A.
All meters shall be of a type, size and manufacture approved by the
Superintendent.
B.
The City shall furnish the official water meter for each property at its expense in those instances where the diameter of the meter is two inches or less; in those instances where the diameter of the meter is in excess of two inches, the City shall furnish the meter at the expense of the property owner. In either case, the meter shall remain the property of the City and shall be installed and protected by the property owner at his expense. Normal maintenance on this water meter shall be provided by the City. Maintenance, repair or replacement required because of improper use, accident, hot water, freezing, vandalism, theft, removal without the prior authorization of the Superintendent or other extraordinary cause shall be at the property owner's expense. In addition to the actual cost of repair or replacement of the meter, the property owner shall pay the fee set forth in Chapter 163, Fees, of the Code of Ordinances.
[Amended 5-8-2000 by Ord. No. 4-2000]
C.
Only one official water meter shall be used to record water consumption
for each service line. The official water meter shall be the only
one read by the Water Department. Any and all additional meters desired
by the property owner shall be installed on the house or outlet side
of the official water meter, and all such additional meters shall
be furnished, installed and maintained by the property owners at their
expense.
D.
Gate valves, check valves and approved backflow-prevention devices
shall be installed at the official water meter in accordance with
the specification of the City of Newburgh Water Department. No other
devices or appurtenances shall be installed on the street or inlet
side of the official water meter unless approved in writing by the
Superintendent.
E.
When a backflow-prevention device is to be installed on the outlet
or house side of the official water meter, no connections, taps, fixtures,
devices or other appurtenances shall be allowed between the backflow-prevention
device and the official water meter.
F.
All valves, check valves, backflow preventers and other fixtures
must be of a type approved by the Superintendent.
G.
No person, persons, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity
shall, without written authorization of the Superintendent or his
designee, interfere with, tamper with, unseal or remove the official
water meter after it has been inspected, approved and sealed by the
Water Department, by order of the Superintendent. In the event of
an emergency, verbal authorization to repair, unseal or remove the
official water meter may be given by the Superintendent or his designee
to a licensed plumber. The property owner shall permit an inspection
by the Water Department of the work performed pursuant to such verbal
authorization on the next business day following the grant of such
verbal authorization to determine if the work requested to be authorized
was actually performed. The Superintendent shall maintain a record
of all water meters sealed by the Water Department and of all written
and verbal authorizations to repair, unseal or remove official water
meters.
[Amended 9-25-2000 by Ord. No. 13-2000]
H.
Whenever a water meter, previously recorded in the records kept by the Superintendent as having been sealed by the Water Department, shall be found to have been interfered with, tampered with, unsealed or removed without verbal or written authorization of the Superintendent or his designee, the property owner shall be charged the fees provided in Chapter 163, Fees, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Newburgh, together with the actual cost of repairing, replacing and/or resealing the water meter. The imposition of such fees shall not be held to bar any criminal prosecution for violation of any provision of this section nor to bar the imposition of penalties as provided in § 1-12 of the Code of Ordinances.
[Added 9-25-2000 by Ord. No. 13-2000]
A.
The official water meter shall be set in a position as close as practical
to the point where the water service line enters the building.
B.
Except where the Superintendent has permitted otherwise in writing,
the official water meter shall not be located in excess of 50 feet
from the property line. It shall be the responsibility of the property
owner to protect the water meter as directed.
C.
Unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent, the rated size of
the official water meter shall be equal to or less than the diameter
of the domestic service line. A minimum of a three-inch meter will
be required for service lines four inches in diameter or larger.
D.
In the case of service lines greater than two inches in diameter,
a valved bypass shall be installed to facilitate testing and meter
repair. The valve on the bypass shall be sealed by the Water Department.
E.
All water meters shall be installed by a licensed plumber at the
expense of the property owner. Whenever a water meter is to be replaced
by a new water meter, the plumber shall obtain the new meter from
the Water Department and shall post a deposit of $100. The deposit
shall be returned to the plumber upon his return of the old water
meter to the Water Department.
[Added 3-12-1990 by Ord. No. 11-90]
A.
An official water meter damaged by frost, negligence or misuse by
the property owner or any other person shall be replaced or repaired
at the property owner's expense.
B.
The City will not be held responsible in any way for damage to service
lines, meters, house piping, valves or any other fixtures as a result
of frost or any other reasons, nor shall the City be responsible in
any way for damage to property from the above causes or from leakage
of water from any part of the service lines or house piping.
C.
If, by special request and the approval of the Water Department,
a meter has been removed and the service shut off at the curb for
a full billing period, there will be no service charge for that particular
period.
D.
The consumer in any premises not equipped with a curb box and curb
faucet shall install, if for any reason the service of water to such
premises is or should be discontinued, whether temporarily or otherwise,
such curb box and curb faucet of the size, type and in the manner
approved by the Superintendent.
E.
In the event that it is necessary for the City to remove or replace
the official water meter and the Superintendent is of the opinion
that such removal or replacement cannot be effected or is inadvisable
until repairs have been made by the property owner to the service
line or house piping, the Superintendent may order repairs to be made
by the property owner at his expense.
F.
The Superintendent shall have the sole right to determine the location,
size, type and manufacture of any and all meters, connections and
other appliances.
G.
In the event that it becomes necessary to change the location, size,
type or manufacture of a water meter, the expense shall be borne by
the consumer.
H.
In any event, the City shall not be liable for any damage to service
lines, house piping or property caused by removal, replacement or
testing of the official water meter or for any cause whatsoever.
A.
The property owner shall keep the official water meter, backflow-prevention
devices and other fixtures readily accessible and unobstructed for
inspection, testing, reading and repair. Where meters, backflow-prevention
devices or other required devices and fixtures are in locations which
are inaccessible or unsafe due to water or other obstructions as determined
by the Superintendent, the property owner shall be responsible for
the removal of water or obstructions at his expense.
B.
The Superintendent or any employee of the Water Department shall
have the right to enter the premises or property of any property owner,
tenant or other consumer where City water is being supplied at any
time between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for the purpose of installing,
inspecting, reading, removing, testing or repairing the official water
meter or for inspecting the backflow-prevention devices or any fixtures
used in connection with the water system for any purpose whatsoever.
C.
When access to meter cannot be had for any quarter, the customer
may be billed for water consumption upon the basis of average usage
indicated by the records of the Water Department, based upon the water
meter reading for the preceding year, the actual consumption to be
billed on the next available meter reading.
[Amended 1-25-1993 by Ord. No. 1-93]
D.
Whenever a meter fails to register the quantity of water consumed,
the consumer shall be charged for water consumption upon the basis
of average usage indicated by the water meter reading for the year
preceding its failure to register.
A.
Any person making a complaint as to the correctness of a water bill
must do so within 30 days after the rendition of the bill by making
a written application to the Water Department.
[Amended 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 4-2014]
B.
The Accounts Manager of the Water Department is authorized to correct
any bill which resulted from a meter which has been tested and found
inaccurate. Any adjustment to a bill will be for the period tested
only. No adjustments will be made for prior billing periods. Any claim
for a reduction in a water bill which does not relate to a claimed
inaccuracy of the meter shall be referred to the Superintendent. The
Water Department shall have no authority to reduce a water bill for
any reason other than tested inaccuracy of a meter. Any such other
claims for reduction shall be reviewed by the Superintendent and shall
be submitted by him with his recommendations to the City Manager and
Council for determination. The determination of the Council shall
be final.
C.
Whenever the accuracy of the meter is in issue, a test shall be a
made. The expense incurred in making such test shall be borne by the
consumer, except that if the meter is found to register inaccurately,
the cost of the test shall be borne by the City. No meter shall, however,
be considered inaccurate that does not vary more than 2% from the
normal. Reasonable opportunity will be given the protesting consumer
to be present at such test.
D.
If the meter tested is inaccurate, any adjustments to the bill will
be for the period tested only. No adjustment will be given for prior
billing periods.
E.
The Superintendent may require a meter test at any time if it appears
the official water meter has been tampered with, the seal broken or
removed or when there is significant change in recorded consumption.
F.
Only official water meters shall be tested for accuracy. If necessary,
the meter shall be replaced at the Superintendent's option.
