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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 03.cCity of Lakeville Public Works Memorandum To: Mayor and City Council Justin Miller, City Administrator From: Chris Petree, Public Works Director Copy: Jerilyn Erickson, Finance Director Cindi Joosten, Human Resources Manager Date: 28 March 2016 Subject: Proposal to Establish a Policy for Water Meter Installation, Maintenance, Reading, and Testing PURPOSE The Public Works Department proposes to establish a policy that expands on the basic requirements of City Code and guides the installation of water meters, explains maintenance and testing requirements, and details the City’s standard method for readings water meters. BACKGROUND • The policy is based on City Code,Title 7, Chapter 5, which details Water and Sanitary Sewer Systems. • Ordinances 7-5-4-1 through 7-5-4-8 provide the basis for requiring and installing water meters and give a macro view of meter readings, testing, and tampering. They do not address the more detailed points of installation, change out programs, or meter maintenance, nor do they sufficiently outline responsibilities regarding water meter installation. • As the Utilities Division has become more active in the annual change-out of water meters, it has become evident that guidance is required in the installation of water meters as well as delineation of the responsibilities and processes for maintenance, testing, and meter reading. RECOMMENDATION Approve the proposed policy for water meter installation, maintenance, reading, and testing. 1 WATER METER INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE, READING, AND TESTING Policy 5.XX 1) AUTHORITY City Code Title 7, Chapter 5, Section 7-5-4 provides for the installation and regulation of water meters for residential, industrial, commercial, and institutional use of water conveyed through the municipal water system. 2) PURPOSE The City of Lakeville, Minnesota finds that it is in the best interest of the City and its residents to outline the policies and procedures for the installation, maintenance, reading, and testing of water meters. It is in the public interest that water meters be properly installed, periodically tested for accuracy, regularly read to document water use, and changed out on a scheduled basis to maintain the integrity of the water system. 3) OBJECTIVE Define the requirements for installation, maintenance, reading, and testing of water meters for residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, and irrigation use. 4) GENERAL All water from the City’s water system used for residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, and irrigation applications must be metered. All water used on project sites and delivered by tanker will be obtained at Lakeville’s metered water fill site. The City will issue hydrant meters on a case by case basis to contractors for use within the City upon approval by the Utilities Superintendent or Supervisor. Fees charged for the use of hydrant meters are established by the City Council. Water rates, fees, and billing periods are established by the City Council. 5) RESPONSIBILITIES a. Meters shall be installed by City staff or a plumber licensed to do business in the State of Minnesota at the property owner’s expense. Plumbers shall obtain water meters from the City and pay the applicable fees as established by the City Council prior to obtaining a water meter. b. Installers and property owners must ensure that water meters are installed in an accessible location. There shall be no obstructions, storage or other materials that prevent access to the meter. No meter shall be installed above or behind a furnace, water heater, washer, dryer, within cabinetry, or other such arrangement limiting access to the meter for observation, repair, or replacement. For residential meters, a minimum of 24-inches of working clearance around the meter is necessary for routine meter maintenance. For commercial, industrial, and institutional meters, a minimum of 36-inches of working clearance around the meter is necessary for maintenance. 2 c. Water meters shall be accessible to City staff or their designee at any reasonable hour of any business day. The property owner or occupant is prohibited from obstructing the meter so as to prohibit the reading or repairing of the meter. d. Any modifications to the installation of a water meter must be approved by the City. e. Water meters remain the property of the City. 6) INSTALLATION a. Single Family Residential. 1. Each individual residence must have its own water meter. Sub-service from a metered line is not permitted. Residential meter water lines may not be extended to serve another residence or place of business. 2. The water meter shall be located on the ground floor or in the basement of the residence. The water meter shall be placed where the water service line comes in through the basement wall or basement floor. Where no basement is provided, the meter shall be placed where the service line comes through the wall or floor of a mechanical/utility room. 3. Meters shall be indoors and protected from freezing and any other damage. Meters shall not be located above the first or ground floor level under any circumstances. The individual water meter servicing a dwelling unit shall be the only water meter located within the interior space of that dwelling. No water meters shall be installed in a crawl space under a residence. 4. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for remote reading of the meter without accessing the property. The property owner will be charged for changes to the meter reading equipment if the standard method of reading is not acceptable to the owner. Charges for meter reading changes to the meter reading equipment will be based on fees and rates established by the City Council. b. Apartments, Townhomes, Duplexes, and Condominiums 1. Each apartment, townhome, duplex, or multi-family townhome/condominium building must have at least one individual water meter that does not take water from another metered line. The meters may not be sub-meters. Central metering of more than one building in an apartment complex is not permitted. The meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for reading of the meter without accessing the property. 2. The preferred location for the water meter is in a joint basement or mechanical room. Individual meters may be provided for each unit. The preferred location for individual meters in single level multi-family dwelling is in a joint mechanical/utility room or meter room. However, individual meters may be located in the utility room of each dwelling unit if so approved during the design process. 3 3. In multi-family dwellings on more than one level, meters shall be congregated in one or more mechanical/utility or meter rooms in the basement or on the first floor of the building. Location of meters in individual dwelling units is prohibited. c. Shopping Centers or Commercial Buildings 1. Separate meters are required for individual buildings not under the same roof. 2. Additional meters may be installed at the property owner’s expense for tenants or for other purposes in the same building provided the meters are all located near the service entrance and are not sub-meters. 3. Individual meters for each tenant may be installed at the property owner’s expense provided there is an individual service from a main or authorized service to each unit. 4. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for reading the meter without accessing the property. d. Industrial 1. Plants or industrial complexes may be centrally metered provided the buildings are all required for a central operation and not separated by a public thoroughfare. 2. Individual meters may be used for separate facilities or processes within facilities provided there is individual service from the main or authorized service available. Sub-meters are prohibited. 3. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for reading the meter without accessing the property. e. Institutions 1. Schools, public housing complexes and other institutions with a number of buildings may be centrally metered if they are not separated by a public thoroughfare and are owned and operated by a governmental body or charitable organization. 2. Individual meters may be used for separate facilities provided there is individual service from the main or authorized service available. Sub-meters are prohibited. 3. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for reading the meter without accessing the property. f. Mobile Home Parks 1. Mobile home parks whose water distribution is not owned by the City shall be centrally metered at the location where the water distribution system attaches to the City’s main. 2. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for reading the meter without accessing the property. g. Irrigation Meters 4 1. Irrigation meters are required for all commercial applications. Meters shall be installed on an individual service from the main or where the irrigation line attaches to the service line. 2. The preferred location for irrigation meters is in a mechanical/utility or meter room. However, the meters may be installed in any secure above ground enclosure. 3. Meters will be installed with radio transmitters to allow for remote reading of the meter. h. Exceptions 1. Installation of water meters inconsistent with this policy must be approved by the City. 7) MAINTENANCE a. Installation of water meters shall be completed by City staff or a plumber licensed to do business in the State of Minnesota. All water meters will be sealed by or under the direction of the City and no one, except a City employee, shall break or remove the seal. b. The City shall service and maintain all water meters. Customers who think that their meter is not operating properly shall contact the Utilities Division to have the meter evaluated and repaired as necessary. c. Meters or any components damaged by freezing or customer attempts to thaw, alter, or change the meter readings in any way shall be replaced by the Utilities Division and the customer shall be charged the cost of a new meter, a service charge for removal of the damaged meter and installation of the new meter, and for any unmeasured water and sewer charges. d. The customer shall be charged for damage to the remote read-out (touch pad), radio transmitter, or the meter head when caused by the customer’s carelessness, negligence, animals, or attempt to alter the remote read out (touch pad), radio transmitter, or the meter head. e. Tampering with water meters is prohibited under City ordinance 7-5-4-8. Penalties for tampering with water meters will be accessed in accordance with City Code and fees and rates established by the City Council. 8) METER READING a. The City may obtain readings from water meters either directly from the meter, remotely through the remote read-out (touch pad), or through the radio transmitters attached to the exterior of the building or integral to the meter head. b. Meter readings may be obtained by contractor personnel using a remote reading device or by Utilities Division staff accessing the building to read the meter directly or by a remote reading device. 5 c. The City Council shall establish methods to read water meters suitable to the needs of the City. Methods may change periodically as technology offers more efficient and effective means to read water meters. 9) TESTING a. The Utilities Division will, for a fee, test the accuracy of a water meter at the request of a customer. If the meter is not accurate within the range specified by City ordinance 7-5-4-6, no charge will be made for the testing and an adjustment will be made to the water bill for the period of time that the meter was assumed to be inaccurate as determined by the City, not to exceed two billing periods. b. Inaccurate meters will be replaced. 10) METER CHANGE OUT PROGRAMS a. To maintain the integrity and viability of the water system and to meet reporting standards set by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the City will institute meter change out programs. Meter change outs will be based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Water meters may be changed out at any time if water use indicates a problem exists with the meter. Similarly, commercial, industrial, institutional, and irrigation meters will be changed out based on the manufacturer’s recommendations or if water use indicates a problem exists with the meter. b. The City may change out the meters using Utilities Division staff or may contract for the replacement of the meters. c. To complete a meter change out, either Utilities Division staff or a contractor: 1. Must have access to the area in which the water meter is installed. 2. Stop the flow of water through the meter. 3. Disconnect any wires leading to a remote read-out (touch pad) or radio transmitter. 4. Disconnect the meter from the water system. 5. Reinstall the new water meter and reconnect the meter to the remote read-out or radio transmitter. 6. Restart the flow of water through the meter. 7. Collect installation data from the new meter using a handheld device. d. Stopping and starting the flow of water through the meter for the change out may result in a water leak from valves adjacent to the water meter. Repairs necessary to stop the leaks are the responsibility of the property owner.