65-407-62 Me. Code R. § 3

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 407-62-3 - Meters

A.Application. A customer may receive water through a meter upon written application to the water company serving him. The water company shall determine the size of the meter, which shall be reasonable in view of the nature of the water service provided.

B.Conversion from Metered Rates. A water company shall not convert an establishment served at metered rates to flat rates without the written approval of the Commission.

C.Meter Setting. All meters shall be set as close as possible to the point of entrance of the service pipe to the building. The water company shall require the customer to provide a warm, dry, and accessible location for the meter. The cost of the meter and installation shall be borne by the water company. The location of the meter, once set, may be changed at the request and expense of the customer, but the change may be made only by an agent of the company. For new installations of meters one and one-half inches and larger in nominal size, the piping arrangement shall be in accordance with the requirements of the water company.

D.Remote Reading Registers

i. If a water company installs a remote meter reading register at the request of a customer for his convenience, the register and installation shall be paid for by the customer but the equipment shall be owned and maintained by the water company.

ii. If a remote reading register is installed by the water company to expedite its meter reading and billing procedures, the installation shall be at the water company's expense.

E.Meter Vaults. If a customer does not furnish a suitable location for a meter inside his building, or if for other reasons it is necessary to locate the meter outside the building, a water company may require the customer to provide and maintain a suitable underground vault. Installation may be performed by the water company on a jobbing basis.

F.Repairs. Meter repairs and replacements necessitated by ordinary wear will be paid for by the water company. Those caused by freezing, hot water, or by other causes within the control of the customer may be charged to the customer, including the cost of removing and replacing the damaged meter.

G.Testing. A water company furnishing water on a metered basis shall provide and maintain suitable equipment and facilities for testing its meters in a manner acceptable to this Commission, except that upon written request from a water company having a small number of meters and limited personnel, the Commission may waive this requirement if satisfactory arrangements are made with another water company or qualified firm properly equipped to test meters.

Portable test meters and equipment may be used to test meters in the field. Test meters and equipment shall be tested and recalibrated to insure accuracy at least once a year. The equipment shall include a device to regulate the flow of water through the meter during the test.

Meters placed in service shall be tested by the manufacturer, with proper certification of such testing furnished to the water company, or by the water company before installation. Thereafter, meters shall be tested periodically in accordance with this subsection or more frequently if requested by the customer. Tests made at the request of a customer shall be made in the presence of the customer or his representative if he desires, and a complete report of the test results shall be furnished to the customer in writing.

All tests shall be at the expense of the water company unless the customer requests more than one test in eighteen (18) months, in which case the water company may require the customer to make a reasonable deposit, if authorized by the water company's tariffs, to cover the cost of the test. If a meter tested at the request of a customer does not conform to the standards below, the customer's deposit will be refunded. If the meter conforms to the standards below, the customer's deposit may be retained by the water company, and the meter may be continued in use at the same location.

To determine the accuracy of meters, the following standard specifications of the American Water Works Association shall be used for all testing of positive displacement cold water meters.

FLOW IN G.P.M.

Nominal Meter Size	Minimum	Intermediate	Maximum
5/8"	0.25	2	15
3/4"	0.50	3	25
1"	0.75	4	40
1 1/2"	1.50	8	80
2"	2.00	15	120
3"	4.00	20	250
4"	7.00	40	350
6"	12.00	60	700

No meter shall be placed or continued in service if it registers more than 2% above or below the intermediate or maximum flows or below 90% of the minimum flow.

Unless permitted otherwise a water company shall adopt the schedule shown below for routine testing of meters:

Nom. Size of Meter	Maximum Interval Bet. Test
	Years	Cubic Feet
5/8"	8	100,000
3/4"	8	150,000
1"	8	300,000
1 1/2"	6	-
2"	6	-
3"	4 Field	-
4"	2 Field	-
6" & Larger	1 Field	-

H.Rate Adjustment

i. For purposes of computing rate adjustments, the accuracy of a meter in service shall be determined by adding the intermediate and maximum flow error and dividing this amount by two.

ii.Adjustment. If a meter error as determined under Section (H)(i) is greater than 10%, the water company shall estimate the customer's water consumption for the applicable portion of the current billing period and the most recent full billing period based on that customer's average consumption, adjusted for known charges. The rate charged to the customer shall be computed according to this estimate. The water company shall refund to the customer any excess amount paid and may recover any deficiency from the customer.

If meter error as computed under Section (H)(i) is determined to be from 2% to 10%, a proportional adjustment shall be made in the rate charged to the customer for the applicable portion of the current billing period and the most recent full billing period. The water company shall refund to the customer any excess amount paid and may recover any deficiency from the customer.

iii. If a test indicates that a meter malfunctioned by providing readings below the actual level of usage, the water company may elect not to make the rate adjustments set forth in subsections (H)(i) and (H)(ii) above.

65-407 C.M.R. ch. 62, § 3