Section 8 click here for PDF
METERING OF WATER

8.01 Water Meters Required: Each property shall be served by a separate meter and all water furnished shall be metered. One meter serving two or more properties is prohibited, and any violation shall be just cause for discontinuance of service to any property either violating this requirement or permitting it to be violated. However, where water was supplied through one meter to one or more properties prior to December 17, 1968, such service may be continued. A property may be served by more than one meter, provided all applicable tap, meter, and plant water investment fees are paid.

8.02 Ownership and Maintenance: All water meter sets shall be owned and maintained by the Board.

8.03 Location and Installation: All water meter sets shall be installed by the Board in conformance with Board specifications. Meter set location shall be subject to Board approval and shall be outside of buildings, customers' property, driveways, sidewalks, parking areas, or any other obstructions. All appropriate fees and assessments shall be paid prior to the installation of the meter set. The customer shall provide all necessary excavation, backfill, and resurfacing. The Board shall be given forty-eight (48) hours advance notice to allow scheduling of the meter set installation.

Where changes in existing property layout alter the protection or accessibility of any existing meter set, the set shall be relocated outside the customer's property to avoid driveways, sidewalks, parking areas, or any other obstructions. Likewise, on a new installation, if a water service stub-in and/or meter set exist and the customer wishes to install a driveway, sidewalk, parking area, or any other obstruction over the set, the set shall be relocated to avoid the obstruction. The final location of the water meter set must be approved by the Board. In cases of relocation of meter sets, all service line changes, as well as necessary excavation, backfill, and resurfacing shall be provided by the customer. Reset of the water meter shall be done by the Board, and the customer shall pay for the cost of work performed.

The Executive Director or his designated representative may authorize the location of meter sets inside property or in driveways and sidewalks for industrial, commercial, or multiple dwelling units. A written request must be submitted in advance to the Division Manager of Transmission and Distribution. This request must guarantee access for reading and maintenance. The Division Manager of Transmission and Distribution may request easements which will be granted and recorded at the customer's expense.

All customers, plumbers, and excavators must notify the Board when renewing an existing water service line which involves connecting to the water meter set. This will allow the Board to make any necessary changes to the meter set to bring it up to Board specifications. If the meter set is inside property, in a driveway or sidewalk, or obstructed in any way, customer shall relocate the meter set to a location acceptable to the Board.

8.04 Inside Water Meter Sets: Failure by the customer to protect a meter set located inside a building from damage by cold, heat, or other causes shall result in the Board charging the customer the actual cost of repair. The property owner shall hold the Board harmless from damages arising out of leaks from meter sets installed in buildings. The customer must provide access that is convenient for the purpose of reading, maintenance, and testing. Failure to provide access or protection is just cause for the Board to discontinue water service to the property or relocate the meter set at the customer's expense.

8.05 Water Meter Set Fees: The customer shall bear the cost of installation of all meter sets. The cost shall include materials, labor, equipment, and other costs necessary for a complete installation. These costs shall be reviewed periodically and approved by the Board. Water meter set fees adopted by the Board shall become a part of these rules and regulations. See Appendix E.

8.06 Testing: The Board provides and maintains water meter test facilities which are certified by the State of Colorado, Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures. The Board will test the accuracy of any water meter upon customer request because of a dispute over the accuracy of a meter. The customer or a designated representative must appear at the Board's meter shop and sign the test card as a witness to the test.

If, during the test, the meter meets the percentage of accuracy limits recommended by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the meter shall be returned to the customer's property. If the meter does not meet AWWA limits, it will be removed from service, and a new meter will be installed. The results of the test will be final.

If the meter exceeds the percentage of accuracy recommended by AWWA, the Board shall refund to the customer an amount equal to the excess charged for water incorrectly metered, not to exceed twelve (12) months. Meters will be tested at customer's request only once in any twelve (12) month period.

8.07 Water Meter Set Change Requested by Customers: Any request by a property owner to either increase or decrease the size and/or number of meter sets serving a property shall be governed by the following:

A. Replacement of an existing meter set with a small meter set shall be handled as follows:

On the first request, the smaller meter set shall be installed at Board cost.

The cost of subsequent changes shall be borne by the customer. No refund shall be made to any customer for a decrease in size of meter set.

B. Requests to increase meter size will be granted if the customer reimburses the Board for material, labor, equipment, and other costs necessary for a complete installation. There may also be a plant water investment fee as provided in Section 5.06. Credit will be allowed for the meter only, based on the existing size and current fees. See Appendix E. In addition, all assessments must be paid and/or main extensions installed by the customer as required under other sections of these rules and regulations.

C. If a customer combines the domestic and irrigation service lines, thereby eliminating a meter set which was installed at his expense, the Board will reimburse the customer an amount equal to the depreciated value of the meter (only) provided the meter meets the Board's specifications or the customer can keep the old meter. The applicable water meter price is the Board's cost of the meter in the year of removal. The depreciation rate is 4 percent (4%) per year. This reimbursement shall only be made for a meter which is returned to the Board. The cost of combining these services shall be borne by the customer.

8.08 Construction Water Meter Sets: Owners/general contractors must take precaution that meters can be read monthly. The expense for any damage to the meter or meter set will be borne by the owner/general contractor. Any expense incurred by the Board to adjust or reset the meter set to specifications at completion of construction caused by major grade changes or changes in construction plans shall be borne by the owner/general contractor. Failure to reimburse the Board for the above expenses is just cause to have water service discontinued.

8.09 Tampering with Water Meter Sets Prohibited: It shall be a violation of Board rules and regulations for any person to open, interfere with, damage or deface, or in any way impair the working of any water meter or meter set. It shall also be a violation for any person, other than a duly authorized representative of the Board, to remove any meter from its setting. Connections for sprinkling systems or any other type of connection will not be allowed inside the meter vault. See Section 1.11.

8.10 Access: It shall be a violation of Board rules and regulations for any customer to obstruct the access to the water meter set by planting shrubbery, trees, or any other type of physical obstruction. Existing shrubbery, trees, or any other type of plants must be kept trimmed so as not to obstruct the meter set. Failure to provide proper access upon notice is just cause for the Board to discontinue service to the property or relocate the meter set at customer expense.

8.11 City of Pueblo: The City of Pueblo is subject to all applicable water meter set fees. All new water services or changes in services shall be metered prior to being served.

8.12 Interconnection of Premises Prohibited: A water service line cannot be extended from one property to another without written permission of the Executive Director or his designated representative. If a service line is extended without written permission, service to the property having prior service will be discontinued by the Board unless the interconnection is removed.

8.13 Irrigation Water Meters and Systems: The Board will, upon customer request, provide turn on/off service for irrigation meters or systems (see Section 4.11D.). In performing this service the Board shall not be liable for damage to a valve or other facility of the customer. This service will be performed during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

8.14 Manifolding Meters to Meet Demand: The Board will not allow a customer to manifold two or more small meters together to meet the demand of a larger meter. Multiple meters serving one property must be physically disconnected so that they cannot provide service to the same area of a property at the same time.

Revised: 05/01/05
Effective: 05/01/05