(A) (1) Unless specified in or by contract or tariff on file, all the water provided to customers 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.
(2) 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 "by-pass" 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 of water supplied is used in and for cooling.
(c) The water service must not, for any other reason, be so interrupted while the meter is being repaired or replaced.
(2) The by-pass shall be furnished and installed by the customer in accordance with the utility's specifications and/or codes. Where existing piping, not containing a by-pass, is altered to meet any of the above conditions, such alteration shall also include a by-pass arrangement.
(D) (1) All meters, appliances, equipment and appurtenances furnished by the utility and which may be on the customers 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 utilities property while on the premises if 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) (1) A meter will be tested for accuracy upon request from the customer. A utility will first investigate the premises for other reasons for excessive water usage before removing the meter for testing.
(2) At the customer's request the remote reader and the inside meter may be checked for accuracy comparison with no charge to the customer. This is a recommended yearly check.
(3) 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.
(4) 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, by-pass 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 requires the owner of the real estate 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.
(J) If a customer's premises are deemed unsafe by the water utility's meter reader, the utility will send notification to the customer for a clean-up. The customer then has five working days to complete such a clean-up and a remote-reader will be installed at the customer's expense.
(K) If the utility cannot gain access to a home to read the meter, a remote reader will be installed at the home owner's expense.
(L) If once access is gained to a property and a change is needed to be made to match up the remote reader with the meter itself, adjustments will be made as necessary to the customer's billing.
(Ord. 19-01, passed 4-9-19)