Over the past year Ive talked to at least a dozen systems with existing AMR meters who are upgrading or replacing them due to older meter batteries not holding up. Where is the middle ground here? 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. 0 {e9Q $b@;l0$" <9F> <9F> <0178> 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. hbbd``b`+A| "[@@ebX H0X "$k $BG HI (,HW *##6F0 w <8D> <8D> <2022> <9B> <9B> <203A> He has offered to buy a ladder, but does not want it left all the time, only when the meter is read. 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. <00AE> Each systems board will make the final decision on base rates, as well as usage rates and fees. Due to an expansion, the two split and are now serviced by the same meter. <002D> How common are they compared to the traditional positive displacement manual read meters? /CMapType 2 def Then a straight run of pipe at least three times the diameter of the pipe after the meter. 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. 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. D/^&H 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. <8A> <8A> <0160> <99> <99> <2122> 69 12 All connections shall be calculated based upon its equivalency to a customary Equivalent Single Family Connection using the City of Houston's equivalency table. Is this legal or what problems could this create? 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. << If a member purchases land other than where the original meter was installed, according to the TRWA Sample Tariff language, they have to transfer the membership to the new property owner and leave the meter in place. <85> <85> <2026> 363 0 obj The system is not responsible for securing or requiring an easement for any service line from the meter to the ultimate customers home. 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. Public wells supply drinking water to municipalities. The inspector would also check for chlorine residuals at any location which the customer says is being supplied water from a private well or other source. <<9e8032b06c2c514a87349e8822134d26>]>> 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. ~A%b u;_K[O]u?__KVX?p5~5Ka%K}>k47Z=j{u__t Other TCEQ inspectors have assessed the capacity requirements on the 2-inch meter size which industry standards deem to be eight times the normal capacity of the 5/8 x 3/4-inch meter, regardless of the number of trailers on the other side of the meter. <002D> Q: We have a customer who has his meter inside a fence. All the meters or at least the material data sheets should state that the materials used to manufacture the meters meet NSF 61. /CMapType 2 def The original members account should be closed out at the old address. Master metering is only applicable when it is a single piece of property, not two different tracts. 0000001247 00000 n One of our customers is demanding that she keep her meter since she paid for it and she feels it should be hers to keep. 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.. Amstelveen is a leafy, prosperous, family-oriented suburb close to Amsterdam, which has a growing population of international residents. <09> <0A> <0009> 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. ~0r; 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. TRWA does not recommend any product, supplier or person and leaves that decision up to each system. Published in May/June 2020 (Issue 3 of Quench). <91> <92> <2018> Prior to initial connection of any Customer other than a single-family residential Customer, the District's Engineer shall calculate . The result is an estimate of total <9C> <9C> <0153> 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. <9A> <9A> <0161> Then, once the system reaches 100 percent capacity, that system should begin constructing these new facilities to replace or build that extra 15 percent or more back into their system for future growth. There may be limitations that prevent using the meter when there is an outside water ban or other drought measures are in place. TCEQs Chapter 290 requires a meter to accurately determine the usage of each customer unless a master metering arrangement has been made. Given more information about your utility we may have suggestions regarding ideas on sharing the cost of any upgrade. Throughout my time at TRWA, I have seen too many systems that have allowed customers to dictate where they wanted their meters to be set. The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. <93> <94> <201C> Do you have a source for best practices when planning to deal with this issue? endcmap 0000006201 00000 n Hopefully the two figures are the same or within a reasonable margin of error. 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. After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. Would a hose running across the potential users property, across the alleyway, and across about 10 feet of the members property be allowed? xc```a``A2@\(}drBf The sample tariff also allows service to be disconnected, after notice, if access is denied for three consecutive months. The Members use of the Corporations curb stop or other similar valve for such purposes is prohibited. ESFCequivalent single-family connection. <8A> <8A> <0160> A: It is required that water systems verify that all materials and chemicals used in a public water system meet the TCEQ rules. Customers that do not report multiple connections, causing utility employees to have to investigate the matter, are usually denied these waivers. 8P_zz[__z-os%DtGDrJb"" )A These previously existing meter locations had already paid for or been granted capacity from the water main, and therefore they should not be required to pay for system upgrades. 0000001312 00000 n Examples of Equivalent Residential Connection in a sentence. <8E> <8E> <017D> If the customer still feels that the meter belongs to her then it may be helpful to give her the phone number to the PUC so she can discuss her concerns. A: Yes, I've heard of the practice of allowing multiple meters on single properties at multiple systems. Leakage 8. <84> <84> <201E> Not all the time, but it is usually pretty accurate unless another deed or court decree has been issued since the countys records were last updated. endcmap (This cut-off valve may be installed as a part of the original meter installation by the Corporation.). 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.. H_w"'i.wF%P)O 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. What options do we have to address this issue? The sample tariff allows the system to estimate a bill and notify the member of the estimate if meter access is hindered or denied. n``N}@:\_EF-_*p"X;9$W'}',vl#A7.9J uph%(+u n'8i b9XAH03047:|clf`. % My question is, how do we verify the boundaries of properties for this purpose? For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn begincmap The valve shall meet AWWA standards (a ball valve is preferred). If the main water line(s) are near the public roads, then the system may offer to move the meter down to the road. endstream endobj 340 0 obj <. <9A> <9A> <0161> The date of construction is not relevant to the issue of whether a single master meter or individual meters would be preferable; however, it is important when considering the required customer service inspection (CSI) which must be completed for all eight units and the tract of property to be served. What can we do if the owner of the membership denies that someone is living at the second residence? The most immediate issue to address is the potential health hazard caused by the loss of pressure when the booster pump kicks on. /CIDSystemInfo <90> <90> <2022> pSaU0t}% tAkmBxJ _`TzJjzm*cUxh$IRJ\&O N'>Mg2:I&L=w.- ?A~}TmCi6?IV PnzN' k~"KcJMi?kvEw-a]z}k#AUGH}+ImKefXv~i^v0~Lz_ANxO}toc3X] u:^on}{_ZT_[=u?Z-?ZI{_oVVt}U&/z^mZowam}Mc*)Xk}v>51KuR[M45qQQE{N?ToTvM;,t_KvN=< SM4'e`]'vx\R"""""#[l&`Me!0|Ez/hDDDDDDipPL,qD_{nb~@ 7dnUEh(}|Df1emQ|DGX%A7q3+;* 2r'dDg&J":' tQT[NO1;Z" 0a;AS#ii Even a temporary hose hook-up is prohibited since that is a violation of the conditions found in your customer service application and agreement. We think this might turn into a public relations problem. 0000002770 00000 n %PDF-1.3 % <98> <98> <02DC> <8D> <8D> <2022> 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. Q: We are revising our tariff. 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? A: This is definitely not a new question - many systems have faced this situation over the years. A: Yes, under Chapter 13 of the Texas Water Code you must provide service to the applicant if the location of the request for service lies within your certificated service area and your utility is privately owned or a nonprofit water supply corporation. Both of these sections clearly state that an owner of the property to be served is the only person qualified to be a WSC member and that the meter has to be installed on the property designated to be served. 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. 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. 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. PUC rules also support the tariff stating that customers/members of a WSC are only qualified to receive service when theyve complied with the written provisions included in the WSCs tariff. Irrigation with separate irrigation meter is a separate Type of Use. The Uniform Plumbing Code does not allow for booster pumps under this condition and TCEQ rule Section 290.44(d)(3) states that service connections that require booster pumps taking suction from the public water system lines must be equipped with automatic pressure cut-off devices so that the pumping units become inoperative at a suction pressure of less than 20 psi (thereby preventing a back siphonage condition). 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. The correspondence should also include a date on which service will be disconnected if the customer fails to make arrangements for the CSI. /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin A reason for rate training is so the board can justify the base and gallonage charges to all ratepayer classifications and also to TCEQ in case the rate is appealed. endstream endobj 79 0 obj[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] endobj 80 0 obj<>/Width 2550/Height 3300/BitsPerComponent 1/ColorSpace/DeviceGray/Type/XObject/Name/background_1/Subtype/Image>>stream 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. Language establishing the utilitys ownership of customer service meters runs throughout TRWAs model tariffs and service policies. In either case, the utility must ensure that fees are assessed fairly. * 04dOvZ% y;a p^u N&?FqCe6MoA 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. 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. startxref 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. /CMapName /Times-RomanOPBaseFont0 def Q: Our system is replacing all of our meters. What should we do? 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. 0 startxref The customer says there is a gate at the back of his property (more than 500 feet away). Do I need to calibrate the meter? We would like to have the chain restaurant apply for and install a meter since the convenience store has a meter and active account. A: The TRWA Sample Tariff states that a meter is to be set on the property designed to receive service and the owner of the property has to be the member of the corporation. G{|(> 7 The NSF 61 is the standard for all pipes, repair clamps, and any other fitting or material used in a public water system. Climb the tank and use a steel measuring tape to measure the height of water in the tank to the manway. Duplexes and triplexes are sufficiently similar to single family homes so that a duplex equals twice the ERU . 365 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<826B791C035DF141B5FC102546D7A1A5>]/Index[339 51]/Info 338 0 R/Length 113/Prev 168287/Root 340 0 R/Size 390/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream 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? Some folks opt for wells of around 300 gallons per minute or less to use a fire truck or tanker instead of climbing an elevated tank to do the measuring twice. Present Ave. Daily Flow (B 6 + B 7 ) Single family - include all single family homes, mobile homes and seasonal dwellings in this category. <9B> <9B> <203A> In many cases, system staff were simply too timid to enforce their own policies relating to meter locations if a customer raised their voice, said they would sue the system, or used an intimidating attitude. 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. C+vdt\?K(Pwu,Gu-=s-^|8o!$cntc}Egg=/ckY0 \ How should this be handled? There is an automatic gate that only works by remote and we do not have access to it. <80> <80> <20AC> <> 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . IQ-EQ | 110,749 followers on LinkedIn. %OEG+HqH\9-:Y2=Ht),h1#d W% `9B-eR+0 <93> <94> <201C> These existing capacity components were and are being paid for through monthly water rates. 0000003802 00000 n There is no requirement where a WSC can request the landowner to be registered as a business. While it may be difficult for them to claim the second dwelling is vacant if evidence of habitation is obvious, some people might try to claim that the habitation is only intermittent, that no water is being used at the second location, or that water there is being supplied from a separate source. A: This is commendable for a system member to agree to read all the meters for your system at no cost. The problem comes when that good person moves out and someone else purchases the front property and doesnt care for or even know the folks behind their property, and wants the customers service line and meter removed from their property. <86> <87> <2020> Texas Water Code Sec. 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)). Q: We have several members who have second living residences at their home, but only one meter. |pz~0u]MbHw{B|%r4ln'Ur]af2Ia0 fkF0S;@G bYH(?I {Y 9w,r, 6Q@4Og)nF9c"|A""?__ovt^o_dM`L2,s54#Pj0 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. 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. 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. This is the back property customers responsibility. <8E> <8E> <017D> %%EOF Institutional 4. Some systems do require individual meters to each different apartment, condo or other type business that is all owned by one individual or company.
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