to establish uniform rates for the installation and rental of such remote read meter reading devices, such charges to be paid by the owner of the premises served by such device.
No water meter shall be installed save and except by a plumber, duly licensed under the laws of the state or by the department of public works, and no person other than one acting under the authority and direction of said department shall open, repair or interfere with any water meter. Such meters are owned by the city and are furnished to consumers and set in place without charge, provided proper receptacles are provided for them and the service pipes are suitably arranged. All meters installed within the city shall be provided with a cutoff valve on each side of said meter so that any meter may be removed for the purpose of testing and a bypass placed in the service pipe for the purpose of supplying the consumer with water during the testing of said meter.
Consumers supplied by meter shall take every responsible precaution to protect the same from injury or damage by frost or other cause and shall be liable for all injury to meters. If from any cause the meter fails to register correctly, the charge to the consumer shall be at the rate used for the corresponding period of the month previous, or if for any reason the rate for the corresponding period of the previous month cannot be justly applied, the rate shall be equitably adjusted by the department of public works. For the testing of each meter at the request of the property owner, if the meter is found defective, no charge will be assessed. If the meter is in good working order and registering properly, the property owner shall be charged for two (2) hours of the operator's time. (Ord. 354, 2-21-1984; amd. Ord. 486, 3-17-2008; Ord. 556, 12-1-2014; Ord. 588, 1-19-2021)