6^u9Z{s DraDsio1,m?Ph/&KZlho_ryP 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. The Commercial facilities are calculated by an Equivalent . Most manufacturers suggest straight runs of pipe ahead of and following a master meter. Do we have to provide water to the new meter on this line? We really need to understand the regulations and what action we need to take prior to approaching either business. 0000053091 00000 n pSaU0t}% tAkmBxJ _`TzJjzm*cUxh$IRJ\&O N'>Mg2:I&L=w.- ?A~}TmCi6?IV PnzN' k~"KcJMi?kvEw-a]z}k#AUGH}+ImKefXv~i^v0~Lz_ANxO}toc3X] u:^on}{_ZT_[=u?Z-?ZI{_oVVt}U&/z^mZowam}Mc*)Xk}v>51KuR[M45qQQE{N?ToTvM;,t_KvN=< SM4'e`]'vx\R"""""#[l&`Me!0|Ez/hDDDDDDipPL,qD_{nb~@ 7dnUEh(}|Df1emQ|DGX%A7q3+;* 2r'dDg&J":' tQT[NO1;Z" 0a;AS#ii 3 The Blue ater Contract defines a "LUE" as the capacity necessary to serve a single-family residential . \8h;""-[a]_aM7#0dpq6;tDdX)A!BuU ]H#Fjf )aAC;D The ERUs would be equivalent to what would be used by typical single-family residences, if they were using the water. Is this a fool-proof verification? The customer says there is a gate at the back of his property (more than 500 feet away). <99> <99> <2122> 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.. Industrial 3. Q: We have a convenience store and a chain restaurant using the same meter. <8A> <8A> <0160> <9F> <9F> <0178> 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. 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. /Supplement 0 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. ~A%b u;_K[O]u?__KVX?p5~5Ka%K}>k47Z=j{u__t 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. described above, SWWC currently supplies water to at least 5,465 active LUEs (i.e., single-2 Living Unit Equivalents (LUEs). stream It is not cost effective for us to run a six inch line extension just to supply water to one new house. <0D> <0D> <000D> 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. for the single-family residential customer group. In that case, the system may need to check the hot water heater to see if it has water in it or, as stated above, have the customer demonstrate that water in the second dwelling is from another source and not a water hose from the first house. 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. These cost-of-service issues have subsequently been transferred to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), which has been very pro-consumer when addressing complaints. A: This is a common question. trailer 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. Does the one meter per residence apply in this situation? The most immediate issue to address is the potential health hazard caused by the loss of pressure when the booster pump kicks on. 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. 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. Given more information about your utility we may have suggestions regarding ideas on sharing the cost of any upgrade. <9F> <9F> <0178> 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. $`pi%X. Private or domestic wells can be used for a variety purposes, such as irrigation, drinking water and industrial uses. /CIDInit /ProcSet findresource begin Master District that constitutes an Equivalent Single Family Connection, which amount may be changed from time to time. Q: A member of our WSC has two water meters on his property. 9CT 0000001247 00000 n 1 begincodespacerange 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. Language establishing the utilitys ownership of customer service meters runs throughout TRWAs model tariffs and service policies. 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. The capacity requirement is driven, in part, by the maximum potential amount of water that could be pushed through that meter on a peak day. Additionally, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules require that all public water systems be designed with a minimum of 15 percent extra capacity. <00AE> HT <82> <82> <201A> 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. 1 begincodespacerange Should not effect transit. 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. /CIDSystemInfo >> def fA=~0xO}wASICHzKnp[o Both of these sections clearly state that an owner of the property to be served is the only person qualified to be a WSC member and that the meter has to be installed on the property designated to be served. 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. s)Q0tWN begincmap 0000000825 00000 n %PDF-1.5 % (16) Connection--A single family residential unit or each commercial or industrial establishment to which drinking water is supplied from the system. <90> <90> <2022> The valve shall meet AWWA standards (a ball valve is preferred). pc#P3C"!GB448]o_ AtCCk*AC)ADc90cLrU endcodespacerange /CMapName /Helvetica-ObliqueOPBaseFont5 def <90> <90> <2022> There is also a concern about whether your easement allows system personnel to traverse 500 feet of the owners property. Due to an expansion, the two split and are now serviced by the same meter. I have visited several systems who have purchased AMR meters that are compatible with the AMI meters. In the last couple of months, Ive heard from some systems that they were moving to totally enclosed and sealed registers. 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. %%EOF <99> <99> <2122> The actual cost of the meter and installation should be assessed as well. /Registry (CourierOPBaseFont1) Q: What can you tell me about the new "electronic read" meters on the market today? /CMapType 2 def /Linearized 1.0/O 364/H [ 766 341 ]/L 852074/E 53543/N 18/T 844716>> CMapName currentdict /CMap defineresource pop <8D> <8D> <2022> From this, they can develop a plan that best provides service to the entire development considering the wishes of the developer and the system. The two businesses had been in a partnership in the past under one roof. Getting customers to understand is sometimes challenging. The Members use of the Corporations curb stop or other similar valve for such purposes is prohibited. 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. Our service agreement states that we only allow one dwelling per connection. Does the owner have the choice of either getting a meter for each unit or getting one master meter? endstream endobj 70 0 obj<> endobj 72 0 obj<> endobj 73 0 obj<>/XObject<>/ProcSet 79 0 R>> endobj 74 0 obj<>stream <20> <7E> <0020> (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. 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. Examples of Equivalent Residential Connection in a sentence. 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. endstream endobj 1 0 obj<> endobj 2 0 obj<>/XObject<>/ProcSet 79 0 R>> endobj 3 0 obj<>stream /Ordering (UCS) 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. 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. <93> <94> <201C> 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. The correspondence should also include a date on which service will be disconnected if the customer fails to make arrangements for the CSI. %PDF-1.3 % 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. Then a straight run of pipe at least three times the diameter of the pipe after the meter. A 6 inch line, according to the TCEQ Chapter 290 Rules, can serve up to 250 connections. Now the member wants the water meter moved to a different property about 100 yards from its original location. 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. Published in January/February 2020 (Issue 1 of Quench). (This cut-off valve may be installed as a part of the original meter installation by the Corporation.). startxref G{|(> 7 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. Do they have to register as a business with the state or get a water commercial permit? Statewide Photo Campaign Promoting Drought Awareness Launches August 5! <9A> <9A> <0161> 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. CMapName currentdict /CMap defineresource pop TRWA recommends that systems stop floating memberships and meters from one property to another because of the confusion it creates. u5e` T It is unclear whether the units are part of any government-assisted or subsidized housing programs for low-income residents. <91> <92> <2018> /CMapName /CourierOPBaseFont1 def Some folks opt for wells of around 300 gallons per minute or less to use a fire truck or tanker instead of climbing an elevated tank to do the measuring twice. Turn off all valves connected to the distribution system so that no water leaves the tank during test period. Some systems opt to offer discounts to customers that have multiple connections or to waive impact or other front-end capital improvement fees. Our engineer says we need to remove these, as we would be responsible for servicing them, including paying for upgrades, if a customer wants a meter for that box in the future. The elimination of external parts should reduce the need for re-reads due to malfunctions. 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. 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. The result is an estimate of total 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 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. 71 0 obj<>stream 12 dict begin 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. All public water systems that hold CCNs (or are required to hold CCNs) must plan upgrades to the system when a facility, including distribution lines, reaches 85 percent of total capacity so that the improvement or upgrade is imminent or already in place once the facility item under consideration reaches 100 percent capacity. <9F> <9F> <0178> TCEQ assesses the adequacy of a systems capacity on the number of connections on that system and takes into account the number and sizes of larger meters on that system. 4Ct?3,RPapG}=>V"vIzJ*m'_ Prior to initial connection of any Customer other than a single-family residential Customer, the District's Engineer shall calculate . Our system is more than 40 years old and there are about 20 properties that have more than one residence on a single meter. While the board of directors is keeping the old monthly charges and rates, we only have a base rate for 1 -inch meters. Others were due to leaks grounding out meters. 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. You could also require the applicant to provide this information as part of the application process. This just means that when the new or existing master meter needs to be tested, the operator can either use an existing, on-site storage tank or any large tanker (fire truck if the capacity is large enough) with a known capacity to verify the meter accuracy. Master metering is only applicable when it is a single piece of property, not two different tracts. 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. 0000001107 00000 n H|T0WQNd(>3IQb= Published in July/August 2020 (Issue 4 of Quench). 0000005203 00000 n 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. 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. The capacity is being used either way, and these new meters and customers are utilizing their share of the systems resources. Institutional 4. R02 includes a pool and lawn and landscape irrigation of the lot as long as there is no separate irrigation meter. C+vdt\?K(Pwu,Gu-=s-^|8o!$cntc}Egg=/ckY0 \ The NSF 61 is the standard for all pipes, repair clamps, and any other fitting or material used in a public water system. Requiring employees to climb ladders to get over fences or traverse 500 feet of property may not be reasonable access for your system and could be considered denial of access. 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. <89> <89> <2030> 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. U0!_bU2S'vB9{h7UM;y>F]6]>_]I;j]R_}I/l ESFCequivalent single-family connection. startxref 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. n``N}@:\_EF-_*p"X;9$W'}',vl#A7.9J uph%(+u n'8i b9XAH03047:|clf`. How do you protect the integrity of the system when you do not know the background or intent of the person performing the volunteer work? <8F> <8F> <2022> %%EOF 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. <8B> <8B> <2039> The assumed population equivalent per connection should be indicated. <9A> <9A> <0161> Now subtract the first master meter reading from the current meter reading and compare that to the gallons added to the tank. PUC rules also support the tariff stating that customers/members of a WSC are only qualified to receive service when theyve complied with the written provisions included in the WSCs tariff. <84> <84> <201E> After you establish a system's ERU quantity, you can use it to determine the number of ERUs for other types of service connections. xb```a``Jc`f`ed@ Ar,8-O00/2\B;wOg`Xl_SKl}w>5">%QPH2F50e00,c 5RJf5v zn ' +\AF> 0000001388 00000 n An eight-inch (8") water main will generally be required to distribute water and provide fire protection within the multi-family district provided that the water main does not exceed 600 feet in length or serve more than two 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. <>/OutputIntents[358 0 R]/Metadata 360 0 R>> end Also do you have any recommendations for a particular meter read system? He does not want us to move the meter outside the fence for safety reasons. <8B> <8B> <2039> Our employees drive around the community daily and can tell that there are clearly people living at these second residences. <89> <89> <2030> 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. <9C> <9C> <0153> Think of it this way: what if that property owner was requesting not one meter, but four new ones? endstream endobj 77 0 obj<>/BaseFont/Courier/FirstChar 0/LastChar 255/Subtype/Type1/ToUnicode 78 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 0 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600]>> endobj 78 0 obj<>stream 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 13 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. (In fact, conservation rates can escalate, in proportion to the total gallons, for customers using the greatest amounts of water on a monthly basis.) <00AE> u6hhOk\GhExG-GMYsjYQC\+8*w}ap|B"[C>B\`y[%s*H X[S.3Sj_S\Z'e5TsAd D>~/mOJ>hnm={^hcb(T-C2bm4M"#Zg7;qqFY(kG1jCA XZ0SRpnNN7aQR7.LX*VAT\pPx(aPs A: Yes, I've heard of the practice of allowing multiple meters on single properties at multiple systems. 362 0 obj 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). Use some water out of the storage tank (ground or elevated). First, the customer must supply the system a final plat showing the intended use and ultimate development of the property to be served. 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. For water requirements, this includes consumptive uses, such as lawn <7F> <7F> <2022> * 04dOvZ% y;a p^u N&?FqCe6MoA 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. The District is subject to the continuing supervision of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (the "TCEQ"). 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. 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. 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? Not sure they have a higher level." Yes, his is true but interestingly only since 4 September. 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. <93> <94> <201C> The NSF 60 standard is for chemicals used in a water system. A licensed operator of a water system can calibrate their own master meters regardless of size or type by using the volumetric calibration method. 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.