§ 407-7. Meters.

A. 

All water services shall be metered, and where there is more than one tenant or occupant on the premises, the meter rates and rules and regulations of the Water Department shall apply to each. In all cases, the deeded owner of the property supplied shall be held responsible for the water rates and all other charges, including that of all tenants or occupants.

B. 

The Water Department will furnish, install and/or supervise installation, seal and or maintain all meters and remote readers. The owner will provide a readily accessible, adequate and proper space or housing, heated if necessary, to protect the same from freezing. Original installation of meter and cost of repair or replacement of seals, meters or remote readers, when damaged by freezing, neglect, tampering or vandalism, shall be paid by the property owner. All metering equipment is the property of the Water Department.

C. 

Meters, readers and seals may not be removed except by or under the supervision of Water Department personnel. Only Water Department personnel may remove or replace the seals, which, if broken, may indicate the meter has been tampered with.

D. 

The owner, tenant, or occupant shall not permit unauthorized persons to have access to, or interfere with a water meter and shall provide for its safe keeping. Failure to comply will result in discontinuance of service.

E. 

The Water Department is not responsible for leaks on the user's premises. Water passing through a meter is considered to be consumed.

F. 

The Water Department will test, remove, repair and/or replace meters up to one inch as a part of regular maintenance. If the meter is over one inch, it is maintained and/or replaced at the customer's expense.

G. 

All meters are tested to make sure they work and are accurate prior to installation. The accuracy of the meter of any premises will be tested by the Water Department upon written request of the owner, who shall pay in advance a fee to cover the cost of the test. If, on such test, the meter is found to register over 2% more water than actually passes through it, the meter will be repaired, at Water Department expense, the advance fee will be refunded and the water bill for the current period will be adjusted in accordance with the result of the test. If, however, it appears that the meter has been registering less water than actually passed through it, the customer will pay for the test, as well as for the additional water used.

H. 

Upon request, agents or representatives of the Water Department shall be provided access to the premises of a consumer during Water Department business hours, for the purpose of reading meters, inspecting or examining pipes, fixtures or attachments or backflow devices used by the owner, tenant or occupant. Water service may be discontinued until such access is provided.

I. 

Any new construction and/or building addition that creates multiple dwelling unit(s) shall be assessed a separate system development fee for each dwelling unit thereafter and each unit shall be connected to the Water Supply System separately with the appropriate shut-off valves, meters and appurtenance. Each residentially occupied building unit shall have a separate meter and a separate account. No person shall attach or cause to be attached a pipe to a metered service pipe or main for the purpose of furnishing water to an unmetered building, except with the written consent of the Board of Water Commissioners. Anyone violating this rule may be charged a full system development fee plus usage for each violation.

J. 

The consumer should notify the Water Department if the building is vacant and it is desired to shut off the water. The owner will be responsible for a turn-off charge and a turn-on charge if and when the service is reactivated. The owner will be charged a minimum water usage bill each quarter if the water is not turned off. The Water Department is not responsible for water used if pipes freeze in a vacant and/or unheated building. The customer may be charged, based upon an estimate, for any water used and not recorded due to damage to the meter or before the meter.

K. 

For those consumers having outside recorders, the Water Department will periodically read the inside meter to verify the accuracy of the outside recorder. In case of a discrepancy between the two readings, the inside meter reading will be considered the true reading, and the consumer's bill will be adjusted accordingly.

L. 

For those consumers wishing to have more than one meter (i.e., for outside water use), the following conditions must be met:

(1) 

Application must be filed with the Groton Water Department. There is no system development fee for this additional meter, as the service already exists, and there is no additional impact on the system. The consumer will be responsible for parts and labor to install the additional meter.

(2) 

The meter must be installed on a tee with the existing meter rather than in series. Each meter shall have its own backflow device.

(3) 

Such installation must be performed by Groton Water Department personnel. All Groton Water Department rules and regulations shall apply.