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. #9: "We're already listed as very high risk. I am not aware of any legal or state regulations that would prohibit this, but I caution your board to look at every conceivable contingency and try to address them before agreeing to this free meter reading offer. 36 beginbfrange (In fact, conservation rates can escalate, in proportion to the total gallons, for customers using the greatest amounts of water on a monthly basis.) Prior to initial connection of any Customer other than a single-family residential Customer, the District's Engineer shall calculate . 0 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 Due to an expansion, the two split and are now serviced by the same meter. <99> <99> <2122> All new customers or applicants for water service use some of the systems existing facilities and capacity that was already in place things like pipe lines, tanks, wells, pumps and so on. 0000001388 00000 n 1.1 Land Use Assumptions and Projected Population The BPSUD water system operates as 4 independent pressure planes, which requires that each pressure plane be analyzed as a stand-alone system. /Registry (CourierOPBaseFont1) 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. Examples of Equivalent Residential Connection in a sentence. 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.. 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? Q: We have been made aware of a customer who has installed an inline booster pump on their side of the meter. Box 13087, /CIDSystemInfo A: Master metered accounts are typically used when a landowner wants a single meter to provide water service to multiple buildings, apartments, offices, trailer spaces or other types of business activities. /CIDSystemInfo 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. <96> <97> <2013> <7F> <7F> <2022> TCEQ staff at the time said it would be ok for a system to remove dormant or vacant taps even down to the water main, but the system could not assess any future applicant a new front-end contribution or equity buy-in fee, equipment costs to replace the assets being removed and possibly another membership fee if the system used non-refundable membership fees at those locations where these taps had been removed. <93> <94> <201C> << ~0r; 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. <93> <94> <201C> One of these meters is on a 1"water main line and the other meter on a 1 1/2 water main line. 36 beginbfrange 0000000766 00000 n Re: US travelers connecting in AMS what are the rules now? Private or domestic wells can be used for a variety purposes, such as irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses. Development Agreement Between the City of Missouri City, Texas, and A: This is commendable for a system member to agree to read all the meters for your system at no cost. By doing this, when they get a few more meters, they can begin replacing the meter tops with these newer AMI tops. Know how, know you | We are IQ-EQ, a leading investor services group employing 4300+ people across 24 jurisdictions worldwide. The member wants to know if a neighbor can hook up to the meter and if so, under what circumstances. Master District that constitutes an Equivalent Single Family Connection, which amount may be changed from time to time. << There are many points that need to be addressed before agreeing to this offer. V)bXAmXki65[I47l0B]jU6)ILRn64-7ZvJ"I7LTaTm,XMU0 aBa h5]A"BxV`fNX6:aRVi"Db03iT+P0MDDCDDDD/tL~~1"g43B6GA_628PL&hi$(pD=-RqGqSA$A%py>$kK/. This letter should outline the PUC requirements for an accurate metering of water per connection. 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. 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. CMapName currentdict /CMap defineresource pop Where is the middle ground here? Q: What can you tell me about the new "electronic read" meters on the market today? 5' Google Map, Tel: 512.472.8591 <0D> <0D> <000D> There should be a calibration or certification of accuracy with the new meter. 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. Amstelveen is a leafy, prosperous, family-oriented suburb close to Amsterdam, which has a growing population of international residents. Q: We have a customer who has his meter inside a fence. The elimination of external parts should reduce the need for re-reads due to malfunctions. PDF SECTION 2 - WATER SYSTEM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS - prospertx.gov These references clearly state that the meter belongs to the corporation and is to be maintained by the corporation. 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. For example, in Section E, Members Responsibility: d. Therefore, all water usage registering upon and/or damages occurring to the metering equipment owned and maintained by the Corporation shall be subject to charges as determined by the Corporations Tariff as amended from time to time by the Board of Directors. Our system is more than 40 years old and there are about 20 properties that have more than one residence on a single meter. s)Q0tWN If your board would like for one of TRWAs staff to attend a meeting to do some rate training, please contact our office. %%EOF If the main water line(s) are near the public roads, then the system may offer to move the meter down to the road. 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.. Should not effect transit. Any damage to the Corporations equipment shall be subject to service charges. You could also require the applicant to provide this information as part of the application process. 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. 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? PDF Determining Connections and Populations Served for Public Water Systems Total non -residential 6. Now subtract the first master meter reading from the current meter reading and compare that to the gallons added to the tank. 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. 0000002966 00000 n PDF Bolivar Peninsula Special Utility District Well get someone to demonstrate the rate template weve designed and provided to systems across the state. 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. These existing capacity components were and are being paid for through monthly water rates. Some systems do require individual meters to each different apartment, condo or other type business that is all owned by one individual or company. 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. Do I need to calibrate the meter? <8F> <8F> <2022> 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. The Commercial facilities are calculated by an Equivalent . 0000001086 00000 n 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. 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. <00AE> Is this a fool-proof verification? My question is, how do we verify the boundaries of properties for this purpose? xc```a``A2@\(}drBf Q: A current member of our WSC has asked for a second meter on their property. PDF CALCULATION OF EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNITS (EDU - USDA Rural Development 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. 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. 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. Back in 2004, TRWA staff met with TCEQ to discuss several issues relating to their capacity regulations and interpretations. If it is a single tract of land and the plumbing to each of these eight units is all combined into one common line, then a master meter would probably be the better option for this applicant. Q: We have several members who have second living residences at their home, but only one meter. Id like to offer an observation though, based on the information from the TRWA Sample Tariff. Ask Larry Archives: Metering and One Meter per Residence Rules - TRWA <8D> <8D> <2022> <80> <80> <20AC> The sample tariff also allows service to be disconnected, after notice, if access is denied for three consecutive months. A: This is a common question. <86> <87> <2020> TRWA does not recommend any product, supplier or person and leaves that decision up to each system. Then a straight run of pipe at least three times the diameter of the pipe after the meter. Yu%]OV^jhzUKI51*&;?m'{{~aTV%jkC PM 5#: 5$Gn ma0Mg]q}ZjBT8!t0#HD4"?@taAhDDDDDDDDDD~""""""?YY#ldd#3334k$WT M&=R 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. (2) Active connection, as used in this section, means a lot or . Think of it this way: what if that property owner was requesting not one meter, but four new ones? <8A> <8A> <0160> If not then the meter accuracy is over or under by that difference since the tank is a definite volume (provided the above calculation and tank dimensions were accurate). 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. <96> <97> <2013> <86> <87> <2020> My question is what is considered access? How should this be handled? endcmap <90> <90> <2022> A new membership fee should be required for each new meter. X1'H`7g3a*|f{h00eiF` BVb`+c0 z^ You should review this situation with your engineers. 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. <84> <84> <201E> You should always keep the safety of your employees in mind and act within the law. How common are they compared to the traditional positive displacement manual read meters? 69 0 obj<> endobj 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. endobj hb```m ea>O)~N7vy)20:sLr 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. A: New meters are supposed to be calibrated and ready to use when shipped to systems. <82> <82> <201A> <8F> <8F> <2022> 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. The quadplexes were built in 2006 and are not located within the boundaries of a city. 0000000015 00000 n Setting the meter on the property owned by the applicant is always the best policy. )-__@u{{z"|RDQG|G2`4Y M6 oaomo[^W[zWJ+wCV % 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. 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. 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. 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. Ive also not heard of a system providing a water commercial permit. Use of the word commercial by a water system is typically a reference indicating that it is non-standard service and not a regular residential service location. 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. 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. Each systems board will make the final decision on base rates, as well as usage rates and fees. 69 12 <8F> <8F> <2022> The board can amend the current charge to whatever they determine to be fair to the ratepayers. 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.. hbbd``b`+A| "[@@ebX H0X "$k $BG HI (,HW *##6F0 w 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. /CMapType 2 def 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. 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. <8D> <8D> <2022> Climb the tank and use a steel measuring tape to measure the height of water in the tank to the manway. <95> <95> <2022> The actual cost of the meter and installation should be assessed as well. PDF Attachment P-5 - Texas for the single-family residential customer group. Email: [email protected], 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). 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. /Registry (Helvetica-ObliqueOPBaseFont5) After getting this proof of ownership, the system should at least check the countys tax rolls and property tax maps to see whose name is listed for that property. Austin, TX 78701 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. TRWA recommends that systems stop floating memberships and meters from one property to another because of the confusion it creates. Big problems can occur when either of the properties changes hands. <98> <98> <02DC> 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. <86> <87> <2020> An LUE is assumed to represent 3.5 people living in a residence. The customer does not own the meter just like the customer doesnt own the electric meter or gas meter, even though they have to pay all costs for these other metering devices to be installed. Is this legal or what problems could this create? Wouldnt it make sense for the owner to have to pay the cost of extending the line(s) out to those structures? "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. -tjOXWIR-9L#|qAH)=ya[AXO>_u 9U]](M:?`^V a/X`jsV60;aC}18Y_{/c%nmVlf.0FVL He has offered to buy a ladder, but does not want it left all the time, only when the meter is read. 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. This can make it difficult for maintenance personnel to identify which line is leaking and increase maintenance expenses compared to a situation with a single meter and a single yard line. 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. << As a general rule, the only difference should be in base rates based on size of meter as indicated in the TRWA Sample Tariff. Section 290.45 - Minimum Water System Capacity Requirements, 30 Tex <9A> <9A> <0161> We have generally required individual meters for each unit, but one owner wants to know if they can put in a 2-inch master meter for all 10 units in five nearby duplexes. 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. 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. /CMapName /Helvetica-ObliqueOPBaseFont5 def <0D> <0D> <000D> 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)). 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? <>/OutputIntents[358 0 R]/Metadata 360 0 R>> For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn 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. 1 begincodespacerange 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. CONTACT 1002 Washington Ave., 3rd floor Houston, TX 77002 832.394.8888 [email protected] 8 am to 3 pm Wastewater Capacity Reservation Letter - Wastewater You, the property owner or authorized agent, must apply for a Wastewater Capacity Reservation letter if you are: Wastewater Capacity Reservation Letter - Water 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. 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. <9D> <9D> <2022> This is the back property customers responsibility. 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. 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.
Mortgage Advertising Compliance Checklist 2020, Articles T