xref Leakage 8. Save. 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. Q: Can a WSC allow a homeowner to have an additional meter for the sole purpose of running the sprinkler system for their lawn and landscape? If your new meter is a 2-inch or smaller positive displacement meter, the straight pipe runs are not required for the meter to be accurate. The member wants to know if a neighbor can hook up to the meter and if so, under what circumstances. The Commercial facilities are calculated by an Equivalent . <7F> <7F> <2022> 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. 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. A new membership fee should be required for each new meter. I1Aq sa:VAza:o ~6_9d23\@GfqQ H4o?a Z}*B"E}I"}}-}oKk$D%+M?AGPf!Sn$_ WzIj&?K/GrwkIL ( kZPiu-Jbg\N2A;$_J|MS[t7P]"nSx}tcGl>^ZKeKH^ZURCZjVAiU&6mvTAl/wDXIvS-U*Kv[GAWBk'3TnM(u"wP4n": $ ZJ[$+n4b=J}}0_LWjcF;0kc.#1I-u}'[{W}$LSKUnUKI.DW~mR^Np voZNL*aAnh^Xo;kji,5]4>Q/ZhB4cq: TuMBv;M8OPhFGDDDDE_k#[vD4 Dr(~[uk_w~'oa_}2;WdASMS aA aV* 8IxFDDDDD_B""#__O &FF#0B>"(4#c3h*E/#!!80 "Df"qdp%_d$vHf -Uyxn/dqHGci|GE800f:(F/GG0xG#xx DDD-p0 endstream endobj 382 0 obj <>stream CMapName currentdict /CMap defineresource pop The two businesses had been in a partnership in the past under one roof. <8C> <8C> <0152> While this may have been more of an undertaking many years ago, most counties have modernized and this research can now generally be done from the systems office. 0000036396 00000 n Since the two businesses have separated and are no longer on the same property, then the convenience store is diverting water to another property, which constitutes an illegal connection or transfer of water from one property to another. TRWA recommends that systems stop floating memberships and meters from one property to another because of the confusion it creates. It appears they have done this to supply water to more than 60 small rental homes on two 5/8 x 3/4 meters. /Registry (CourierOPBaseFont1) startxref If so, that is another major concern for liability should he interpret this agreement to read the meters as having free reign to the systems facilities. Installing multiple meters on a single undivided property with a line running across the property could lead to easement issues in the future. Most manufacturers suggest straight runs of pipe ahead of and following a master meter. In either case, the utility must ensure that fees are assessed fairly. hbbd``b`+A| "[@@ebX H0X "$k $BG HI (,HW *##6F0 w Problems also come about if a leak occurs by some accident or digging operation by the front property owner and the back property owner wants them to pay for damages, or have the system discount their water bill because they didnt know they had a leak. How common are they compared to the traditional positive displacement manual read meters? We encourage you to consider options for providing service and, most immediately, to ensure compliance with the 85 percent requirement. Based on my experience, a great number of systems opt to have a single meter properly sized to meet the service needs requested by the owner instead of having multiple smaller master meters or even individual meters for each apartment. 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. <9A> <9A> <0161> 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. It is not cost effective for us to run a six inch line extension just to supply water to one new house. <20> <7E> <0020> First, youll want to look at what your tariff and non-standard service agreement state as far as requirements for service and what you have agreed to provide. As an example, the number of service connections in an apartment complex would be equal to the number of individual apartment units. 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. One of these meters is on a 1"water main line and the other meter on a 1 1/2 water main line. /Registry (Times-RomanOPBaseFont0) <9E> <9E> <017E> 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. /CMapName /CourierOPBaseFont1 def TRWA suggests that systems tell their customers to add the cost of their meter and impact fee to the cost of their property before they sell in order to fund installing another meter at their new location. <20> <7E> <0020> Q: Our system has been asked to serve two quadplexes that were until recently supplied by wells that no longer produce water. Again, this is an insurance issue to address with your insurance carrier. <00> <00> <0000> endobj 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? There is nothing that prevents a customer from having a separate meter just for their irrigation system. The customer must, at his or her expense, properly install, inspect, test, maintain and provide all required documentation of any approved backflow prevention device required by the corporation (30 TAC 290.46(j); Section I Service Application and Agreement). <82> <82> <201A> A: This is commendable for a system member to agree to read all the meters for your system at no cost. These existing capacity components were and are being paid for through monthly water rates. Present Ave. Daily Flow (B 6 + B 7 ) Single family - include all single family homes, mobile homes and seasonal dwellings in this category. (16) Connection--A single family residential unit or each commercial or industrial establishment to which drinking water is supplied from the system. We don't know what size the line is behind the meters or how they have them hooked up. endobj <99> <99> <2122> 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. 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. <90> <90> <2022> ]BA Y,bps`>x/@HnqXNZ1yek5Fq8:^bV_W =.*'&0Y5E4oUpcbT6P,SkV/ lliF7LEM]AgDtC,a]oaF![Oi0 qy}>XPN&:VYCp>F0 " Think of it this way: what if that property owner was requesting not one meter, but four new ones? 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. end Section 24.89(a)(1) of the PUC's rules states that, all charges for water service shall be based on meter measurements, except where otherwise authorized by the utilitys approved tariff.. There should be a calibration or certification of accuracy with the new meter. <9A> <9A> <0161> Statewide Photo Campaign Promoting Drought Awareness Launches August 5! Connections may be described in terms of single family equivalent connections, living unit of equivalents, or any other generally accepted unit of consumption typically attributable to a single family household. The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. 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. 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. 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. >> def A: This is an issue weve been talking to TCEQ about as far back as 2004. Q: How important is the NSF 60 certification on meters or does it even matter? A: Your question is very common for all rural and some urban systems. Next write down the master meter reading on the meter to be tested. /CMapName /Times-RomanOPBaseFont0 def Published February/March 2021 (Issue 1 of Quench). 0 <002D> <98> <98> <02DC> 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. <8F> <8F> <2022> Published in July/August 2020 (Issue 4 of Quench). First, the one meter per residence language should be part of your tariff or service policy. 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. endcodespacerange Q: Some of our customers have built duplexes in our system. B. Multi-Family Residential A twelve-inch (12") water main shall be required to loop through a multi-family district. Either way, the system has to maintain these higher capacities of well production, storage tanks, pumps, lines and so on, or be fined for non-compliance for violations of 30 TAC Section 290.45 of the TCEQs rules. $`pi%X. <7F> <7F> <2022> <80> <80> <20AC> <9E> <9E> <017E> /CIDSystemInfo One of the main reasons for a turbine or propeller master meter to register incorrectly is improper piping configurations from the well to and past the meter location. Most of these systems have had positive comments about the dependability of these newer types of meters, and some reported only a 5 percent re-read when the meters were originally installed (this percentage typically went down as they got the bugs worked out). Q: What can you tell me about the new "electronic read" meters on the market today? There is also a concern about whether your easement allows system personnel to traverse 500 feet of the owners property. The WSC board can amend the water rates at any board meeting where rate adjustments are posted as an agenda item for action. For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn While it may be difficult for them to claim the second dwelling is vacant if evidence of habitation is obvious, some people might try to claim that the habitation is only intermittent, that no water is being used at the second location, or that water there is being supplied from a separate source. What options do we have to address this issue? %OEG+HqH\9-:Y2=Ht),h1#d W% `9B-eR+0 Finally, it is also important to be clear with the applicant regarding how the drought contingency and water rationing requirements apply to the irrigation meter. The impact fee and other front-end capital improvement fees also remain with the existing tap and location and should never be transferred to another property for the same reasons above. lmr19a9s;rw;A$PsI@mr+9pB? This allows the water to straighten out and have less turbulence, thereby allowing the meter to register as accurately as possible. endstream endobj startxref 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? 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. 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. 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. <8D> <8D> <2022> However, there are some situations where a brand-new meter is installed, and it doesnt register correctly. 12 dict begin <91> <92> <2018> A: You have a couple different issues to address. TRWA has provided numerous training sessions at conferences and at water system offices to demonstrate the impact of larger meters from a revenue impact as well as regulatory requirements. While the board of directors is keeping the old monthly charges and rates, we only have a base rate for 1 -inch meters. <8A> <8A> <0160> After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. xref 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. <82> <82> <201A> 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. 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. <8D> <8D> <2022> Any correspondence you send to this regard should include a deadline for the customers to contact the system to set up a CSI so the utility can verify whether any prohibited interconnection between the two dwellings exists. endstream endobj 70 0 obj<> endobj 72 0 obj<> endobj 73 0 obj<>/XObject<>/ProcSet 79 0 R>> endobj 74 0 obj<>stream 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. 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. 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. /Supplement 0 There also is a section in the Service Application and Agreement form RUS-TX Bulletin 1780-9 (05/17) that states: All water shall be metered by meters to be furnished and installed by the Corporation. A: Yes, I've heard of the practice of allowing multiple meters on single properties at multiple systems. Q: A current member of our WSC has asked for a second meter on their property. We would like to have the chain restaurant apply for and install a meter since the convenience store has a meter and active account. <00A0> The one meter per residence just means that a customer can't have two or more residences or businesses on a single meter. Yu%]OV^jhzUKI51*&;?m'{{~aTV%jkC PM 5#: 5$Gn ma0Mg]q}ZjBT8!t0#HD4"?@taAhDDDDDDDDDD~""""""?YY#ldd#3334k$WT M&=R 0000001032 00000 n <8F> <8F> <2022> <00> <88> <88> <02C6> Institutional 4. a@0VZ F8A8!@!af^""""#o^?l2AD 4i5M=n^/#{B^m^m}5ok8M4M0P aj""# <85> <85> <2026> 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. 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. Q: We have a convenience store and a chain restaurant using the same meter. These references clearly state that the meter belongs to the corporation and is to be maintained by the corporation. end Turn the well control on and fill the tank or until there has been sufficient production from the well into the tank to raise the level of water or for the pump to cut off automatically. Also, since the lead ban was in effect when the units were constructed in 2006, the CSI inspector should use swabs to test the plumbing for led. These items became assets and therefore had to be maintained and upgraded at the expense of the water system. In this case, applicants pay for what is necessary to provide them with their individual service, including his or her part of line upgrades, wells, tanks or treatment capacities before receiving service or entering into a service contract; the system pays for any facility capacity in excess of what the individual needs. Your tariff should include the requirements for evaluating an application for a master meter. endstream endobj 75 0 obj<>/BaseFont/Times-Roman/FirstChar 0/LastChar 255/Subtype/Type1/ToUnicode 76 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 0 250 340 410 500 500 840 785 185 340 340 500 560 250 340 250 290 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 290 290 565 565 565 440 925 720 670 670 725 610 555 720 720 335 390 725 615 880 720 720 560 720 665 555 605 715 715 945 725 725 610 335 275 335 475 500 330 450 500 450 500 450 340 500 500 275 275 500 275 775 500 500 500 500 340 390 285 500 500 720 500 500 450 490 200 490 550 350 500 350 340 500 450 1000 500 500 340 1000 565 340 890 350 610 350 350 340 340 445 445 350 500 1000 340 990 390 340 730 350 450 730 250 340 500 500 500 500 210 500 340 770 280 500 570 340 770 340 410 570 300 300 340 510 460 250 340 300 310 500 750 750 750 445 720 720 720 720 720 720 885 675 615 615 615 615 340 340 340 340 720 720 720 720 720 720 720 565 720 720 720 720 720 720 560 500 450 450 450 450 450 450 670 450 450 450 450 450 280 280 280 280 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 565 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500]>> endobj 76 0 obj<>stream 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . <89> <89> <2030> 71 0 obj<>stream 6^u9Z{s DraDsio1,m?Ph/&KZlho_ryP <9D> <9D> <2022> <8C> <8C> <0152> 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. connection (living unit equivalent) that for the purposes of this Amended Agreement shall be Six Hundred Fifty fA=~0xO}wASICHzKnp[o The sample tariff also allows service to be disconnected, after notice, if access is denied for three consecutive months. |pz~0u]MbHw{B|%r4ln'Ur]af2Ia0 fkF0S;@G bYH(?I 67.016(d) provides that a corporation may make water or sewer service conditional on ownership of the real estate designated to receive service and from which the membership or other right of participation arises. Subsection (e) authorizes a corporation to cancel a persons membership if he fails to meet a condition of service prescribed by the corporation. An LUE is assumed to represent 3.5 people living in a residence. TRWA does not recommend any product, supplier or person and leaves that decision up to each system. The side benefit of the AMI technology is that when someone reports a leak in the system, this type of meter allows the system to read meters in that section to determine if the leak is from their system lines or from overwatering or leaks on the customers side. The assumed population equivalent per connection should be indicated. Afo/.# G(omQb#\9 endstream endobj 5 0 obj<>/Width 2550/Height 3300/BitsPerComponent 1/ColorSpace/DeviceGray/Type/XObject/Name/background_2/Subtype/Image>>stream 12 dict begin begincmap <83> <83> <0192> These waivers usually apply only when the customer voluntarily contacts the system to either install the appropriate number of meters or allow for inspection by system staff to verify that the other connections are not being used. H|T0WQNd(>3IQb= To Top. Even if the customer would only need standard service, TRWAs Sample Tariff includes the requirement that the property of the applicant/ member shall be inspected to ensure compliance with state required Minimum Acceptable Operating Practices for Public Drinking Water Systems as promulgated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) or successor agency. 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. Not sure they have a higher level." Yes, his is true but interestingly only since 4 September. <8E> <8E> <017D> Extension of pipe(s) to transfer utility service from one property to another, to share, resell, or submeter water to any other persons, dwellings, businesses, or property, etc., is prohibited. If your engineer has not approved the use of the booster pump or sized the lines and meters to accommodate the 60 rental homes, the customer is not in compliance with the terms of the agreement and your tariff. Id like to offer an observation though, based on the information from the TRWA Sample Tariff. 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. u5e` T Google Map, Tel: 512.472.8591 0000002796 00000 n As a general rule, the only difference should be in base rates based on size of meter as indicated in the TRWA Sample Tariff. It is up to each customer to determine whether they must register as a business with the state or not. This standard specifies that all chemicals used properly will not cause any health effects for the consumers. The defined area is depicted in Appendix 1. <9A> <9A> <0161> %%EOF We have several customers who have gates at the back of their homes and their homes are built at least 500 feet off the road. If your utility is a political subdivision and you do not have a certificate of convenience and necessity, your obligation and requirements are dictated by other state statutes. During these discussions, we talked about vacant and dormant taps to see how the agency would rule on a cost of service appeal if the system were to remove these dead taps to free up system capacity for other applicants along that water main. <86> <87> <2020> <85> <85> <2026> 10. Wouldnt it make sense for the owner to have to pay the cost of extending the line(s) out to those structures? This is the back property customers responsibility. 389 0 obj <>stream %PDF-1.7 <80> <80> <20AC> % 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. We have some meter boxes that do not have a meter as they were either pulled for non-payment or the owner requested them to be removed. <99> <99> <2122> Q: How does a person with multiple mobile homes become a master-metered account? Private or domestic wells can be used for a variety purposes, such as irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses. Sometimes multiple lines from multiple meters can become a maintenance nightmare because all the lines, meters and valves look the same. It is best to work with your customers so that a reasonable solution can be found. Only the labor to reinstall the meter, a new customer service inspection fee, the BPAT test if there was a backflow assembly there before, and the refundable membership fees could be charged to the new applicant at that previously served location. Q: We have been made aware of a customer who has installed an inline booster pump on their side of the meter. <8A> <8A> <0160> The valve shall meet AWWA standards (a ball valve is preferred). This can be as little as one foot or several feet of water added to the tank. Next, the system may want to offer a compliance schedule so that service will not be interrupted during the construction and installation of a second meter on the property designated to receive service..

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