| (f) Meter test prior to installation. No meter shall
be placed in service unless its accuracy has been established. If
any meter shall have been removed from service, it must be properly
tested and adjusted before being placed in service again. No meter
shall be placed in service if its accuracy falls outside the limits
as specified by the American Water Works Association.
(g) Bill adjustment due to meter error. If any meter
is found to be outside of the accuracy standards established by the
American Water Works Association, proper correction shall be made
of previous readings for the period of six months immediately preceding
the removal of such meter from service for the test, or from the time
the meter was in service since last tested, but not exceeding six
months, as the meter shall have been shown to be in error by such
test, and adjusted bills shall be rendered. No refund is required
from the utility except to the customer last served by the meter prior
to the testing. If a meter is found not to register for any period,
unless bypassed or tampered with, the utility shall make a charge
for units used, but not metered, for a period not to exceed three
months, based on amounts used under similar conditions during the
period preceding or subsequent thereto, or during corresponding periods
in previous years.
(h) Meter tampering. For purposes of these sections,
meter tampering, bypass, or diversion shall be defined as tampering
with a water or sewer utility company's meter or equipment causing
damage or unnecessary expense to the utility, bypassing the same,
or other instances of diversion, such as physically disorienting the
meter, objects attached to the meter to divert service or to bypass,
insertion of objects into the meter, other electrical and mechanical
means of tampering with, bypassing, or diverting utility service,
removal or alteration of utility-owned equipment or locks, connection
or reconnection of service without utility authorization, or connection
into the service line of adjacent customers or of the utility. The
burden of proof of meter tampering, bypass, or diversion is on the
utility. Photographic evidence must be accompanied by a sworn affidavit
by the utility when any action regarding meter tampering as provided
for in these sections is initiated. A court finding of meter tampering
may be used instead of photographic or other evidence, if applicable.
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