New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 21 - Miscellaneous › Chapter LXXXIII - Buffalo Water Board › Part 10085 - Buffalo Water Board Regulations › Section 10085.13 - Water meters

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a) Installation
				of meters. In all cases, the water board reserves the right to place a meter
				upon any premises. The owner, user or tenant, or agent thereof of the premises
				must provide a suitable place wherein to place the meter. After the meter is so
				attached, any damage which such meter may sustain, resulting from the tortious
				conduct of such owner, user, tenant or agent to properly secure and protect the
				same, as well as any damage which may result from allowing such meter to become
				frozen or to be injured by hot water or steam settling back from a boiler,
				shall be paid to the water board on demand. In case payment is not so made, the
				water shall be shut off and not turned on until all charges are paid. The water
				board may sue and collect of the owner, user tenant or agent thereof the amount
				of such damages in civil action. All persons are forbidden to tamper with,
				knowingly render inaccurate, interfere with or disconnect a water meter from
				any service after it has been attached to any premises. All meters shall be
				furnished by the water board and remain the property of the water board. All
				references to meters shall include the meter, wires and connections
				thereto.
(b) Complaints on meters.
				In all cases where a complaint is received about meter and a service call to
				the premises where the meter is located is required, the person making the
				complaint shall make arrangements for access to the meter by department
				personnel at a definite time and date. In the event that department personnel
				are unable to gain access to the meter at the time and on the date specified,
				such person shall be liable for the real cost incurred by the water board and
				the city for such service call. In case payment is not so made, the water shall
				be shut off and not turned on until all charges are paid. The charge referred
				to herein shall be made for each time city personnel are unable to gain access
				to a meter after receiving a complaint and making an appointment to inspect the
				meter at the premises in which the meter is located.
(c) Entry to premises. The commissioner
				reserves the right to enter, at any reasonable time, and with reasonable
				notice, any premises where a water meter is installed, for the purpose of
				reading, testing, examining, repairing, removing, replacing or modifying such
				meter and its appurtenances when, in the opinion of the commissioner, such
				action is necessary.
(d) Meters.
(1) All premises shall be equipped with a
				water meter to measure all water consumption, unless the commissioner
				determines that the placement of a meter in a dwelling or structure is
				impracticable or impossible.
(2) No
				meter will be furnished to any consumer for any purpose except at the minimum
				rates per meter as provided in the board schedule of rates.
(3) If a meter fails at any time to register
				or inaccurately measures the quantity of water consumed, then such quantity
				shall be determined and the charge will be made based on the average quantity
				registered during such preceding period of time prior to the date of failure as
				the commissioner may determine.
(4)
				In the event it becomes impossible or impractical to obtain a current reading
				of any meter, for any reason, then the quantity of water consumed during such
				time shall be determined, and the charge will be made based on the average
				quantity registered during such preceding period of time prior to the date of
				impossibility or impracticability as the commissioner may determine.
(5) No deduction may be made from the
				invoices on account of leakage.
(6)
				All defects in meters must be reported to the department for repair or
				correction.
(7) All meters must at
				all times be accessible to the employees of the department for examination and
				inspection.