It shall be unlawful for any person to damage, destroy, tamper with or in any way interfere with the operation of water meters within the city or in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, including but not limited to the tampering, adjustment, breakage or removal of any seals and including any hookups or connections that have the effect of bypassing a meter or meters so that a customer is receiving utility service of any character by virtue of such hookup or connections without the same being metered.
(Ordinance 15-O-07 adopted 2/23/2015; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.091)
In addition to any criminal or civil penalties assessed, when a customer’s meter has been tampered with, a tampering fee as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be charged to the customer’s account, and a lock-out fee as set forth in the fee schedule may also be charged. The customer will be charged for the cost of the meter if the meter is damaged during tampering or bypassing.
(Ordinance 15-O-07 adopted 2/23/2015; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.092; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
If it is determined the customer tampered with or bypassed a meter, the customer will be required to add an additional water deposit in the amount set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code to any account with a tampering fee assessed.
(Ordinance 15-O-07 adopted 2/23/2015; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.093; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
(a) 
The provisions of this article may be enforced by peace officers, public works personnel, and such other persons as are designated by the city.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with, obstruct, resist or oppose any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this article.
(c) 
The enforcement official has the authority to have any device removed or turned off instantly until it can be otherwise operated in compliance with this article.
(d) 
It shall be unlawful for a person to do or perform any act prohibited by this article. A violation of this article is a class C misdemeanor offense, no culpable mental state or criminal intent is required, and upon conviction a person shall be fined an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each day that a violation exists or occurs. Each day that such violation continues as provided above shall constitute a separate offense under this division.
(e) 
Any person violating any provision of this division is subject to suit for injunctive relief and civil penalty up to two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for each day that a violation exists or occurs.
(Ordinance 15-O-07 adopted 2/23/2015; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.094)