endcodespacerange Assuming the meter is the standard size, residential 3/4 x 5/8 meter, you will use the same rate structure for the irrigation meters since the water is the same treated water that is being distributed by your system. Does the one meter per residence apply in this situation? One note here about equipment costs to replace the assets being removed TCEQ explained this to include the price of a meter, tapping saddle, curb stops, meter box, service tubing and any parts which were purchased by the original applicant when the service was first installed. Is it ethical for us to charge a second equity buy-in fee for this meter if we already charged such a fee for their first meter? <9A> <9A> <0161> For example, in Section E, Members Responsibility: d. Therefore, all water usage registering upon and/or damages occurring to the metering equipment owned and maintained by the Corporation shall be subject to charges as determined by the Corporations Tariff as amended from time to time by the Board of Directors. HT 69 12 Some systems opt to offer discounts to customers that have multiple connections or to waive impact or other front-end capital improvement fees. <91> <92> <2018> Finally, if the property owner intends to keep the well for irrigation purposes, it cannot be tied back into any line connected to the systems new master meter. Ask Larry Archives: Metering and One Meter per Residence Rules. lF3n~m/O]w@_}!.u5Iul,CeA"Wyac. If a system has a trailer park, RV park, apartments, and so on being served by one meter, the TCEQ doesnt count it as one connection but either counts the number of spaces being served or calculates the capacity needed by size of meter. g MLu]VxcN[4wosYpe$C4-`#`:euD=G)\IGiuu}o\2kr%Scw#LBSkEkG=] i"a8S7EB=w=N to TCEQ rules regarding elevated storage, the number of connections that are allocated to the tract will be four, because that allocation is determined on the number of meter connections. The most immediate issue to address is the potential health hazard caused by the loss of pressure when the booster pump kicks on. Q: We have been made aware of a customer who has installed an inline booster pump on their side of the meter. <002D> The quadplexes were built in 2006 and are not located within the boundaries of a city. <89> <89> <2030> What a system considers to be reasonable access may vary. >> def Usually, the original person that is allowing the other persons meter to be installed on their property (the front property owner) is agreeable and welcomes the chance to help their neighbor (the back property owner) save some money. This has an added benefit that the customers will be required to maintain their own service lines from the meter to their houses. 1 begincodespacerange A: This is an issue weve been talking to TCEQ about as far back as 2004. Other possible solutions the system may suggest to the customer are: move the fence back so the meter is outside the fence; install a separate gate at the location of the meter; or provide a key or code so the meter reader or repair crew can access the water line and meter 24/7. The original members account should be closed out at the old address. We have generally required individual meters for each unit, but one owner wants to know if they can put in a 2-inch master meter for all 10 units in five nearby duplexes. /CMapType 2 def Next, the system needs to send a copy of that policy to the entities that appear to be in violation of that policy along with a copy of the TCEQ rule requiring accurate measuring of each customers usage. <86> <87> <2020> Q: How important is the NSF 60 certification on meters or does it even matter? The actual cost of the meter and installation should be assessed as well. /CMapType 2 def The two businesses had been in a partnership in the past under one roof. The TRWA Sample Tariff addresses this issue and follows the Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chapter 24 rules about the systems ability to access a meter for repairs and normal service. <7F> <7F> <2022> 0000001032 00000 n The one meter per residence just means that a customer can't have two or more residences or businesses on a single meter. Based on the level and manner of service being requested by the owner, a 2-inch water meter may or may not be sufficient to provide the water capacity being requested. Can you help me out with this? All usage rates per thousand gallons should be the same across all classes of ratepayers, although conservation rates, designed to encourage efficient and non-wasteful water use practices by customers, can assess higher usage rates per thousand gallons for customers using more than a specified amount each month. <88> <88> <02C6> Some systems do require individual meters to each different apartment, condo or other type business that is all owned by one individual or company. To your knowledge, are there any parts of the tariff that would prohibit the member from entering into such an agreement or any part of the regulations that would prohibit such an agreement or jeopardize the systems compliance? Therefore, removing the meter box completely could allow the utility to reduce its total number of connections for purposes of determining the systems necessary capacity. This allows the water to straighten out and have less turbulence, thereby allowing the meter to register as accurately as possible. TCEQs Chapter 290 requires a meter to accurately determine the usage of each customer unless a master metering arrangement has been made. |pz~0u]MbHw{B|%r4ln'Ur]af2Ia0 fkF0S;@G bYH(?I endbfrange A: TCEQ rule 290.44(a)(4) explains the purpose of the rule stating: Each community public water system shall provide accurate metering devices at each residential, commercial or industrial service connection for the accumulation of water usage data. This ensures that the water system can document that customers are being billed properly. This letter should outline the PUC requirements for an accurate metering of water per connection. A: The answer is yes, its not only ethical, its also both fair and necessary. e. The Corporation shall require each Member to have a cutoff valve within 2 feet of the meter on the Members side of the meter for purposes of isolating the Members service pipeline and plumbing facilities from the Corporations water pressure. end A: Yes, I've heard of the practice of allowing multiple meters on single properties at multiple systems. I was told the meter was installed when a relative lived in a trailer on the far end of the property, but the meter has not been used for many years. If your 1.5 inch line is already overloaded, then the WSC is responsible for paying for the difference in costs from a two inch line to serve the single applicant to the 6 inch line your engineers say is required to install. Different growth 0000000015 00000 n 363 0 obj I have also seen frustration when the front property owner requests a second meter from the system and the line is at capacity. Published in January/February 2020 (Issue 1 of Quench). Written comments about an AO should be sent to the enforcement coordinator designated for each AO at the commission's central office at P.O. endbfrange <85> <85> <2026> A: You have a couple different issues to address. Q: We are revising our tariff. u5e` T For years, many rural and municipal systems have opted to install master meters for rental properties such as multiple apartment buildings on the same tract of land, multiple mobile homes or manufactured homes on the same tract of land, as well as multiple RVs or strip/multi-use business centers with a common owner. <85> <85> <2026> We really need to understand the regulations and what action we need to take prior to approaching either business. Our engineers say the only way we can meet TCEQ standards for water distribution if we add the meter is with a six-inch line extension. <98> <98> <02DC> Those base rates dont have to be the actual meter size equivalent listed in the TRWA Sample Tariff, but one of the reasons/ justifications for a higher base rate for these larger meters is the TCEQs capacity requirements that each system must maintain. Therefore, existing customers have been paying for extra capacity for many years and these new customers are being asked to provide a portion of the cost associated with the capacity they will be using. The larger the meter, the greater the amount of system capacity that must be kept in place for that meter. However, the only leverage we have is to disconnect service to the convenience store in order to compel the chain restaurant to get a separate meter. This has been a troublesome situation for many systems in the past and is a re-occurring problem for systems today. For example, the provisions of TRWAs Sample Tariff regarding non-standard service include the requirement that the corporation approve the design requirements of the applicants required facilities prior to initiation of a non-standard service contract. Some systems try to solve this issue by installing remote read meters (AMR) that allow the employee to drive by all the meter locations and the meters transmit the readings to a base unit in the vehicle. A licensed operator of a water system can calibrate their own master meters regardless of size or type by using the volumetric calibration method. After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. I am not aware of any cost of service appeals dealing with this issue specifically, but systems should be aware that the PUCT might side with the customer if someone complains about being charged new fees to obtain service at a location where service previously existed. You could also require the applicant to provide this information as part of the application process. 0000000766 00000 n Would this person also have access to the system office or have keys to the water plants? =4$y]/%(%DL For customers who have their homes 500 feet or more off the road, meters may be relocated to the edge of the customers property instead of at the house. Service will be restored when a CSI confirms no health hazard exists, the health hazard has been removed or repaired, or the health hazard has been isolated from the corporations water system. Where to live in Delft Wedged between The Hague and Rotterdam, Delft is a beautiful historical town that attracts those seeking a quieter lifestyle with good city connections. << If the WSC has an easement properly filed at the courthouse for every line and meter, the new property owner cant make the system move the meter. endstream endobj 1 0 obj<> endobj 2 0 obj<>/XObject<>/ProcSet 79 0 R>> endobj 3 0 obj<>stream <7F> <7F> <2022> /Ordering (UCS) :RA%_Xo($N4jKA$iH~5]_]_W_4_'MAzcbhS Gj,+ NPt%TJMvM'B!41F"#4_M}:C?o_o_Z__^_,bD-CF`s;7Qfdcq12FnfhPM4w*`Rthj7v>N2nAqNtF?ON~kEWTB}WLO'?~_Kjjv?ijpU5l%.^=8I>5jtLd%-A^XABL4"?DDDD~~/a?i{`TG{`_+IW21 ffy./HZU"L3FRCa;5.Z qa?C$;VY!v +rxO%}^F'dvwtkV~JW_k#Nq|o|!mm+DcWS62q}9jQi|:{MT'^K{Ul%kr#x~jBXDvK{!ZoI";NaZa4?AWuAR#kM4Nh0Ai#'A"""!D~" }~},Tv;R*2@YDxw4& f0OeqXYDtc/DCXt(P 4(A|;Z ESFCequivalent single-family connection. endobj Wouldnt it make sense for the owner to have to pay the cost of extending the line(s) out to those structures? Well meters required by 290.41(c)(3)(N) of this title (relating to Water Sources) shall be calibrated at least once every three years.. ~0r; The inspector may also require the customer to demonstrate or show how water pipes at the secondary home are independent of the piping serving the customers primary residence. /Supplement 0 ~A%b u;_K[O]u?__KVX?p5~5Ka%K}>k47Z=j{u__t He has offered to buy a ladder, but does not want it left all the time, only when the meter is read. Published in July/August 2020 (Issue 4 of Quench). In that case, the system may need to check the hot water heater to see if it has water in it or, as stated above, have the customer demonstrate that water in the second dwelling is from another source and not a water hose from the first house. Your board should look at all the different access related issues at customer locations and define in your tariff what the system considers to be reasonable access to the meters. * 04dOvZ% y;a p^u N&?FqCe6MoA /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin Most importantly, you should enforce these policies and refuse to set a meter until you are satisfied that the applicant does, in fact, own the property on which the meter will be placed. Unless a local governmental authority requires otherwise, or unless otherwise established, an ESFC is defined as 360 gallons per day for average water usage and 300 gpd for average wastewater return flow. However, due to some political maneuvering several years ago, some exceptions were included in the Texas Administrative Code that allow the commissions executive director to permit master metering when applicable. <89> <89> <2030> or ESFC- shall mean the amount of capacity allocated to a commercial customer expressed in terms of the amount of capacity used by a single-family residence, as determined by the volume and type of wastewater discharge. Published in May/June 2020 (Issue 3 of Quench). <09> <0A> <0009> When setting these new meters, it is important to remember that if the property is subdivided in the future, each meter should be on the property with the residence or structure to be served. How should this be handled? By doing this, when they get a few more meters, they can begin replacing the meter tops with these newer AMI tops. A 6 inch line, according to the TCEQ Chapter 290 Rules, can serve up to 250 connections. V)bXAmXki65[I47l0B]jU6)ILRn64-7ZvJ"I7LTaTm,XMU0 aBa h5]A"BxV`fNX6:aRVi"Db03iT+P0MDDCDDDD/tL~~1"g43B6GA_628PL&hi$(pD=-RqGqSA$A%py>$kK/. Other systems are installing AMR Meters for the first time, installing AMR Meters in high density or high-traffic areas or upgrading to AMI meters. Should not effect transit. The average daily flow for domestic use shall be calculated at the minimum rate of 100 gallons per day per capita (gpdpc) and an Equivalent Residential Connection (ERC) of 2.5 persons per single-family residence and 2.2 persons per multi-family and mobile home units.. <8F> <8F> <2022> <80> <80> <20AC> Is this a fool-proof verification? Your WSC cannot demand that a person pay the entire cost to extend a 6 inch line unless the engineer determines that is the size line it takes to serve that particular applicant. <20> <7E> <0020> :SYA"e2=pmn':"^Ptvop?L`EekP)H:^OK)XNI Fax: 512.472.5186 How do you protect the integrity of the system when you do not know the background or intent of the person performing the volunteer work? 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . <91> <92> <2018> The purpose of an equity buy-in fee is to establish parity between the new customer or applicant and those who have already been receiving service. pc#P3C"!GB448]o_ AtCCk*AC)ADc90cLrU <83> <83> <0192> Q. /Supplement 0 %PDF-1.7 My question is, how do we verify the boundaries of properties for this purpose? The customer says there is a gate at the back of his property (more than 500 feet away). 0000053091 00000 n In the event that the placement ends up being wrong, the PUC would likely side with the owner in a dispute about relocation costs because they would see it as the utility shirking its responsibility to exercise due diligence when it set the meter in the wrong location in the first place. There should be a calibration or certification of accuracy with the new meter. The date of construction is not relevant to the issue of whether a single master meter or individual meters would be preferable; however, it is important when considering the required customer service inspection (CSI) which must be completed for all eight units and the tract of property to be served. You also should consult your system attorney so an agreement can be developed to set out the scope of volunteer work, as well as the timeliness of these meter readings if you decide to enter into this free meter reading arrangement. Q: Our 1.5-inch water line is at capacity and someone who is building a home in the area asked to add a meter to our line. 9CT <95> <95> <2022> There is an automatic gate that only works by remote and we do not have access to it. <91> <92> <2018> Most of the re-reads were because the brand of meters the system had installed used exterior-mounted antennas, which were susceptible to a variety of hazards, such as gophers, dogs or lawn mowers. >> def IQ-EQ | 110,749 followers on LinkedIn. As an example, the number of service connections in an apartment complex would be equal to the number of individual apartment units. Our engineer says we need to remove these, as we would be responsible for servicing them, including paying for upgrades, if a customer wants a meter for that box in the future. In the case of choosing a meter read system, we suggest that the meter supplier provide you with a list of systems that uses their meters so your system can check out the pros and cons with other systems that are using the meters. Q: I am going to change out our master meter at the well and replace it with a new one. We have been mostly going by the word of individual landowners, which has recently resulted in us finding out that some of our meters were not correctly located. It is not cost effective for us to run a six inch line extension just to supply water to one new house. <85> <85> <2026> ]BA Y,bps`>x/@HnqXNZ1yek5Fq8:^bV_W =.*'&0Y5E4oUpcbT6P,SkV/ lliF7LEM]AgDtC,a]oaF![Oi0 qy}>XPN&:VYCp>F0 " If the main water line(s) are near the public roads, then the system may offer to move the meter down to the road. Also do you have any recommendations for a particular meter read system? 362 13 Where is the middle ground here? -C BiOUuI jL33Vl4N2ZMA z&;~^*9KDzBW~Q(p7rp>dIi=7}%I~y[$+q_3i-#yzqwTxj/,Rz@S| (~x@dn <0D> <0D> <000D> While this may have been more of an undertaking many years ago, most counties have modernized and this research can now generally be done from the systems office. The system needs to be aware of the potential liability issues with such an arrangement and should contact the systems insurance provider to find out what, if anything, would be covered if the person is injured while reading meters or causes an accident or damages some customers property. This eliminates the need for a system to conduct manual drive-bys and allows all meters to be read from the whole system in a matter of minutes from the office. 0000000586 00000 n We had the owner submit a feasibility study and it shows that we can support them. The WSC board can amend the water rates at any board meeting where rate adjustments are posted as an agenda item for action. o0?LgGt{Cifk_Kat2'~ez{*R,r08e0@Bf1+oxG t%&L!XD(gTn6"LXa9t> A: Your question is very common for all rural and some urban systems. <84> <84> <201E> <93> <94> <201C> Think of it this way: what if that property owner was requesting not one meter, but four new ones? Hopefully the two figures are the same or within a reasonable margin of error. end xb```a``Jc`f`ed@ Ar,8-O00/2\B;wOg`Xl_SKl}w>5">%QPH2F50e00,c 5RJf5v zn ' +\AF> In fact, there are laws about meter tampering, damage and diversion if a person is caught or found guilty of messing with a utilitys meters. Q: What is the purpose of the restriction on multiple connections to a single tap rule? <09> <0A> <0009> Email: info@trwa.org, Water University/Utility Management Certification, TCEQ Requirement All Occupational Licensing, Wastewater Technical Assistance & Training Program, Click Here to Return to the Ask Larry Archives Homepage, Metering & One Meter per Residence Rules (Ask Larry). If your system already has this language, then TRWA suggests that systems that have several multiple connection issues send out a letter informing all customers of pending changes or stepped up enforcement of existing policies. begincmap <88> <88> <02C6> A: In the TRWA Sample Tariff, as well as in the USDA-RD Service Application and Agreement Form, it states that a meter shall be installed on a property to serve that single property and water cannot be diverted to another property. Hopefully this will help address the customers concerns. Installing multiple meters on a single undivided property with a line running across the property could lead to easement issues in the future. Q: One of our members has offered to read meters each month for free. Use some water out of the storage tank (ground or elevated). They summarized that because there had been a meter at that location, the new applicant should not be responsible to pay for upgrades to the water mains because of new customers being added at other locations along that same water main. A: This is certainly a tricky situation but its one that many TRWA systems have faced when trying to enforce their tariff or district service policies. The member knows that resale of the water for a profit is not allowed. As it relates to the propertys location within or outside of a city, or its participation in any government-assisted or subsidized housing programs, it will be the owners responsibility to notify any necessary authorities of the new source of water, if required, since the system is merely supplying potable water to the property from a master meter. After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. 0000002796 00000 n <90> <90> <2022> It is never a good idea to set a meter at one residence with a yard or service line running across the property to the next active connection. Box 13087, Do you have a source for best practices when planning to deal with this issue? Google Map, Tel: 512.472.8591 Some of this cost will be paid by these new customers once they start paying their monthly water bill, but the previous customers not only have been paying for what it costs for them to receive water delivered to their homes, they have also been paying a bit extra toward the complete debt-service for all existing capacity. Public wells supply drinking water to municipalities. An LUE is assumed to represent 3.5 people living in a residence. 0000036396 00000 n <00> <00> <0000> <99> <99> <2122> 1616 Rio Grande 0000002157 00000 n Accordingly, at Section 24.169(a)(2) of the PUCs rules, the Commission unequivocally states that unless otherwise ordered by the commission, each utility shall provide, install, own and maintain all meters necessary for the measurement of water provided to its customers.. The short answer is yes, the WSC/district board can change their tariff/service policy to allow for meters to be set on someone elses property. Q: How does a person with multiple mobile homes become a master-metered account? Even a temporary hose hook-up is prohibited since that is a violation of the conditions found in your customer service application and agreement. The rules go on to state that once a system begins to use some of that extra capacity, they need to begin designing specific improvements which will replace this used capacity. Additionally, many systems didnt want to maintain extended meters and lines within the private property, because in several cases working on these lines proved too intrusive on peoples private property and roads. This can lead to lawsuits and fights between neighbors and family members, and often the utility ends up bearing the brunt of these clashes. U0!_bU2S'vB9{h7UM;y>F]6]>_]I;j]R_}I/l <00A0> The CSI inspector should make a note on the CSI form stating that the well has been completely disconnected from all the potable water lines serving the dwelling units. The corporation will disconnect without notice if the member refuses to allow access for the purpose of confirming the existence of such condition and/or removing the dangerous or hazardous condition (30 TAC 290.46(i) and 290.46(j)). <9F> <9F> <0178> Q: Our system is replacing all of our meters. <20> <7E> <0020> Your tariff should include the requirements for evaluating an application for a master meter. It appears they have done this to supply water to more than 60 small rental homes on two 5/8 x 3/4 meters. Austin, TX 78701 /Ordering (UCS) 389 0 obj <>stream Published February/March 2021 (Issue 1 of Quench). 0000000536 00000 n <99> <99> <2122> This standard specifies that all chemicals used properly will not cause any health effects for the consumers. In addition to the cost of the meter installation as well as any upfront impact or buy in fees. A: This is a common question. %%EOF The result is an estimate of total There are many different types and uses of wells.