The purpose of this chapter is to encourage the conservation of water and facilitate the equitable distribution of charges for water service among customers.

   All water furnished customers shall be measured through meters purchased by the customer from the City and installed by the City. The meter shall be installed by substantial completion of the building served and prior to any seeding or sodding. If violated subject to confiscation of equipment for usage of water or fine.

   Fire sprinkler systems may be connected to water mains by direct connection without meters under the direct supervision of the Superintendent. No other open, unmetered connection shall be incorporated in the system, and there shall be no valves except a main control valve at the entrance to the building which must be sealed open.

   1.   The water meter shall have full accessibility with a clear space of three feet in all directions.

   2.   Meter setting shall be located no more than eight feet from the nearest floor drain in the same room.

   3.   Each meter shall have a ball valve on the street side as well as the house side of the meter.

   4.   No accessories or equipment other than the equipment listed herein, shall be installed within 12 inches of either side of the water meter.

   5.   Meter Radio Unit (MXU). All buildings serviced by the City shall be equipped with a Meter Radio Unit (MXU) supplied by the City and installed by the City.

      A.   Water meter ECR register to Meter Radio Unit (MXU) three conductor, 18-gauge wire provided by the City, half an inch EMT conduit terminating within one foot of the MXU and flush with the outermost exterior wall immediately behind the touchpad. Each end of said conduit shall be fitted with a male connector and nylon housing to protect the wire.

      B.   Meter Radio Unit (MXU) to remote meter touchpad, three conductor 18-gauge wire, provided by the City.

   6.   These requirements apply only to new meters installed after the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section.

   The property owner shall provide all necessary piping and fittings for proper setting of the meter including an approved valve on both sides of the meter within close proximity of the meter. Meter pits may be used only upon approval of the Superintendent and shall be of a design and construction approved by the Superintendent.

   Whenever a residential water meter is found to be out of order, the Superintendent shall have it repaired, and the property owner shall be liable for the cost of repairs if due to misuse or freezing. Commercial meters shall be maintained at the expense of the owner. The cost of repairing a remote meter device, except repairs due to ordinary wear and tear, shall be paid to the Water Department by the customer or the owner of the property served.

   The Superintendent shall be permitted to enter the premises of any customer between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekdays to remove or change a meter.

   There shall be a fee charged to the property owner for each new meter and installation. The fee shall be the cost of such meter to the City, rounded to the nearest dollar.

   A “prime meter” measures water consumed and disposed through the public water and sanitary sewer system respectively. “Irrigation meters” may additionally be installed to measure water which is not disposed through the public sanitary sewer treatment system. The water used for “irrigation meters” would include water for swimming pools, yards, gardens, or other uses where sanitary sewer service charges are not applicable. Irrigation meters shall be installed not more than four feet from the prime meter and shall be installed parallel to the prime meter. Sewer charges shall not apply to water amounts measured by irrigation meters. The water rate to be charged for irrigation meters shall be at the same rate as provided in Section 92.02, and there shall not be any base rate charged. Shut-off valves are required ahead and after the irrigation meter and must be within one foot of the meter. A back flow preventer (approved by the City) to protect against contamination of the water system must be installed after the irrigation meter. The irrigation meter must be installed with the arrow on the meter being in the direction of the flow of water to the outside. Underground irrigation systems are allowed in City right-of-way with the understanding that any repair of the irrigation system caused by maintenance of utilities will be at the homeowner’s expense.

   1.   Electrical conduit shall be installed in all buildings in accordance with specifications provided by the Water Department of each meter.