A. 
The City Council has determined that it is detrimental to have some water users pay a flat rate for water usage while others have been required to install meters at their own cost and are required to pay for the actual amount of water used.
B. 
Experience has shown that unmetered water users are not as careful to conserve water as are people who have water meters and who pay the full amount for water actually used.
C. 
This contributes to the waste of water, a precious natural resource, it adds unnecessarily to inflows at the wastewater treatment plant causing increased energy costs, and it creates inequities which are not consistent with the American way of life, which calls for cities to provide equal levels of service at equal prices to all segments of the community.
(Ord. 85-256 §1)
The main purposes of this chapter are to:
A. 
Promote the conservation of water;
B. 
Establish a system where all water users pay the same rates, based upon the actual amount of water used;
C. 
Reduce energy costs at the sewer treatment plant by reducing the flow of water into the plant.
(Ord. 85-256 §2)
A. 
There are presently 797 unmetered locations using City water. These are categorized as follows:
Amount
Category
634
Residential
98
Commercial
64
Public (housing authority)
1
Irrigation
B. 
The majority of the residential and housing authority meters will be three-fourths-inch in size. These meters are presently available to the City at $82.44 each. Therefore, the cost for single-family residential installation would be approximately $150.00 each. Apartment or commercial locations will be correspondingly higher, depending upon the size of meter required.
C. 
Locations which require the installation of meters larger than one inch, and which are installed by the City workforce, shall pay for the actual cost of labor and materials required for the installation. The cost for labor of such installation shall not exceed 2 hours time. Payment for installation of meters will be as follows:
Meter Size
Labor and Material Cost
Payment Deferred Over 10 yrs. at Approximately 10% Interest
Per Month
Total Cost
3/4″
$150.00
$2.00
$240.00
1″
$200.00
$2.65
$318.00
D. 
Property owners wishing to pay cash for the labor and material costs may do so if payment is made within 30 days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.
(Ord. 85-256 §3)
A. 
Property owners shall have their meters installed by a licensed plumbing contractor or by City personnel, on an actual cost plus materials basis.
B. 
All water users who do not have their meters installed by City workforce are required to have meters installed and approved by City inspectors within 90 days of November 25, 1985, the date of adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter.
C. 
It is the intent of this chapter to have separate meters installed in all situations where more than one commercial, industrial or residential units are being served by one meter and/or service line. In the event that additional service lines are required as a result of this chapter, such lines shall be installed by the City without any additional cost to the individual water user. The decision to install additional service lines shall be at the sole discretion of the City.
(Ord. 85-256 §4)
All water meters, whether installed by city personnel or by commercial plumbers, must be of a grade and type approved by the City. Property owners wishing to have their meters installed by other than City personnel shall first obtain City approval of the type of meter to be used and then must provide sufficient advanced notice to allow inspection of the installation by City personnel. Failure to do so will result in the extra expense of having the meter recertified and inspected.
(Ord. 85-256 §5; Ord. 2023-515, 2/27/2024)
All connections up to and including the meter shall at all times remain the property of the City, and all connections beyond the meter toward the occupancy shall be the sole responsibility of the property owner or occupant, both as to the original installation and as to maintenance and upkeep.
(Ord. 2023-515, 2/27/2024)
Any person, firm or corporation, whether as principal, agent, employee or otherwise, violating or causing the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $150.00, or by imprisonment in the County jail for a term not exceeding 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Such person, firm or corporation shall be deemed to be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of this chapter is committed or continued by such person, firm or corporation, and shall be punishable as herein provided.
(Ord. 85-256 §6)