All meters used to measure water purchased from the Water District shall
be supplied by the Water District, and no meter shall be installed unless
supplied by the Water District. Each meter shall be installed by a licensed
plumber approved by the Water Department after payment of the fee specified
hereinafter.
At the time of application for water service and in addition to any
tapping charges required to be paid, the applicant shall pay a fee for each
meter as per Article
XI.
No person other than an employee of the Water Department shall interfere
with or remove any water meter, sealing device or coupling from any meter
installation after it has once been placed in service by the Water Department.
If the meter seal has been broken, a new sealed meter shall be installed at
the consumer's expense. Suspected tampering or theft of water shall be
reported to the Police Department for investigation.
The Water Department shall determine the proper size of the meter to
be installed and shall have the right to change the meter at any time it is
necessary in order to ensure its proper operation.
Any meter or other fixture damaged by frost or by hot water or steam
backing into the meter or by any external cause shall be repaired by the Water
Department at the expense of the property owner, and the water service may
be disconnected until such corrective action is taken to prevent a recurrence
of the incident which caused the damage. The charge for such repairs shall
be based on the cost of removing, repairing, testing and replacing said meter,
plus 15% for department overhead, such as transportation and use of tools,
and the minimum charge shall be as indicated in Article
XI.
Consumers, upon request, may have the meters serving their premises
tested by the Water Department in their presence or that of a duly authorized
representative. If the meter so tested shall be found to register not more
than 103% of the amount of water actually passing through it, a charge in
the amount designated in Article
XI shall be paid by the consumer for testing
a meter one inch or less in size, and, for meters larger than one inch in
size, the actual expense, including overhead, incurred by the Water Department
in removing, testing and replacing the meter shall be paid by the consumer.
It is understood and agreed that the Water Department may enter the
premises of any consumer at any reasonable time to examine the pipe and fixtures,
the quantity of water used and the manner of its use. In case of fraudulent
representation on the part of any consumer or unnecessary waste of water,
all payments made will be forfeited and the water supply shut off. It is also
understood that the Water Department shall have access at all reasonable time
to all parts of the premises to which water is supplied for the purpose of
examination or repairs and reading or replacing meters.