A: Yes, I've heard of the practice of allowing multiple meters on single properties at multiple systems. But the continued headaches and future problems will not be worth the bad public relations this can cause if anything happens to the service line or meter that is on someone elses property. 362 0 obj 389 0 obj
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Hopefully the two figures are the same or within a reasonable margin of error. Q: One of our members sold their property and land but did not transfer the membership. Now the member wants the water meter moved to a different property about 100 yards from its original location. The wait times at the transit Schengen passport control might be a bit longer but probably not since the border police seems to be managing staff levels. <91> <92> <2018> 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. endobj 12 dict begin We bring together that rare . The normal benefit to the applicant and the system is that the applicant/landowner can design their own water system within their property and not have to worry about multiple meters and which service lines goes to which office or trailer space. <00> <00> <0000> <9E> <9E> <017E> 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. This has an added benefit that the customers will be required to maintain their own service lines from the meter to their houses. 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. 0000002770 00000 n
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Given more information about your utility we may have suggestions regarding ideas on sharing the cost of any upgrade. 0000000536 00000 n
endcmap 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. Q: Can we install a meter on land that is not owned by the system member if he gets an easement from the land owner? 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. The elimination of external parts should reduce the need for re-reads due to malfunctions. /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin <8C> <8C> <0152> /CMapType 2 def 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. A: Your question is very common for all rural and some urban systems. Ask Larry Archives: Metering and One Meter per Residence Rules. 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. endstream
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A: If your board has adopted the basic TRWA Sample Tariff language, then the meter costs and impact fee should stay with the property on which the meter was initially installed. This is the back property customers responsibility. 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. There is nothing in TCEQs Chapter 290 regulations which addresses the above scenario dealing with pre-existing taps that have been removed. What a system considers to be reasonable access may vary. Leakage 8. Q: We have a customer who has his meter inside a fence. 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. As an example, the number of service connections in an apartment complex would be equal to the number of individual apartment units. Q: We are revising our tariff. Published in January/February 2020 (Issue 1 of Quench). What options do we have to address this issue? 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 best to work with your customers so that a reasonable solution can be found. <88> <88> <02C6> 69 0 obj<>
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<81> <81> <2022> Written comments about an AO should be sent to the enforcement coordinator designated for each AO at the commission's central office at P.O. end HT One ESFC is defined as equaling a typical detached single-family house. Using the formula 3.14 X Radius X Radius X Height X 7.48 (gallons per cubic feet) you can calculate the number of gallons of water added to the storage tank. <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. <96> <97> <2013> The systems and engineers said that if these old dormant tap locations wanted to be re-serviced and if upgrades were required, the present landowners where service had previously existed would have to pay for those upgrades. <91> <92> <2018> (This cut-off valve may be installed as a part of the original meter installation by the Corporation.). Institutional 4. Billable flow (B 1 + B 5) 7. Amstelveen is a leafy, prosperous, family-oriented suburb close to Amsterdam, which has a growing population of international residents. <00A0> Use some water out of the storage tank (ground or elevated). ]*U}%GikLf!=ZpcC[RqHL If your systems tariff contains the same language as TRWAs sample tariff, failure to remedy this hazardous condition is subject to disconnection without notice, and ultimately cancellation of membership due to policy non-compliance in accordance with Section E if the issue is not remedied. Our employees drive around the community daily and can tell that there are clearly people living at these second residences. A: The property owner may have a single master meter as long as the property is not divided or does not consist of separate tracts of land. 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.. described above, SWWC currently supplies water to at least 5,465 active LUEs (i.e., single-2 Living Unit Equivalents (LUEs). \"L&h6AKm5 ZydZ
P*dGLr)9 3 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. Afo/.# G(omQb#\9 Q: Some of our customers have built duplexes in our system. 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. Present Ave. Daily Flow (B 6 + B 7 ) Single family - include all single family homes, mobile homes and seasonal dwellings in this category. 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. 363 0 obj Public wells supply drinking water to municipalities. Some meter manufacturers also require strainers or other devices to be installed to protect the meter and straighten or condition the water so that their meters will be as accurate as possible. Single family Non-Residential Flow (gpd) # Users 2. Others were due to leaks grounding out meters. <9C> <9C> <0153> <00AE> %%EOF
/Ordering (UCS) The member knows that resale of the water for a profit is not allowed. Commercial 5. 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. <99> <99> <2122> The correspondence should also include a date on which service will be disconnected if the customer fails to make arrangements for the CSI. According to subchapter D, rule 290.46(s)(1), flow measuring devices and rate-of-flow controllers that are required by 290.42(d) of this title (relating to Water Treatment) shall be calibrated at least once every 12 months. There are many points that need to be addressed before agreeing to this offer. /CIDSystemInfo 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. 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.. (In fact, conservation rates can escalate, in proportion to the total gallons, for customers using the greatest amounts of water on a monthly basis.) <86> <87> <2020> 0000053091 00000 n 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). Do we have to provide water to the new meter on this line? A: This is commendable for a system member to agree to read all the meters for your system at no cost. 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. endcodespacerange <8A> <8A> <0160> The system is not responsible for securing or requiring an easement for any service line from the meter to the ultimate customers home. #9: "We're already listed as very high risk. endstream
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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. Sometimes multiple lines from multiple meters can become a maintenance nightmare because all the lines, meters and valves look the same. A particular manufacturer is selling a pretty good meter, but it is not certified and before I invest a lot of money into their radio read system I need someone to answer this question. 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). 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.. Usually, the original person that is allowing the other persons meter to be installed on their property (the front property owner) is agreeable and welcomes the chance to help their neighbor (the back property owner) save some money. He has offered to buy a ladder, but does not want it left all the time, only when the meter is read. 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. Your tariff should include the requirements for evaluating an application for a master meter. stream Those base rates dont have to be the actual meter size equivalent listed in the TRWA Sample Tariff, but one of the reasons/ justifications for a higher base rate for these larger meters is the TCEQs capacity requirements that each system must maintain. Would the individual use the company vehicle or his own? <83> <83> <0192> << <85> <85> <2026> We would like to have the chain restaurant apply for and install a meter since the convenience store has a meter and active account. The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. {Y 9w,r,
6Q@4Og)nF9c"|A""?__ovt^o_dM`L2,s54#Pj0 After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. 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. 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. If your board would like for one of TRWAs staff to attend a meeting to do some rate training, please contact our office. :RA%_Xo($N4jKA$iH~5]_]_W_4_'MAzcbhS Gj,+ NPt%TJMvM'B!41F"#4_M}:C?o_o_Z__^_,bD-CF`s;7Qfdcq12FnfhPM4w*`Rthj7v>N2nAqNtF?ON~kEWTB}WLO'?~_Kjjv?ijpU5l%.^=8I>5jtLd%-A^XABL4"?DDDD~~/a?i{`TG{`_+IW21 ffy./HZU"L3FRCa;5.Z qa?C$;VY!v +rxO%}^F'dvwtkV~JW_k#Nq|o|!mm+DcWS62q}9jQi|:{MT'^K{Ul%kr#x~jBXDvK{!ZoI";NaZa4?AWuAR#kM4Nh0Ai#'A"""!D~" }~},Tv;R*2@YDxw4& f0OeqXYDtc/DCXt(P 4(A|;Z 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. 0 <81> <81> <2022> trailer Additionally, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules require that all public water systems be designed with a minimum of 15 percent extra capacity. <8E> <8E> <017D> You should start by notifying these customers that you have observed people living at these residences and cite them to the relevant TCEQ rules and provisions of your service agreement relating to having only one residence per connection. <7F> <7F> <2022> <95> <95> <2022> 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. endbfrange 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. xref A: We get this question from time to time, and the answer as to whether you should have one master meter for each apartment building or one meter per individual apartment is it depends. In general, the Public Utility Commissions (PUC) rules first want separate meters for each unit so each individual users water usage can be measured accurately. 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. The valve shall meet AWWA standards (a ball valve is preferred). 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. endstream
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A water well is a hole drilled into an aquifer with a pipe, screen, and pump to pull water out of the ground. This allows the water to straighten out and have less turbulence, thereby allowing the meter to register as accurately as possible. Some of this cost will be paid by these new customers once they start paying their monthly water bill, but the previous customers not only have been paying for what it costs for them to receive water delivered to their homes, they have also been paying a bit extra toward the complete debt-service for all existing capacity. >> def 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . Duplexes and triplexes are sufficiently similar to single family homes so that a duplex equals twice the ERU . By doing this, when they get a few more meters, they can begin replacing the meter tops with these newer AMI tops. <]/Info 87 0 R/Prev 844706 >> A 6 inch line, according to the TCEQ Chapter 290 Rules, can serve up to 250 connections. to TCEQ rules regarding elevated storage, the number of connections that are allocated to the tract will be four, because that allocation is determined on the number of meter connections. <9E> <9E> <017E> Total non -residential 6. 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. 0
Other systems are installing AMR Meters for the first time, installing AMR Meters in high density or high-traffic areas or upgrading to AMI meters. The NSF 61 is the standard for all pipes, repair clamps, and any other fitting or material used in a public water system. Customers that do not report multiple connections, causing utility employees to have to investigate the matter, are usually denied these waivers.
A: TRWA does not make recommendations for rates, but we do provide rate calculation training so that a system can set proper rates that are equitable to all customers. /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin My question is what is considered access? 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? endcmap Getting customers to understand is sometimes challenging. <84> <84> <201E> 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. 0000001146 00000 n
Q: A current member of our WSC has asked for a second meter on their property. 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. 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). endstream
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<. The member wants to know if a neighbor can hook up to the meter and if so, under what circumstances. <89> <89> <2030> Q: What can you tell me about the new "electronic read" meters on the market today? Think of it this way: what if that property owner was requesting not one meter, but four new ones? <9A> <9A> <0161> This only works for meter reading and does not solve the issue of access for repairs and emergencies. There are many different types and uses of wells. Irrigation with separate irrigation meter is a separate Type of Use. 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. They summarized that because there had been a meter at that location, the new applicant should not be responsible to pay for upgrades to the water mains because of new customers being added at other locations along that same water main. ]BA Y,bps`>x/@HnqXNZ1yek5Fq8:^bV_W
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/Ordering (UCS) Q: We have been made aware of a customer who has installed an inline booster pump on their side of the meter. <0D> <0D> <000D> 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. H|T0WQNd(>3IQb= Texas Water Code Sec. 0000000766 00000 n <20> <7E> <0020> Each systems board will make the final decision on base rates, as well as usage rates and fees. Id like to offer an observation though, based on the information from the TRWA Sample Tariff. 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. Prior to initial connection of any Customer other than a single-family residential Customer, the District's Engineer shall calculate . The CSI inspector should make a note on the CSI form stating that the well has been completely disconnected from all the potable water lines serving the dwelling units. %PDF-1.7 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. <82> <82> <201A> <002D> fA=~0xO}wASICHzKnp[o A. Our system is more than 40 years old and there are about 20 properties that have more than one residence on a single meter. 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. Published in July/August 2020 (Issue 4 of Quench). 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. Define Equivalent Single-Family Connection. <09> <0A> <0009> w;A`@3YceL 0a0DD8T#_ _~qd"D|%U0
a`q]HEWls!G29h4 Under 30 TAC 290.38(16), "connection" means "A single-family residential unit or each commercial or industrial establishment to which drinking water is supplied" from the PWS. 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. The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. LIVING UNIT EQUIVALENT (LUE) GUIDANCE DOCUMENT Definition: A living unit equivalent (LUE) is defined as the typical flow that would be produced by a single family residence located in a typical subdivision. 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. There is also a concern about whether your easement allows system personnel to traverse 500 feet of the owners property. How do we determine base rates for 2- or 3-inch meters? 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). The WSC board can amend the water rates at any board meeting where rate adjustments are posted as an agenda item for action. <9A> <9A> <0161> To Top. These existing capacity components were and are being paid for through monthly water rates. connection (living unit equivalent) that for the purposes of this Amended Agreement shall be Six Hundred Fifty Most manufacturers suggest straight runs of pipe ahead of and following a master meter. %OEG+HqH\9-:Y2=Ht),h1#d W% `9B-eR+0 Big problems can occur when either of the properties changes hands. Does the one meter per residence apply in this situation? trailer
A: This is a common question. Installing multiple meters on a single undivided property with a line running across the property could lead to easement issues in the future. The board can amend the current charge to whatever they determine to be fair to the ratepayers. If your system refunds memberships then the original member should get their membership back and the new property owner should pay for a new membership. 0000001247 00000 n |pz~0u]MbHw{B|%r4ln'Ur]af2Ia0 fkF0S;@G bYH(?I
<20> <7E> <0020> Q: One of our members has offered to read meters each month for free. 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. Box 13087, (2) Active connection, as used in this section, means a lot or . <20> <7E> <0020> 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.
4Ct?3,RPapG}=>V"vIzJ*m'_ /CMapType 2 def The base rates for larger meters should be set to pay for these larger required capacities instead of making the customers with standard size meters subsidize the customers with bigger meters that place more demand costs on the system. Q: What is the purpose of the restriction on multiple connections to a single tap rule? <8D> <8D> <2022> hbbd``b`+A| "[@@ebX H0X "$k $BG HI (,HW *##6F0 w
TCEQs Chapter 290 requires a meter to accurately determine the usage of each customer unless a master metering arrangement has been made. U0!_bU2S'vB9{h7UM;y>F]6]>_]I;j]R_}I/l <00> 10. The two businesses had been in a partnership in the past under one roof. The quadplexes were built in 2006 and are not located within the boundaries of a city. 0000001107 00000 n 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. end <85> <85> <2026> <7F> <7F> <2022> 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. All the meters or at least the material data sheets should state that the materials used to manufacture the meters meet NSF 61. <8B> <8B> <2039> In order to correct the issue, the system must first have supporting language in its tariff. However, there are some situations where a brand-new meter is installed, and it doesnt register correctly. <86> <87> <2020> The District currently encompasses 767 acres and is located wholly within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston, Texas (the "City") and is located within Katy Independent School District.
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. 0000001032 00000 n
The result is an estimate of total Statewide Photo Campaign Promoting Drought Awareness Launches August 5! For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn 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.
<80> <80> <20AC> >> def begincmap <90> <90> <2022> 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. Well get someone to demonstrate the rate template weve designed and provided to systems across the state. 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.