I told her that was incorrect and that I would mail her the documentation to prove it. B. Multi-Family Residential A twelve-inch (12") water main shall be required to loop through a multi-family district. Define Equivalent Single-Family Connection. <8B> <8B> <2039> 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. 0000002796 00000 n
Setting the meter on the property owned by the applicant is always the best policy. 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. CMapName currentdict /CMap defineresource pop 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. 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. 0000001107 00000 n 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. <09> <0A> <0009> A: This is a common problem for older systems as they try to come into compliance with newer rules. 1616 Rio Grande
By having only one meter to maintain near the road system, the owner would not be responsible for installing and thereafter maintaining individual lines and meters to each of the dwellings, or for disconnecting and reconnecting each individual units separate water meter. Impact Fee Administration | Houston Permitting Center 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. TCEQs Chapter 290 requires a meter to accurately determine the usage of each customer unless a master metering arrangement has been made. Systems are not required to do expensive title searches, but they should require applicants for service to provide a legal deed or ownership proof showing that the person applying for water or sewer service owns that tract of land. We want to be fair, but we also want be responsible. 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. Texas Administrative Code The board can amend the current charge to whatever they determine to be fair to the ratepayers. 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. startxref
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. Even a temporary hose hook-up is prohibited since that is a violation of the conditions found in your customer service application and agreement. TRWA has always recommended in our sample tariff that All meters be installed on the property designated to receive service. Using this policy keeps the system dealing directly with the property owner and member of the WSC or the customer of the district instead of having to deal with a property owner or future property owner that doesnt want someone elses meter and service line on their property. 0000000015 00000 n The original members account should be closed out at the old address. 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). Q: We are revising our tariff. PDF Control Number: 51166 - Texas *
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N&?FqCe6MoA trailer end (1) The requirements contained in this section are to be used in evaluating both the total capacities for public water systems and the capacities at individual pump stations and pressure planes which serve portions of the system that are hydraulically separated from, or incapable of being served by, other pump stations or pressure planes. 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. The quadplexes were built in 2006 and are not located within the boundaries of a city. 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. This only works for meter reading and does not solve the issue of access for repairs and emergencies. Master metering is only applicable when it is a single piece of property, not two different tracts. <9B> <9B> <203A> To Top. 0000003802 00000 n
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With this person not being an employee or contractor, exactly what leverage does the system use to require the meter readings to be delivered on time and accurately? Installing multiple meters on a single undivided property with a line running across the property could lead to easement issues in the future. <00AE> Fax: 512.472.5186
Q: What can you tell me about the new "electronic read" meters on the market today? 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. endbfrange First, the one meter per residence language should be part of your tariff or service policy. It is unclear whether the units are part of any government-assisted or subsidized housing programs for low-income residents. From this, they can develop a plan that best provides service to the entire development considering the wishes of the developer and the system. % Check to be sure these references are included in your tariff and if so, the member would be prohibited from extending service from one side of the road/alley or across a property line to provide service to a neighbors property not designated to receive service according to your tariff. 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. Also do you have any recommendations for a particular meter read system? 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. 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. endcmap Q: Our local WSC is planning to implement a policy in order to comply with the one meter per residence rule. s)Q0tWN It is up to each customer to determine whether they must register as a business with the state or not. [tF]JJfSHYs8n?G?#ZS^n#E|WHxt2o1BBb.el+Dijwv-7ajcn7mY 6ii>a!0Y7"9ET3 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. <99> <99> <2122> <00> R02 includes a pool and lawn and landscape irrigation of the lot as long as there is no separate irrigation meter. 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. 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. endcmap Industrial 3. The rules provide some ways for the applicant to opt out of individual meters and having multiple water service lines crisscrossing their tract of land. <8D> <8D> <2022> <9F> <9F> <0178> xref
<9F> <9F> <0178> 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. 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. <95> <95> <2022> The defined area is depicted in Appendix 1. 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. That availability to use that capacity should be paid for, but not by tacking the costs onto existing customers. A: New meters are supposed to be calibrated and ready to use when shipped to systems. 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. 339 0 obj
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/Ordering (UCS) There is nothing in TCEQs Chapter 290 regulations which addresses the above scenario dealing with pre-existing taps that have been removed. Q: A current member of our WSC has asked for a second meter on their property. Back in 2004, TRWA staff met with TCEQ to discuss several issues relating to their capacity regulations and interpretations. 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. Each systems board will make the final decision on base rates, as well as usage rates and fees. <82> <82> <201A> %%EOF Q: Our system is replacing all of our meters. <85> <85> <2026> 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. 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.
Example: A 20-space trailer park with a 2-inch meter has been evaluated by some TCEQ inspectors to be the actual number of trailer spaces available. <8E> <8E> <017D> <9C> <9C> <0153> Big problems can occur when either of the properties changes hands. ]BA Y,bps`>x/@HnqXNZ1yek5Fq8:^bV_W
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Master District that constitutes an Equivalent Single Family Connection, which amount may be changed from time to time. %OEG+HqH\9-:Y2=Ht),h1#d W% `9B-eR+0 Public wells supply drinking water to municipalities. 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. trailer
This allows the water to straighten out and have less turbulence, thereby allowing the meter to register as accurately as possible. 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. <98> <98> <02DC> The elimination of external parts should reduce the need for re-reads due to malfunctions. 0000000766 00000 n <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. We would like to have the chain restaurant apply for and install a meter since the convenience store has a meter and active account. Your tariff should include the requirements for evaluating an application for a master meter. <0D> <0D> <000D> 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. In the last couple of months, Ive heard from some systems that they were moving to totally enclosed and sealed registers. endstream
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Based on the level and manner of service being requested by the owner, a 2-inch water meter may or may not be sufficient to provide the water capacity being requested. end In addition to the cost of the meter installation as well as any upfront impact or buy in fees. {Y 9w,r,
6Q@4Og)nF9c"|A""?__ovt^o_dM`L2,s54#Pj0 Then when these other services are discontinued those meters are removed by the utility that owns the meters, not the customer. <0D> <0D> <000D> Does the owner have the choice of either getting a meter for each unit or getting one master meter? Ask Larry Archives: Metering and One Meter per Residence Rules. <84> <84> <201E> 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. This has been a troublesome situation for many systems in the past and is a re-occurring problem for systems today. <84> <84> <201E> It appears they have done this to supply water to more than 60 small rental homes on two 5/8 x 3/4 meters. 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. Then a straight run of pipe at least three times the diameter of the pipe after the meter. @0A2@p0@T!EQL& L Aa0w"[!-Si7qH>D 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. <98> <98> <02DC>
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. Q: We have been made aware of a customer who has installed an inline booster pump on their side of the meter. <20> <7E> <0020> The TRWA Sample Tariff addresses this issue and follows the Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chapter 24 rules about the systems ability to access a meter for repairs and normal service. \\~;XBM?!GIjM_%
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6+VM?mHAMA5i }l& 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.. My question is what is considered access? <86> <87> <2020> 36 beginbfrange PDF Bolivar Peninsula Special Utility District Where to live in Delft Wedged between The Hague and Rotterdam, Delft is a beautiful historical town that attracts those seeking a quieter lifestyle with good city connections. D/^&H 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? For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn hb```m ea>O)~N7vy)20:sLr Additionally, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules require that all public water systems be designed with a minimum of 15 percent extra capacity. o0?LgGt{Cifk_Kat2'~ez{*R,r08e0@Bf1+oxG t%&L!XD(gTn6"LXa9t> 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. A: This is one of those situations where a little extra effort by the system up front can save them substantial headaches and costs down the road. 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. <8B> <8B> <2039> 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. 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. Published February/March 2021 (Issue 1 of Quench). \"L&h6AKm5 ZydZ
P*dGLr)9 3 /CMapType 2 def The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. 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. 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 Most importantly, you should enforce these policies and refuse to set a meter until you are satisfied that the applicant does, in fact, own the property on which the meter will be placed. IN ADDITION - sos.texas.gov
pc#P3C"!GB448]o_ AtCCk*AC)ADc90cLrU Therefore, existing customers have been paying for extra capacity for many years and these new customers are being asked to provide a portion of the cost associated with the capacity they will be using. <96> <97> <2013> 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. A 6 inch line, according to the TCEQ Chapter 290 Rules, can serve up to 250 connections. <20> <7E> <0020> (7#~mz*B
TwIewVq_kgcQyQ4Jd/ K3E\_%9=G$#. <]/Info 87 0 R/Prev 844706 >> <9E> <9E> <017E> 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. (In fact, conservation rates can escalate, in proportion to the total gallons, for customers using the greatest amounts of water on a monthly basis.) All connections shall be calculated based upon its equivalency to a customary Equivalent Single Family Connection using the City of Houston's equivalency table. Know how, know you | We are IQ-EQ, a leading investor services group employing 4300+ people across 24 jurisdictions worldwide. It is not cost effective for us to run a six inch line extension just to supply water to one new house. <8F> <8F> <2022> Irrigation with separate irrigation meter is a separate Type of Use. >> def %PDF-1.7 /CMapName /Times-RomanOPBaseFont0 def Some systems do require individual meters to each different apartment, condo or other type business that is all owned by one individual or company. Now subtract the first master meter reading from the current meter reading and compare that to the gallons added to the tank. /CIDSystemInfo