It is best to set the meters close to the structure to be served and to always obtain an easement for service lines and meters before new service is established. <84> <84> <201E> 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. endobj Systems generally dont want to extend their liability onto or across private property to read meters or make repairs after dark within a private property on the off chance that frequent trips onto that property raises the chance of some type of accident or damage to the owners property or tenants. <9A> <9A> <0161> 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. Use some water out of the storage tank (ground or elevated). xref Q: We have a convenience store and a chain restaurant using the same meter. However, most of the time there isnt an easement filed between the two neighbors for the meter and service line from the front property to the back property being served. The capacity requirement is driven, in part, by the maximum potential amount of water that could be pushed through that meter on a peak day. <8D> <8D> <2022> However, the applicant or landowner can request a single master meter if they dont want to re-plumb their entire property to accommodate individual meters. <82> <82> <201A> The member wants to know if a neighbor can hook up to the meter and if so, under what circumstances. <8F> <8F> <2022> <00> <00> <0000> g MLu]VxcN[4wosYpe$C4-`#`:euD=G)\IGiuu}o\2kr%Scw#LBSkEkG=] i"a8S7EB=w=N 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. Does the one meter per residence apply in this situation? There is an automatic gate that only works by remote and we do not have access to it. endstream endobj startxref 0000001247 00000 n The meter and/or wastewater connection is for the sole use of the Member or customer and is to provide service to only one (1) dwelling or one (1) business. The original member will pay all costs associated with a new meter installation as if they were a new customer, since they are a new customer at this new location. You should always keep the safety of your employees in mind and act within the law. 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. Q: I am aware of the rule that requires meters to be located on the property being served. <9C> <9C> <0153> 1. Since the two businesses have separated and are no longer on the same property, then the convenience store is diverting water to another property, which constitutes an illegal connection or transfer of water from one property to another. <]/Info 87 0 R/Prev 844706 >> 71 0 obj<>stream There should be a calibration or certification of accuracy with the new meter. endstream endobj 70 0 obj<> endobj 72 0 obj<> endobj 73 0 obj<>/XObject<>/ProcSet 79 0 R>> endobj 74 0 obj<>stream xb```a``Jc`f`ed@ Ar,8-O00/2\B;wOg`Xl_SKl}w>5">%QPH2F50e00,c 5RJf5v zn ' +\AF> <8F> <8F> <2022> Now the member wants the water meter moved to a different property about 100 yards from its original location. * 04dOvZ% y;a p^u N&?FqCe6MoA <> The valve shall meet AWWA standards (a ball valve is preferred). We encourage you to consider options for providing service and, most immediately, to ensure compliance with the 85 percent requirement. If your board would like for one of TRWAs staff to attend a meeting to do some rate training, please contact our office. <89> <89> <2030> 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.. Different growth <8D> <8D> <2022> trailer 0000000766 00000 n Big problems can occur when either of the properties changes hands. The extra 15 percent capacity is supposed to be maintained by the system (not paid for by the new customer), but the system may require applicants requesting service to pay for some of the system upgrades that will be used by that applicant. <83> <83> <0192> Installing multiple meters on a single undivided property with a line running across the property could lead to easement issues in the future. connection (living unit equivalent) that for the purposes of this Amended Agreement shall be Six Hundred Fifty 36 beginbfrange ~0r; And what if one or all of those new meters were located on the same property, but a half mile away from the end of your current line? PUC rules also specify the requirements for language that must be included in the rental agreement regarding submetering, how the charges are to be calculated and how billing is to be conducted. Well get someone to demonstrate the rate template weve designed and provided to systems across the state. As an example, the number of service connections in an apartment complex would be equal to the number of individual apartment units. 0000000016 00000 n 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. 36 beginbfrange 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. Example: A 20-space trailer park with a 2-inch meter has been evaluated by some TCEQ inspectors to be the actual number of trailer spaces available. Private or domestic wells can be used for a variety purposes, such as irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses. "General Plan" means the General Plan prepared by Developer as submitted to 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. The TCEQ interprets an "active connection" as a connection that is completed or existing and able to supply drinking water from the PWS to a single-family 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.. <89> <89> <2030> 12 dict begin Hopefully this will help address the customers concerns. << 0000001086 00000 n Finally, it is also important to be clear with the applicant regarding how the drought contingency and water rationing requirements apply to the irrigation meter. The member knows that resale of the water for a profit is not allowed. 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. 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. <8C> <8C> <0152> %PDF-1.7 However, if your homeowner needs a 1" or larger meter, then the requirements for non-standard service as outlined in Section F. of the TRWA Sample Tariff would apply, including an engineering study for each oversized meter. An eight-inch (8") water main will generally be required to distribute water and provide fire protection within the multi-family district provided that the water main does not exceed 600 feet in length or serve more than two 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. 0000000825 00000 n <90> <90> <2022> /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin The system is not responsible for securing or requiring an easement for any service line from the meter to the ultimate customers home. 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. Q: One of our members has offered to read meters each month for free. Going back to my earlier example, if a current customer wanted a new meter placed at the end of a road a 1/2 mile past the end of the existing water line, that new customer should pay their costs for extending that line and not have that cost be paid for by the rest of the members. Fax: 512.472.5186 Requiring employees to climb ladders to get over fences or traverse 500 feet of property may not be reasonable access for your system and could be considered denial of access. The capacity is being used either way, and these new meters and customers are utilizing their share of the systems resources. <95> <95> <2022> This is referred to in Section C under the definition of member and proof of ownership, and again in Section E under Rules and Regulations. IQ-EQ | 110,749 followers on LinkedIn. fA=~0xO}wASICHzKnp[o each new commercial connection and $1,000 for each new residential connection. This eliminates the need for a system to conduct manual drive-bys and allows all meters to be read from the whole system in a matter of minutes from the office. w;A`@3YceL 0a0DD8T#_ _~qd"D|%U0 a`q]HEWls!G29h4 /CIDSystemInfo Q: Our 1.5-inch water line is at capacity and someone who is building a home in the area asked to add a meter to our line. begincmap For example, the provisions of TRWAs Sample Tariff regarding non-standard service include the requirement that the corporation approve the design requirements of the applicants required facilities prior to initiation of a non-standard service contract. A: TCEQ rule 290.44(a)(4) explains the purpose of the rule stating: Each community public water system shall provide accurate metering devices at each residential, commercial or industrial service connection for the accumulation of water usage data. This ensures that the water system can document that customers are being billed properly. I have also seen frustration when the front property owner requests a second meter from the system and the line is at capacity. NSF 61 states that all components and materials used to cast or create the water works material/parts not contain any banned substances and that the meter, pipe, and/or parts have been properly constructed with the appropriate base materials. 339 0 obj <> endobj 0 <8E> <8E> <017D> <00AE> << lmr19a9s;rw;A$PsI@mr+9pB? The assumed population equivalent per connection should be indicated. This saves the systems from having to maintain multiple meters and make multiple service trips to disconnect and reconnect individual rental property meters, allows for a single water bill to be mailed, and saves the property owner money by not requiring them to maintain multiple lines across their property. For example, the Service Rules and Regulations of the TRWA Sample Tariff, Section E, states: An apartment building, condominium, manufactured housing (modular, mobile or RV) community, business center or other similar type enterprise may be considered by the Corporation to be a single commercial facility if the owner applies for a meter as a 'master metered account' and complies with the requirements set forth in PUC rules, this Tariff and applicable law. TRWAs Sample Tariff, Section B provides additional detail, requiring compliance with PUC, Chapter 24, Subchapter H rules pertaining to submetering. One requirement under PUC rules is that the owner who intends to bill tenants for sub-metered or allocated utility service or who changes the method used to bill tenants for utility service must register with the PUC in a form prescribed by the commission. 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 have visited several systems who have purchased AMR meters that are compatible with the AMI meters. for the single-family residential customer group. endstream endobj 77 0 obj<>/BaseFont/Courier/FirstChar 0/LastChar 255/Subtype/Type1/ToUnicode 78 0 R/Widths[0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600]>> endobj 78 0 obj<>stream Further, in the past we have seen many TCEQ investigators count dead taps into the systems overall capacity requirements using the assumption that at any time in the future the system would still be responsible for supplying not only the active connections but previously existing connections also. 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. <002D> /CMapName /CourierOPBaseFont1 def Leakage 8. 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. A: You have a couple different issues to address. "Equivalent residential units" or "ERU" is a unit of measurement based upon a standard single-family residential home used to establish rates, fees and charges and volume capacity limits. /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin 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. end Is this a fool-proof verification? A: This is one of those situations where a little extra effort by the system up front can save them substantial headaches and costs down the road. endcmap Would a hose running across the potential users property, across the alleyway, and across about 10 feet of the members property be allowed? This just means that when the new or existing master meter needs to be tested, the operator can either use an existing, on-site storage tank or any large tanker (fire truck if the capacity is large enough) with a known capacity to verify the meter accuracy. <8A> <8A> <0160> 0000001107 00000 n Q: What is the purpose of the restriction on multiple connections to a single tap rule? Section E allows for disconnection without notice when a known dangerous or hazardous condition exists for which service may remain disconnected for as long as the condition exists, including but not limited to a public health nuisance as defined in Texas Health and Safety Code Sections 341.011 or 343.011. There are many points that need to be addressed before agreeing to this offer. Sometimes multiple lines from multiple meters can become a maintenance nightmare because all the lines, meters and valves look the same. Section 290.38 defines a connection as "a single-family residential unit or each commercial or industrial establishment to which drinking water is supplied from the system." Including this language in a notification letter to all utility customers will help explain why the system is requiring a change for existing multiple connections. Next, the utility should contact the systems engineer to obtain a study showing how the number and location of the different dwellings are situated on the tract of land. An LUE is assumed to represent 3.5 people living in a residence. The result is an estimate of total 0000000536 00000 n TCEQs Chapter 290 requires a meter to accurately determine the usage of each customer unless a master metering arrangement has been made. Each system has to check references, call neighboring systems that use the same product or professional, and verify to the best of their ability the facts before purchasing materials or entering into a contract. 0000036396 00000 n 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. A: This is an issue weve been talking to TCEQ about as far back as 2004. 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. %%EOF s)Q0tWN However, TCEQs 2019 guidance on determining the number of connections served by public water systems defines active connection to include any connection that has the capacity to receive water, even if there is no customer currently receiving water service there. This can be as little as one foot or several feet of water added to the tank. You should review this situation with your engineers. Q: Our system is replacing all of our meters. Not sure they have a higher level." Yes, his is true but interestingly only since 4 September. 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. <8E> <8E> <017D> 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. 0000001445 00000 n Instead, growth should pay for growth, even if a current member is responsible for the new growth through the addition of a second meter on their property. <00A0> 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . This includes design, review and approval of all plans and all on-site and off-site service facilities by the corporations engineer and compliance with any applicable municipal or other governmental codes and specifications. Q: A member of our WSC has two water meters on his property. 389 0 obj <>stream The nagging question I have is what is the motive for this charity act and how long will it take for the fun to wear off? A: TRWA hasnt tracked the number of systems that have installed electronic read meters, whether they be the AMR (drive-by) or AMI (instrumental gathered information) meters. Texas Water Code Sec. The WSC board can amend the water rates at any board meeting where rate adjustments are posted as an agenda item for action. <9E> <9E> <017E> Payment of these fees are reimbursable if and when the District sells Bonds for that purpose and the TCEQ . Back in 2004, TRWA staff met with TCEQ to discuss several issues relating to their capacity regulations and interpretations. endstream endobj 382 0 obj <>stream <20> <7E> <0020> G{|(> 7 The TCEQ rules dont necessarily state that the calibration must take place upon installation but the clock has to start somewhere and the safe option is to calibrate the meter yourself or secure a certificate of accuracy from the meter company. This is the back property customers responsibility. 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. |pz~0u]MbHw{B|%r4ln'Ur]af2Ia0 fkF0S;@G bYH(?I A: The answer is yes, its not only ethical, its also both fair and necessary. <91> <92> <2018> 0000000903 00000 n Q: Our system has been asked to serve two quadplexes that were until recently supplied by wells that no longer produce water. <09> <0A> <0009> <88> <88> <02C6> <80> <80> <20AC> Master District that constitutes an Equivalent Single Family Connection, which amount may be changed from time to time. Google Map, Tel: 512.472.8591 This is a hard line for systems to take, but otherwise you are operating on an honor system in which the applicant has little incentive to uphold his or her end of the bargain. Austin, TX 78701 <95> <95> <2022> This certificate should meet the TCEQ master meter test requirements for initial installation of the meter. Would the individual use the company vehicle or his own? <8A> <8A> <0160> Whatever the reason for requesting a second or third meter, they get irritated when they are denied the other meter (or told they will have to pay the cost of paralleling the line) while the person behind their property is enjoying a meter on their property. There is also a concern about whether your easement allows system personnel to traverse 500 feet of the owners property. endbfrange Customers that do not report multiple connections, causing utility employees to have to investigate the matter, are usually denied these waivers. 6^u9Z{s DraDsio1,m?Ph/&KZlho_ryP 1616 Rio Grande 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. We don't know what size the line is behind the meters or how they have them hooked up. The regulations of the Public Utility Commission also make clear in Section 24.163(a)(2)(A) & (B)that the system is responsible to furnish and install, for the purpose of connecting its distribution system to the service applicants property, the service pipe from its main to the meter on the service applicants property. Ownership of meters by the retail public utility, whether a district, WSC, city or privately owned system, is essential to the ability of the utility to effectively comply with its regulatory obligations. <00> <00> <0000> << <86> <87> <2020> 362 13 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).