A.
All water services shall have, at the owner's expense,
a meter, outside register, where applicable, a valve inside the wall
of the building and a valve on the outlet side of the meter. The Water
Division will maintain all meters up to one inch after installation.
All meters over one inch in size shall be maintained by the customer.
B.
The customer shall provide a clean, dry and warm place,
always free from debris, for the installation and placement of the
meter. The meter shall be placed in accordance with the Water Division
requirements and in a location which may be safely and easily accessed
by a person in an upright position for the purpose of reading, maintaining
and changing the meter. In no case shall a meter be placed in an open
or concealed area beneath a floor and, if a meter is so placed, the
Water Division may require the customer to remove and place the meter
in accordance with the requirements of this section.
C.
Meter specifications.
(1)
All meters and outside registers shall be the model
used by the City of Fitchburg.
(2)
Meters shall be installed according to Water Division
specifications available at the Water Division. The type and/or size
of the meter shall be approved by the Water Division after a review
of the information submitted by the customer on the service application
data form.
(3)
A properly valved and sealed bypass shall be provided
by the customer around all meters one and one-half inches and larger.
The bypass shall not be used or tampered with by the customer for
any reason and will be required to be locked out and tagged by the
Water Division during periods of nonuse.
D.
If, at the discretion of the Water Division, it is
necessary or expedient to locate the meter in an underground box or
vault, the customer shall construct the box or vault on his or her
premises. The meter box or vault shall be constructed in accordance
with Water Division's and/or DEP's specifications.
[Amended 11-16-1999 by Ord. No. 443-99; 6-3-2014 by Ord. No.
100-2014]
E.
All meters shall be equipped with an outside meter
reader. The outside reader shall be installed at a place on the premises
acceptable to the Water Division and according to specifications available
at the Water Division. Unless the Water Division authorizes an alternative
location, the outside reader shall be placed on the customer's premises
near or adjacent to the driveway or walkway.
F.
If private meters are desired by the customer, they
shall be furnished, installed, maintained and read by the customer
for his or her own purposes.
[Amended 6-3-2014 by Ord.
No. 100-2014]
G.
The City of Fitchburg meters will be tested before
installation and thereafter as so often as it deems necessary.
H.
No water meters shall be changed, altered, disconnected
or in any manner disturbed, except by the Water Division employees.
Tampering with meter, seal or outside register is prohibited.
I.
Any unauthorized change, alteration, discontinuance
or disturbance, when made by the customer, tenant or agent or servant
acting for said customer, to any water meter will be deemed sufficient
ground to warrant the turning off of the water from pipes connected
with said water and may be subject to fines and is expressly prohibited.
