[Adopted as amended 2-1-2005 by Ord. No. 5895 (Art. III, Ch. III, Section C, of the 1993 Code)]
The consumer or user on all property or premises upon which any building or structure has been erected or having any connection with the City water main system shall be equipped with a water meter approved by the City in accordance with Chapter 241, Fees, of this Code.
A. 
Water meters shall be installed in an accessible location within a building pursuant to the Code of Ordinances of the City of Crystal Lake, § 392-5E. It is the building owner's or occupant's responsibility to maintain access to the meter for reading and servicing needs. The meter shall be installed on the water service line such that no water distribution piping to the building or outdoor fixtures may be connected to the service line prior to the meter.
Upon notice from the Water Department Superintendent of the City of Crystal Lake, or a duly appointed representative, the building owner or occupant shall correct any situation that renders the water meter inaccessible, within 15 days of issuance of that notice. Failure to provide access to the meter will result in penalties outlined per § 515-30 below.
Authorized representative of the City of Crystal Lake shall, after providing proper identification, have the right to enter any premises for the purpose of reading, repairing and/or replacing the water meter(s). The building owner or occupant shall provide access in a timely manner upon notice from the City of Crystal Lake or its authorized representative. Nonresponsiveness to notices or refusal of entry for the purpose of reading, repairing and/or replacing of a water meter shall result in penalties outlined per § 515-30 below.
[Amended 4-16-2019 by Ord. No. 7524A; 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 8076]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to refuse access or fail to allow the City employee or representative access to any installed water meter and corresponding City equipment for the purpose of obtaining readings, maintaining, or inspecting the equipment as reasonably necessary as determined by the City.
B. 
In the event the person, firm or corporation fails to allow access to the City employee or representatives to the City-owned meter equipment within five days after having received written notices via certified mail or personal service, said meter and equipment shall be deemed to be nonfunctional and the Director of Finance shall be notified and caused to have the water turned off at the valve box on the premises of the person, firm or corporation to whom the meter is registered.
C. 
Water shall not be turned on again until the meter has been read, inspected, and/or tested to the satisfaction of the City. In addition, there shall be paid prior to renewal or connection of water service a charge as set forth in § 515-16 of this Code.
D. 
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to create or maintain an obstruction, refuse access or fail to allow the City employee or representative access to any shut off or other City-owned water equipment as reasonably necessary as determined by the City. The City shall provide five days' written notices via certified mail or personal service to the person, firm or corporation of the need for access. Any obstruction shall be removed within five days of notice.
E. 
Should any person, firm or corporation fail to schedule an appointment to allow a City employee or authorized agent of the City to have access to their property for the purpose of replacement of a City water meter and/or related equipment within 45 days of first notification of required access by the City, or fail to provide access to their property on two consecutive scheduled meter replacement or repair appointments, an old meter fee of $100 shall be imposed upon the property owner in the amount of $100 per month and applied to the billing statements(s) until remedied. The fees imposed by this subsection shall not preclude the City from also initiating service disconnection and the imposition of fees pursuant to § 515-16G of the City Code for failure to allow access for the purpose of replacement of water meter and related equipment.
The City of Crystal Lake or its authorized representative shall seal each water meter and meter head to prevent and detect tampering. Any removal or tampering with the meter that results in the meter seal being broken or that renders the meter unreadable with remote meter reading equipment will result in penalties outlined per § 515-30 below. The owner or occupant shall be responsible for paying for a replacement meter pursuant to Chapter 241, Fees, of this Code, shall have the replacement meter installed by a licensed plumber and shall make arrangements for the City or its authorized representative to seal the replacement meter.
The building owner or occupant shall be responsible for providing adequate heat to avoid frost or freezing damage from occurring to the water meter at all times. Should damage to meters be a result of freezing, including damage to the meter's frost plate the owner or occupant shall be responsible for paying for a replacement meter pursuant to Chapter 241, Fees, of this Code, and shall make arrangements for the Water Department Superintendent or a duly authorized representative to install and seal the replacement meter by the Water Department.
In the event of repeated damage or removal of the water meter other than by the City of Crystal Lake, the building owner or occupant shall be required to deposit the sum of $100 with the Director of Finance of the City of Crystal Lake, in addition to paying for a new meter, in order to receive water service from the City, and will be subject to penalties outlined per § 515-30 below.
[Amended 5-17-2016 by Ord. No. 7223]
In the event of a disputed water and/or sewer bill, or for other cause, the building owner or occupant may request a water meter accuracy test. Water meter accuracy testing shall be scheduled by the Public Works Department and conducted by a third-party meter testing company. The meter shall be deemed accurate if it meets the AWWA meter accuracy standards as they apply to each specific meter. Should the meter accuracy test prove the meter to be accurate, a meter testing fee of $25 plus the City cost for the third-party test will be assessed, and the amount of the water and/or sewer bill in dispute owed. Should the meter be determined to be defective, no meter testing fee will be assessed and the water and/or sewer bill in question will be adjusted based on the inaccuracy percentage determined, provided that such adjustment shall be for a period not exceeding one year.
Any person, firm or corporation failing to comply with any provision of this article shall be subject to suspension of water and/or sewer services and shall not be entitled to reinstatement of service until they are in compliance with the Code. A service reinstatement fee of $100 shall be paid prior to the reinstatement of service.