§ 47-71. Meter reading not to be combined for billing purposes; exception for umbrella account.

(a)

As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings set out below, unless the context clearly indicates another meaning is intended:

Contiguous: An establishment is contiguous if all included buildings lie on a continuous tract of land, except for division by a street, alley, sidewalk, right-of-way, natural or man-made waterway, or preserved green area.

Umbrella account shall mean a multifamily residential customer account established pursuant to this section.

(b)

Except as provided in this section for umbrella accounts, the meter readings of two or more water meters, even though serving a single building or establishment, shall not be combined for billing purposes, but separate billing shall be made for the water metered through each individual meter based on the sliding scale of charges provided by this division, with the charge computed the same as if there were only one meter serving such customer building or establishment.

(c)

A multifamily residential customer whose establishment is served by more than one meter may elect to establish an umbrella account under which all meter readings from its establishment are combined for billing purposes. In order to be eligible to establish an umbrella account the following criteria must be met:

(1)

The establishment must be contiguous, and all included buildings must be under the same ownership; and

(2)

The owner of the establishment must complete the application for the umbrella account and agree to the conditions required by this article.

(d)

The following types of meters may not be included in an umbrella account:

(1)

Submeters maintained by the customer;

(2)

Meters for which the city bills for water service only, such as outdoor customer meters;

(3)

Meters that measure wastewater discharge only; and

(4)

Meters that determine the usage for a single unit only of the establishment.

(e)

The utility official shall promulgate the application form for establishment of the umbrella account. The application shall include information regarding the address or addresses of the multifamily residential establishment, the nature of any factor that may determine whether the buildings or structures are contiguous, the name of the owner, the number of units in the establishment, the number of meters covered by the proposed account, and any other information deemed relevant by the utility official. The application must be signed by the owner or duly authorized agent thereof, and must be notarized.

(f)

The utility official shall grant the owner an umbrella account if the utility official is satisfied that all criteria of this section are met, and the owner or his agent has completed the application for an umbrella account. The umbrella account shall be effective for the next billing period after approval by the utility official.

(g)

The following events will terminate the umbrella account:

(1)

a transfer of ownership of the establishment in whole or in part; or

(2)

an election in writing by the owner of the establishment to terminate the umbrella account. Any such election to terminate shall not be effective until the end of the billing period during which the owner's notice is received by the department. An umbrella account that is delinquent may not be terminated by owner election.

(Code 1968, § 49-62; Ord. No. 93-314, § 7, 3-24-93; Ord. No. 2013-320, §§ 4, 5, 4-10-2013, eff. 6-1-2013)