The Village is in the process of converting all water meters in the
Village to radio-read water meters. Use of radio-read water meter
technology reduces the time needed to read meters and eliminates the
need for Village personnel to enter upon private property to perform
readings. Accordingly, conversion to radio-read water meter technology
is in the interests of the Village and its residents.
Upon enactment of this article, all properties receiving water service
from the Village shall have radio-read water meters installed on the
premises for the purpose of metering water consumption. The aforementioned
meters shall be installed and owned by the Village. Old meters shall
be removed by the Village and shall remain the Village's property.
It shall be the responsibility of all water customers of the Village
to maintain water lines, pipes and fixtures in good repair and condition
at all times. If it is determined by Village personnel that a new
radio-read water meter cannot be installed due to the condition of
a customer's lines, pipes or fixtures, the owner and/or occupant
of the property shall repair and/or replace the affected lines, pipes
or fixtures within a reasonable time to accommodate installation of
the new meter. Failure to comply with a directive by the Village to
repair and/or replace defective lines, pipes or fixtures shall be
a violation of this chapter.
Commencing March 15, 2017, the Village shall begin assessing a meter-reading
fee of $250, which shall be charged to every property receiving water
service from the Village that does not have a radio-read water meter
installed on the premises. The meter-reading fee shall be a recurring
charge assessed each time a manual water-meter reading is taken. A
separate fee shall be assessed for each water meter read, in the event
there is more than one meter on a given property.
In the event a radio-read water meter fails to provide a reading,
the owner of the property on which the meter is located shall grant
the Village access to the meter, upon reasonable notice from the Village,
to inspect, repair and/or replace the meter, as needed. Failure or
refusal to grant the Village access to a nonfunctioning radio-read
water meter shall be a violation of this article. Until the meter
is repaired or replaced, the Village shall bill the property based
on the average rate of consumption during the last three metering
periods when the meter was working. If the Village is continually
denied access to the premises for a period of one year, the Village
shall assess an annual surcharge of $500 against the property until
the meter is replaced or returned to operation.
In the event it shall be impossible to read a manually read water
meter due to the inability of the meter reader to gain admission to
the premises on which such water meter is located, a courtesy customer
meter reading form will be left at the premises. The customer shall
record the water meter reading on the form and return it to the Department
of Public Works within 10 days. If no reading is obtained by either
manner, the Superintendent of Public Works shall prepare and mail
to the water customer a bill for estimated water charges based on
average rate of consumption during the last three metering periods
when the meter was working plus a nonrefundable administrative fee
of $50. Such bills shall be due and shall be paid in the same manner
as bills based on actual meter readings. If the Village is continually
denied access to the premises for a period of one year, the Village
shall assess an annual surcharge of $500 against the property until
the meter is replaced or returned to operation.
Personnel of the Village Department of Public Works shall have the
full power to enter the premises of any water customer, upon reasonable
notice, to inspect the Village's water meter and any associated
lines, pipes and fixtures.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than authorized Village
personnel, to alter, remove or tamper with a water meter installed
on a water customer's property.