For the purpose of enforcing this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning given herein:
Fire hydrant meter.
A meter installed on a publicly owned fire hydrant which registers the amount of water obtained through said meter by a customer in a given time period.
Individual meter.
A meter installed on or near the premises of a customer which registers the amount of water consumed only for the residential family unit or for one commercial or industrial enterprise.
Master meter.
A meter installed on or near the premises of a customer which registers the amount of water consumed for more than one residential family unit or from more than one commercial or industrial enterprise.
Sewer tap.
Service connection to the city sewage collection line.
Water tap.
Service connection to the city water transmission line.
(1989 Code, ch. 10, sec. 1)
(a) 
Utility inspectors of the city shall the right to enter any premises, building, dwelling house or structure in the city for the purpose of conducting a visual inspection of both the interior and exterior thereof in order to locate potential hazards or structural defects in or on such premises, buildings or structures.
(b) 
In the event that the visual inspection authorized herein discloses the existence of any structural defects or safety hazards in or on the subject premises, building, or structure, then the owner of the subject structure and premises shall take necessary action to correct the subject defect or hazard as a prerequisite to the furnishing of utility services by the city. City utility services, including water, electricity, and all other utility services, shall not be connected to the subject structure, premises, appliances or equipment until said safety hazards or structural defects have been corrected and eliminated based upon a final inspection and authorization for utility services by utility inspectors of the city.
(1989 Code, ch. 3, sec. 10)
(a) 
Employees of the city shall have the right to enter upon the property of utility customers of the city at any time for the purpose of inspecting, installing, removing, and repairing utility meters of the city and also for the purpose of reading utility meters on the property of utility customers to determine the usage of utilities by such customers.
(b) 
Each utility customer of the city and their agents, employees, and representatives shall provide employees of the city with free and open access to their property on which a city utility meter is located and also free access to the city utility meters on said property for the purpose of reading the meters to determine the amount of utilities used on said property and also for any other authorized purpose as heretofore set out in this section.
(c) 
Each utility customer of the city and their agents, employees, and representatives shall eliminate and prevent all safety hazards on their property that endanger the personal safety and well-being of any city employee coming on their property for the purpose of reading the utility meter or other lawful purposes, including safety hazards from dogs and other animals on the property of the utility customer.
(d) 
In the event that a safety hazard as heretofore defined exists on the property of a city utility customer which restricts the city employee from having free access to the utility meter on said property or if there is any other restriction that prevents free access to the meter, then the city employee shall make additional visits as needed to the property to read the meter or for other lawful purposes, and the utility customer shall then be charged a fee as listed on the city's adopted fee schedule for each additional visit caused by the existence of a safety hazard or by the existence of any other condition which prevents free access to the meter.
(Ordinance adopted 11/15/05, sec. I; Ordinance 09-2022C adopted 9/20/2021)