Texas Administrative Code › Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION › Part 2 - PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS › Chapter 24 - SUBSTANTIVE RULES APPLICABLE TO WATER AND SEWER SERVICE PROVIDERS › Subchapter I - WATER UTILITY SUBMETERING AND ALLOCATION › Section 24.287 - Submeters or Point-of-Use Submeters and Plumbing Fixtures

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Submeters or point-of-use submeters.
(1) Same type submeters or point-of-use
				  submeters required. All submeters or point-of-use submeters throughout a
				  property must use the same unit of measurement, such as gallon, liter, or cubic
				  foot.
(2) Installation by owner.
				  The owner shall be responsible for providing, installing, and maintaining all
				  submeters or point-of-use submeters necessary for the measurement of water to
				  tenants and to common areas, if applicable.
(3) Submeter or point-of-use submeter tests
				  prior to installation. No submeter or point-of-use submeter may be placed in
				  service unless its accuracy has been established. If any submeter or
				  point-of-use submeter is removed from service, it must be properly tested and
				  calibrated before being placed in service again.
(4) Accuracy requirements for submeters and
				  point-of-use submeters. Submeters must be calibrated as close as possible to
				  the condition of zero error and within the accuracy standards established by
				  the American Water Works Association (AWWA) for water meters. Point-of-use
				  submeters must be calibrated as closely as possible to the condition of zero
				  error and within the accuracy standards established by the American Society of
				  Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for point-of-use and branch- water submetering
				  systems.
(5) Location of submeters
				  and point-of-use submeters. Submeters and point-of-use submeters must be
				  installed in accordance with applicable plumbing codes and AWWA standards for
				  water meters or ASME standards for point-of-use submeters, and must be readily
				  accessible to the tenant and to the owner for testing and inspection where such
				  activities will cause minimum interference and inconvenience to the
				  tenant.
(6) Submeter and
				  point-of-use submeter records. The owner shall maintain a record on each
				  submeter or point-of-use submeter which includes:
(A) an identifying number;
(B) the installation date (and removal date,
				  if applicable);
(C) date(s) the
				  submeter or point-of-use submeter was calibrated or tested;
(D) copies of all tests; and
(E) the current location of the submeter or
				  point-of-use submeter.
(7) Submeter or point-of-use submeter test on
				  request of tenant. Upon receiving a written request from the tenant, the owner
				  shall either:
(A) provide evidence, at no
				  charge to the tenant, that the submeter or point-of-use submeter was calibrated
				  or tested within the preceding 24 months and determined to be within the
				  accuracy standards established by the AWWA for water meters or ASME standards
				  for point-of-use submeters; or
(B)
				  have the submeter or point-of-use submeter removed and tested and promptly
				  advise the tenant of the test results.
(8) Billing for submeter or point-of-use
				  submeter test.
(A) The owner may not bill the
				  tenant for testing costs if the submeter fails to meet AWWA accuracy standards
				  for water meters or ASME standards for point-of-use submeters.
(B) The owner may not bill the tenant for
				  testing costs if there is no evidence that the submeter or point-of-use
				  submeter was calibrated or tested within the preceding 24 months.
(C) The owner may bill the tenant for actual
				  testing costs (not to exceed $25) if the submeter meets AWWA accuracy standards
				  or the point-of-use submeter meets ASME accuracy standards and evidence as
				  described in paragraph (7)(A) of this subsection was provided to the
				  tenant.
(9) Bill
				  adjustment due to submeter or point-of-use submeter error. If a submeter does
				  not meet AWWA accuracy standards or a point-of-use submeter does not meet ASME
				  accuracy standards and the tenant was overbilled, an adjusted bill must be
				  rendered in accordance with § 24.283(k) of this title (relating to
				  Billing). The owner may not charge the tenant for any underbilling that
				  occurred because the submeter or point-of-use submeter was in error.
(10) Submeter or point-of-use submeter
				  testing facilities and equipment. For submeters, an owner shall comply with the
				  AWWA's meter testing requirements. For point-of-use meters, an owner shall
				  comply with ASME's meter testing requirements.