Fowler Municipal Code Art. 5 Service Connections and Meters

All new services shall be metered, and all consumers within the City not served through a meter shall, as soon as practicable, be converted to metered service. A sum of money as set forth in Section 6-4.502 of this article shall be deposited with the City prior to the installation of the meter facilities to pay all of the costs of such installation when such installation is made at the request of the customer. The service connection, whether located on public or private property, shall be the property of the City, unless specifically otherwise provided, and the City reserves the right to repair, replace, and maintain such service connection, as well as to remove it upon the discontinuance of service.

Whenever the City's main is situated in the street or alley directly opposite the premises of the applicant, the City will, at its own expense, tap its main and extend its service pipe, as may be practical, and the point of delivery of such water service shall be where the City's service pipe enters upon such property. The City shall be the sole judge of the location of the service pipe and the meter box installed for the service of any and all premises. The City will not be responsible for any water service beyond the point of entry upon the premises of the consumer.

(Ord. 14-6 § 10)

(a) The City will make the service connection desired on the basis of the rates set forth in a resolution adopted by the City Council. The applicant shall pay the service connection fee prior to the connection by the City.

(b) Only duly authorized employees or agents of the City will be authorized to install service connections.

(c) The service connection fee is independent of any cost to install water meters.

(Ord. 14-6 § 10-2; Ord. 96-6 § 1, 11-14-96; Ord. 2000-6 § 3, 8-18-00)

The City reserves the right to determine the size of the service connections and their locations with respect to the boundaries of the premises to be served. The laying of the pipeline of the consumer to the curb shall not be done until the location of the service connection has been approved by the Water Superintendent.

(Ord. 14-6 § 10-5)

Every service connection installed by the City shall be equipped with a curb cock or wheel valve on the inlet side of the meter. Such valve or curb cock shall be intended for the exclusive use of the City in controlling the water supply through the service connection pipe. If the curb cock or wheel valve is damaged by the use of the consumer to an extent requiring replacement, such replacement will be at the expense of the consumer.

(§ 10-6, Ord. 14-6)

The service connections extending from the water main to the proper line, including the meter, meter box, and curb cock or wheel valve, shall be maintained by the City. All pipes and fixtures extending or lying beyond the property line shall be installed and maintained by the owner of the property.

(§ 17-3, Ord. 14-6)

(a) Number unlimited: Separation required. The applicant for water services may apply for as many services as may be reasonably required for his premises; provided, however, the pipeline system from each service shall be independent of the others, and they shall not be interconnected. The cost of all services shall be borne by the applicant.

(b) Separate buildings. Each house or building under separate ownership shall be provided with a separate service connection, including a separate meter. Two (2) or more houses under one ownership and on the same lot or parcel of land may be supplied through the same service connection. The Council reserves the right to limit the number of houses or the area of land under one ownership to be supplied by one service connection.

(c) Single connections. Not more than one service connection for domestic or commercial services shall be installed for one building, except under special conditions.

(d) Different owners. A service connection shall not be used to supply the adjoining property of a different owner or to supply the property of the same owner across a street or alley.

(e) Divided property. When property provided with a service connection is divided, each service connection shall be considered as belonging to the lot or parcel of land which it directly enters.

(§§ 9-1, 9-2, and 18-2, Ord. 14-6)

Meters shall be installed at the curb or within the easement. They shall be owned by the City and be installed and removed at its expense after the payment of the charges established therefor. No rent or other charge will be paid by the City for a meter or other facilities, including housings and connections, located on the premises of the applicant. All meters will be sealed by the City at the time of their installation, and no seal shall be altered or broken except by one of its authorized employees.

(§ 10-3, Ord. 14-6)

Meters moved for the convenience of the applicant will be relocated at the expense of the applicant. Meters moved to protect the property of the City will be moved at the expense of the City.

(§ 10-4, Ord. 14-6)

All meters will be tested prior to the installation, and no meter will be installed which registers more than two (2) percent fast. If a consumer desires to have the meter serving his premises tested, he shall first deposit five dollars ($5.00). If the meter registers more than two (2) percent fast, the deposit will be refunded, but if the meter registers less than two (2) percent fast, the deposit will be retained by the Water Department.

(§ 10-7, Ord. 14-6)

If a meter tested at the request of a consumer pursuant to the provisions of Section 6-4.509 of this article is found to be more than two (2) percent fast, the excess charge for the time service was rendered the consumer requesting the test, or for a period of six (6) months, whichever shall be the lesser, shall be refunded to the consumer.

(§ 10-8, Ord. 14-6)

If a meter tested at the request of a consumer pursuant to the provisions of Section 6-4.509 of this article is found to be more than twenty-five (25) percent slow in the case of domestic services, or more than five (5) percent slow for other than domestic services, the City may bill the consumer for the amount of the undercharge based upon corrected meter readings for the period, not exceeding six (6) months, that the meter was in use.

(§ 10-9, Ord. 14-6)

If a meter is found to be not registering, the charge for services shall be at the minimum monthly rate or shall be based on the estimated consumption, whichever is greater. Such estimates shall be made from a previous consumption for a comparable period or by such other method as is determined by the Water Department, and its decision shall be final.

(§ 10-10, Ord. 14-6)

The Council reserves the right to set and maintain a meter on any service connection. The applicant shall be held liable, however, for any damages to the meter due to his negligence or carelessness and, in particular, for damages caused by hot water or steam from the premises.

(§ 11-9, Ord. 14-6)