A. 
It is unlawful for any person to connect to or draw water from the District's water or recycled water system without first obtaining a water meter permit. The District's Executive Manager or designee may authorize connection of a new structure to the water system. This authorization may be concurrent with the issuance of a valid building permit for a new structure if the applicant has filed the proper application and paid the required fees. Every water meter permit issued shall be returned if the building permit for the structure to which the connection is being made expires or otherwise becomes null and void.
B. 
Every water meter permit issued pursuant to this section shall expire by limitation and become null and void if work on the connection authorized by such permit is not completed within one hundred eighty days from the date of issuance of such permit. Reasonable extensions may be granted by the Executive Manager or designee in writing.
C. 
If a water meter permit has expired, then before the connection for such structure can be made, a new water meter permit shall be obtained at the fee in effect at the time of reapplication. A water meter permit for the connection of an existing structure to the water system may be issued by the Executive Manager or designee at any time upon proper application.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
An applicant for installation of a service connection shall pay a water connection fee and, at locations where recycled water is to be used, a recycled water connection fee in the amount as set from time to time by a resolution of the Board. The recycled water connection fee shall be equal to the water connection fee for the same size meter; however, a recycled water connection is not required to pay the Water Authority system capacity charge. When a water meter for a residential unit is required to provide standby capacity for an automatic fire extinguishing system, the water connection fee will be determined according to the size of the meter necessary to meet the water use requirements of the customer, as determined according to the rules of the District, without consideration of additional size necessary to provide the delivery of water for the automated fire extinguishing system. The water connection fee and recycled water connection fee shall be adjusted annually by a resolution of the Board by the percentage change in the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index, Los Angeles with the base index in effect in December 2003, or subsequent resolution of the Board.
B. 
For all residential units, and unless exempted by law, the water connection fee shall be paid at the time of issuance of a building permit for the property. For commercial and industrial development projects, the water connection fee shall be paid at the time of application for a water meter permit. The recycled water connection fee shall be paid after the recycled water irrigation system, or other recycled water use system, has been tested by the District's cross-connection control specialist and achieved passing results and recycled water can be supplied. The District shall install water or recycled water meters within seventy-two hours of payment of the connection fee, subject to availability of meters.
C. 
A credit on a water or recycled water connection fee will be made for the exchange of an existing water or recycled meter for a new meter of larger size. The credit shall apply only to the water or recycled water connection fee. The credit amount shall be based on the connection fee amount in effect at the time the exchange is made. No credit shall be applied for an exchange for a smaller meter.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
Applicants for installation of water meters shall pay installation charges as set from time to time by the Board and reflected in the City's Master Fee Schedule. In the event a customer has an installed meter and wishes to relocate the meter or exchange the meter for a smaller or larger meter, the customer shall pay the meter installation fee applicable to the relocated meter or the new meter in effect at the time of the exchange.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
All service connections shall be located in public right-of-way or easements and shall conform to District standard specifications and standard drawings in effect at the time the connection is installed and all such connections must be inspected and approved by the Public Works Director or designated representative before water is admitted through meters.
B. 
All water and recycled water meters shall be new or certified for accuracy to meet standards of the American Water Works Association through testing performed or approved by the District before being installed.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
The water meter permit shall note the permit issue date for all service connections. Upon the date of initial acceptance of the service connection, the service connection will become the property of the District and its responsibility to maintain. The meter is the property of the District and its responsibility to maintain.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
Residential Unit. For residential units, the minimum size meter shall be five-eighths inch, except where the residential unit is larger than three thousand five hundred square feet or on a lot larger than one-quarter acre where the meter size shall be three-fourths inch. Where there is a residential automatic fire extinguishing system, the minimum meter size shall be one inch.
B. 
Commercial and Industrial. For a commercial building, office condominium, and industrial building, an estimate shall be made of the supply demand in gallons per minute (gpm) as determined from the California Plumbing Code "Appendix A," latest edition adopted by the City. For industrial buildings, all process water demand, if applicable, shall be added to the supply demand determined above in "Appendix A" to determine the peak supply demand. The estimated peak supply demand shall be compared to the maximum rated capacity of each meter size. The capacity of the selected meter size shall be capable of conveying the peak supply demand calculated in gpm for the building.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
No water meter larger than a two-inch meter shall be installed on any lot, or to provide water or recycled water to any customer, except upon approval and consent of the Executive Manager or designee.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
A meter and service connection used for landscape irrigation exclusively shall be installed in accordance with District standard specifications and drawings in effect at the time the connection is made. The size of the irrigation water meter(s) and service connection(s) shall be determined by the landscape architect as approved by the District based on the flow demand in gallons per minute (gpm) for the area to be irrigated. The minimum size meter(s) shall be capable of supplying the peak irrigation water demand determined.
B. 
At locations where water is used for irrigation and in addition to account, service, and installation fees, the connection fees and charges shall be based on the District connection fee and the Water Authority capacity charges applicable to the meter size. If recycled water is used, then only the District connection fee shall apply. If a water meter is converted to recycled water use, the San Diego County Water Authority will refund the capacity charges previously collected for the meter. The customer must prepare and submit the San Diego County Water Authority "Capacity Charge Refund Request" form to the District for verification to request the refund. The refund request must be submitted to the Water Authority within one hundred eighty days of connection to the recycled water system.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
Water or recycled water used for construction shall be metered. Recycled water shall be used when it is available. A construction meter is obtained by applying for a water meter permit. The District may connect a construction meter to any fire hydrant, or a service connection if approved by the District, upon proper application. The cost for a construction meter shall be comprised of a deposit fee, installation fee, and consumption charge. The deposit fee will be refunded after the meter is returned in good working order, complete with fittings, and all bills pertaining to the meter are paid. The meter will be installed and removed by authorized District employees. Any damage caused to the meter by the negligence or carelessness of any person to whom a meter is loaned must be paid on demand. Water delivered through a construction meter will be charged at the commercial water rate, including delivery charges. An additional fee will be charged upon each request to have a construction meter relocated. Construction meters installed on a potable water supply shall have an approved backflow prevention device.
B. 
The use of "jumpers" in place of a meter shall not be allowed on a temporary basis to test water pressure in the plumbing of a new building, residence, or other purpose.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
Each fire service for commercial and industrial buildings and, when required by the City's Fire Marshal, residential buildings shall have a flow detector meter. The purpose of the meter is to monitor water use through the fire service. The account, service, and meter installation fees apply to detector meters. A water connection fee does not apply.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
All water and recycled water meters are the property of the District and the District will maintain and repair them when in its judgment such repairs are needed.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
Liability for Damage. When any person connecting a water service pipe to the property side of a meter uses water for testing the pipes, that person must leave the service box in as good condition as found and shall leave the water shut off if found shut off, and shall in writing notify the District or City at the time the connection is made. Any damage caused by the negligence or carelessness of any person to any part of the meter box or connection must be paid in accordance with Section 2.04.130.
B. 
Liability of Customer for Damages to Meter. After the water or recycled water meter is connected to the service connection, any damage to the meter resulting from an intentional act, carelessness or negligence of the customer, or anyone employed by the customer, and any damage which may result from hot water or steam from a boiler, or otherwise, shall be paid in accordance with Section 2.04.130.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
A. 
Examination Request. Any customer may request that the meter through which water or recycled water is being delivered be examined and tested by the District or a representative of the District for the purpose of determining whether the meter correctly registers the amount of water delivered through it. Upon receipt of such request, the Executive Manager will cause the meter to be examined and tested for the purpose of determining whether it is registering correctly the water or recycled water being delivered through it.
B. 
Replacement of Defective Meter. The District shall provide a new meter to a customer if (1) an examination and test reveals that the meter registers one percentage of more or less than the amount that actually passes through it and (2) the amount that actually passes through the meter exceeds the tolerances for such meter as established by the American Water Works Association standards.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)
It is unlawful for any person to interfere with, cut off, or remove a water or recycled water meter from any service connection where it has been installed without first receiving written permission from the District. A meter may only be removed by the District or a representative of the District for testing, replacement, repair or readjustment to the meter or service pipe, or emergency.
(Ord. 51, 10/7/2025)