Coachella Municipal Code Art. V Water Meters

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. Water Meters. Water meters shall be installed on all water services. For new meter installations an application fee in an amount established by the city council or authority will be charged for each water meter to be installed at that premises.

B. Detector Check Meters. There shall be installed on all private fire line connections a check valve of a type approved by the National Board of Fire Underwriters and equipped with a bypass meter. Detector check meter charges are in an amount established by ordinance of the city council or authority.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

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 13.03.104 and 13.03.108. 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 13.03.203. 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 customer charge will not be prorated and the bill shall be the customer charge applicable to the size meter through which such service is taken plus the commodity charge.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

A. The utilities department may cause bimonthly reading of meters for all or any portions of the system whenever it determines that such practice will result in a more economical collection of bills for water. 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 readings shall be deemed and regarded as two months for the purposes of this chapter.

B. The customer charge shall be twice the customer charge prescribed in this chapter, and the commodity 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 customer charge will not be prorated and the bill shall be the customer charge applicable to the size meter through which such service is taken if service period is one month or less, or twice such customer charge if service is for a period in excess of one month, plus in either case the commodity charge.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

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 less than one meter for each resident dwelling unit 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 battery of meters installed pursuant to this section shall be combined and charged for at such rate including the monthly minimum charge, as though the water were supplied through a single meter.

Meters shall be installed in close proximity to the building itself and screened in a manner required by the city. Installation of meters in the parkway next to the street curb may be allowed if the number of meters is four or fewer and the configuration of the parkway shows that the location is appropriate. The technical specifications of the installation shall be as required by the utilities general manager.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

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 the city of Coachella utilities department personnel. No meter seal may be broken by anyone other than the city of Coachella utilities department personnel. Utilities department may give its prior consent to seal breaking by the customer when deemed necessary by the utilities 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 subsection H. 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.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

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 an amount established by ordinance of the city council or authority. 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 two percent 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 two percent more than actually passes through it, the deposit shall be retained by the department as partial compensation for the examination and test.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

A. When a meter is found to register over two percent more than actually passes through it, the department will refund to the customer the overcharge based on the corrected meter readings for the period in which the meter was in use, not exceeding six months; provided, that if the actual cause and period of error can be definitely determined, the correction shall be made to cover such period.

B. If the meter upon test as herein provided is found not to register or to register less than ninety-eight (98) percent of the actual usage, an average bill or a bill for the water used but not covered by the bills previously rendered, for a period not to exceed six months, shall be rendered to the customer by the department; provided, that if the actual cause and period of error can be definitely determined, the correction may be made to cover such period.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)

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.

(Ord. No. 1057, § 3(Exh. C), 10-23-13)