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. 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)