[Amended 1-22-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008; 12-5-2016 by L.L. No. 17-2016; 7-5-2022 by L.L. No. 07-2022]
A.
The City will supply meters at the expense of the builder/owner of
each property as set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule. The
City reserves the right to require that a separate meter be installed
for each residential unit, including separate dwelling units in mobile
home parks and multiple dwellings.
B.
There will be an initial meter charge equal to the cost of the meter
to the City. All meters shall remain the property of the City of Beacon.
C.
Where the City, its contractors, agents or employees require any
water meter be inspected, changed, modified, upgraded or otherwise
altered and the City provides notice to the property owner that access
is required to read, inspect, alter, modify, maintain, upgrade or
replace the water meter, and the property owner fails to provide access
within the timeframe set forth in the notice, a surcharge of $250
shall be assessed on each and every water bill for any quarter in
which access is not provided to the City. Within 30 days after access
has been provided and the City has completed its required work, upon
written request from the property owner, the Director of Finance,
in consultation with the City Administrator may waive or reduce the
surcharge for good cause shown. The property owner shall remain subject
to all other remedies and enforcement penalties provided under this
chapter and other applicable laws.
D.
The property owner or consumer shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of all water meters. The property owner or consumer shall notify the City within five business days of discovering any defect with or removal of the water meter that the owner knows of or should have known of. Failure to notify the City of an issue with the meter that the property owner or consumer is aware of or should have been aware of within five business days shall constitute a violation, punishable pursuant to § 219-40 of this chapter. The City reserves the right to inspect water meters.
E.
In any instance where a meter has been altered, tampered, or removed
without authorization from the City, and such removal prevents the
City from calculating water usage, the property owner shall be charged
at twice the amount of the highest water bill issued within the last
two years. Such amount shall be reflected on the water bill.
A.
In the event that the pipes of the property owner are not in proper
condition for the installation, repair, or replacement of a meter,
the property owner shall cause said pipes at the point at which said
meter is to be installed or repaired to be put in proper condition
prior to the installation, repair, or replacement of said meter at
the owner's expense.
B.
If, due to acts, omissions or negligence on the part of the owner,
its representatives, agents, contractors or employees, the meter becomes
inoperable, the owner will be charged the value of the water lost
by reason thereof, as estimated by the City, together with the cost
of repair of said meter, and any additional sum set forth in this
chapter, shall be paid prior to the installation of a new meter.
Each building or parts thereof having unrelated occupancy or
separate or distinct use shall, at the option of the owner, have a
separate meter, but said meter shall be secured from the City and
paid for by the owner, together with the cost of installation thereof.
Said meter shall be installed under the direction and to the satisfaction
of the City.
A.
If a meter is out of order and fails to register due to no fault or intent of the owner or consumer, the property owner or consumer will be charged at the average consumption as shown by the meter when the meter was last in working order. If, after 45 days of written notice from the City, the water meter remains out of order due to the property owner or consumer failing to provide access or cooperating with the City in performing the repair and the water meter continues to fail to register, the property owner or consumer will be surcharged a penalty of $250 on each and every water bill until the meter is repaired and the property owner grants the City access to inspect the water meter or the City obtains a valid search warrant to be issued by a judge pursuant to § 219-35.
B.
If a property owner or consumer challenges the accuracy of the water
meter, the property owner or consumer shall remove the water meter,
have a temporary water meter installed at their expense and provide
said water meter to the City. The City shall test the water meter
to certify the accuracy of the water meter. If the water meter is
found to be defective, the City shall pay the costs associated with
certification. If the water meter is not defective, the property owner
or consumer shall pay the costs associated with certification and
reinstallation of the water meter. If a meter is defective and fails
to register correctly, the consumer will be charged the average daily
consumption as shown by the meter when the meter was last in working
order.
No seal placed by the Water Department for the protection of any meter, valve or other water connection shall be tampered with or defaced. Tampering with or breaking the seal of any meter, valve or other connection shall be a violation of this chapter subject to the penalties set forth in § 219-40. Tampering with any meter in any way so as to alter its reading and/or accuracy or the damaging of any meter seal may result in the Water Department estimating water bills for water services, and/or criminal prosecution of the customer. In addition, any person violating this section shall be required to reimburse the Water Department for any and all damages sustained to the meter or meter accessories, or the valves and fittings connected thereto. If the seal is broken, the Water Department reserves the right to remove and test the meter at the customer's expense.
