The department shall furnish, set and maintain all meters, and the charges for the meters and installation shall be at the expense of the owner of the premises.
A. 
Application Fees. Water meters shall be installed on all water services. For new meter installations an application fee in an amount established by resolution of the city council will be charged for each water meter to be installed at that premises.
B. 
Water Meters. Water meter charges are tabulated under department schedule of charges for water meters as established by resolution of the City Council.
C. 
Detector Checks. There shall be installed on all private fire line connections a check valve of a type approved by the department and equipped with a bypass fire line meter.
(Prior code § 9-26; Ord. 4956 § 20, 1991; Ord. 4957 § 5, 1991; Ord. 5112 § 17, 1996; Ord. 5769 § 9, 2012; Ord. 5835 § 23, 2014)
In order to determine the rates to be charged each customer of water under the terms of this chapter, meters shall be placed upon each service connection to measure the water furnished or delivered, except in cases of the rates specified in Sections 13.08.050 and 13.08.090. For billing purposes, all meters shall be read by the department at intervals of approximately one month, or as nearly so as the convenient operation of the department will permit except as provided for in Section 13.12.030. The interval between two successive meter readings shall be deemed and regarded as a month for the purposes of this chapter, and all rates shall be computed accordingly. When service is commenced or discontinued between regular meter readings, the bill shall be the customer daily charge applicable to the size meter through which such service is taken plus the variable charge.
(Prior code § 9-27; Ord. 5835 § 24, 2014)
A. 
The Department may cause bimonthly reading of consumption of meters for all or any portions of the system whenever it determines that such practice is advantageous or desirable. When such bimonthly reading of meters occurs, the department shall read such meters at intervals of approximately two months, or as near thereto as the convenient operation of the department will permit, and the interval between two successive meter recordings shall be deemed and regarded as two months for the purposes of this chapter.
B. 
The customer charge shall be twice the monthly customer charge or the daily customer charge multiplied by the number of days in the billing period and the variable charge shall be computed by applying the rates prescribed in this chapter to one-half (½) the water consumed during a two month period and multiplying the results by two. When service is commenced or discontinued between regular meter readings, the daily customer charge will be applied. The bill shall be the customer charge applicable to the size meter through which such service is taken plus the variable charge.
(Prior code § 9-28; Ord. 5769 § 10, 2012; Ord. 5835 § 25, 2014)
A separate meter shall be placed for each individual residential dwelling unit and upon each separate service connection and the rate to be paid shall be computed separately upon each meter. For multi-residential buildings the department may install one meter for multiple dwelling units when needed to meet other goals of the city's general plan.
For nonresidential services, the department may in lieu of a single meter and where special operating or service conditions require, install such number of meters on a service connection as shall be necessary to equal the capacity of such a single meter. For billing purposes, the consumption as registered by a group of meters installed pursuant to this section shall be combined and charged for at such rate including the customer charge, as though the water were supplied through a single meter.
Meters and recording devices shall be installed in close proximity to the building itself and screened in a manner as required by the city. Additionally, meters and recording devices shall be installed and located within reasonable proximity of the department's meter reading collection device to allow for clear and uninterrupted communication between devices. Installation of meters in the parkway next to the street curb may be allowed at the discretion of the department and if the configuration of the parkway shows that the location is appropriate. The technical specifications of the installation shall be as required by the department.
(Prior code § 9-29; Ord. 5371 § 1, 2004; Ord. 5835 § 26, 2014)
All water service connections, meters and housings installed by the department or conveyed to the department, however provided for, shall remain at all times the property of the city and shall be maintained, repaired and renewed by the department when rendered unserviceable through reasonable use. Where replacement, repairs or adjustments are rendered necessary by the act, negligence or carelessness of the customer, any member of the customer's family, person in the customer's employ, or agent of the customer, any expense caused to the city thereby shall be charged and collected from the customer. The water meter may not be altered or tampered with or removed by anyone other than department personnel. No meter seal may be broken by anyone other than department personnel. The department may give its prior consent to seal breaking by the customer when deemed necessary by the department. Unauthorized alteration, tampering or removal by any party, including a licensed plumber, will result in the customer being charged unauthorized meter alteration fees and any other applicable charges described in Section 13.08.140. No rent or charge will be paid by the department where such facilities are located on the customer's premises. The department may relocate its facilities as required by operating conditions, and may relocate any and all of its facilities from customer's premises at the termination of service.
(Prior code § 9-31; Ord. 5112 § 19, 1996; Ord. 5664 § 4, 2009; Ord. 5835 § 27, 2014)
A. 
Whenever the accuracy of a water meter is questioned, the customer may demand that the meter be examined and tested by the department. Such demand shall be made in writing to the department, and shall be accompanied by a deposit in the amount established by resolution of City Council. Upon receipt of such demand and deposit, the department shall cause the meter to be examined and tested. Such customer shall have the right to require the department to conduct the test in the customer's presence or in the presence of an expert or other representative appointed by the customer.
B. 
If the meter shall be found to register over 2% more than actually passes through it under conditions of normal operation, then the meter shall be properly adjusted or another meter will be substituted therefor, and the deposit shall be refunded to the customer. If the meter is found to register not over 2% more than actually passes through it, the deposit shall be retained by the department as partial compensation for the examination and test.
(Ord. 5112 § 20, 1996; Ord. 5835 § 28, 2014)
A. 
When a meter is found to register over 2% more than actually passes through it, the department will refund to the customer the overcharge based on the corrected meter readings for the period in which the meter was in use, not exceeding six months; provided, that if the actual cause and period of error can be definitely determined, the correction shall be made to cover such period.
B. 
If the meter upon test as herein provided is found not to register or to register less than 98% of the actual usage, an average bill or a bill for the water used but not covered by the bills previously rendered, for a period not to exceed six months, shall be rendered to the customer by the department; provided, that if the actual cause and period of error can be definitely determined, the correction may be made to cover such period.
(Ord. 5112 § 21, 1996)
A. 
All meters used for billing purposes will be furnished and installed by the department on the customer's premises in accordance with the "Water Service Requirements" of the department and so located and spaced as to be accessible for inspection, reading, and testing. The owner of any premises shall, at the owner's expense, provide extension to the owner's plumbing for an approved meter location to comply with the foregoing whenever the existing meter has become inaccessible for inspection, reading, and testing by reason of changes in building or any changes made for the convenience of tenant or owner.
B. 
For billing purposes, if a water meter becomes inaccessible for inspection, reading, or testing, the department shall make reasonable estimates of water usage, until such time as access to the meter is restored.
C. 
All meters shall be located in such manner to be able to establish and maintain uninterrupted communication from meter to meter reading collection device as set forth in Section 13.12.040. Where, at any time, the department determines that clear and uninterrupted communication is not maintained between meters on the premises and the meter reading collection device, the owner of the premises, shall at the owner's expense, relocate and/or collocate the meters, or pay for additional meter reading collection device to the satisfaction and approval of the department, so that the required meter to meter reading collection device communication is achieved and maintained.
(Ord. 5315 § 2, 2002; Ord. 5835 § 29, 2014)