IV.VI. Measurement of Service
1. Method of Measuring Service
All water sold by a utility shall be upon the basis of should be by metered volume sales except the utility may, after authorization has been obtained from the Commission, provide flat rate or estimated service for the following:
(1) Residential, business, commercial, industrial (in special situations) and irrigation service after authorization has been first obtained from the Commission.
(2) Temporary service where the water use can be readily estimated.
(3) Public and pPrivate fire protection service.
(4) Water used for street sprinkling and sewer flushing, when provided for by contract between the utility and the municipality or other local governmental authority.
All meters used for metered sales excluding sales from irrigation systems or other irrigation sales must have registration devices indicating the volume of water in either cubic feet or United States gallons. Where a constant or multiplier is necessary to convert the meter reading to cubic feet or gallons, the constant must be indicated on the meter or on the meter-reading sheet.
Irrigation service may be provided with meters that measure in acre-feet or miner's inch days. This service may also be rendered on a volume basis by the use of a calibrated orifice such as the miner's inch box, by the use of weirs or otherwise measured as provided in applicable tariff schedules.
d. Charge for Meter Installation.
No utility shall charge for its installation of any devices for metering service to a customer, except if irrigation service is rendered through more than one outlet for the convenience of the customer, or if, on and after January 1, 1992 a new water service connection is made, a utility may charge all new customers the cost of meter and meter installation as separate meter installation charges limiting such charges to cost of meter and cost of installing the meter, or as provided in Section IV.2. (a) (1).
D.e. Report to the Commission of Meter Readings
All utilities that provide water service to customers that have a metered service connection shall read each customer's meter according to the utility's tariff schedules and report in the annual report submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission water quantities used, by classification of service, in each service territory or separate district.
2. Meter Test Facilities and Equipment
Each utility furnishing metered water service shall provide the necessary standard facilities, instruments and other equipment for testing its meters in compliance with these rules. Any utility may be excepted from this requirement provided that satisfactory arrangements are made for test of its meters by another utility or agency equipped to test meters in compliance with these rules.
The meter test shop shall be provided with the necessary equipment to test up through 2-inch displacement and/or multi-jet meters, whichever are used by the utility, including a quick acting valve for controlling the starting and stopping of the test and a device for regulating the flow of water through the meter under test. The accuracy of the test equipment and test procedures shall be sufficient to enable shop test of the meter type used by the utility with an error not to exceed 0.3 of 1%0.003%.
C.c. Test Measurement Standards
Measuring devices for test of meters shall consist of calibrated tanks for volumetric measurement, tanks mounted upon scales for weight measurement or standard meters.
(1) Basic Standards
(a) When a volumetric tank is used, it shall be accompanied by a certificate of accuracy acceptable to the Commission from a County Sealer of Weights and Measures or from a department approved standards laboratory.
(b) When a weight standard is used, the scales shall be tested and calibrated at least once every year by such approved laboratory, or County Sealer of Weights and Measures and a record maintained of the results of the test.
(c) Standard meters may be used for field tests of meter accuracy provided they are tested and calibrated to permit the test of meters within the limits of accuracy required by these rules, either by the utility with its volumetric or weight standard equipment or by an approved laboratory at least once every 60 day while the standard meter is in use and a record of such tests shall be kept by the utility for a period of not less than five years.
(2) Size of Basic Standards
(a) When basic standards are used for meter tests, they shall be of a capacity sufficient to insure accurate determinations.
(b) The minimum requirement for testing disc meters from 5/8 x ¾-inch through 2 inches in size shall include a 10 and a 1 cubic-foot tank for meters registering in cubic feet or a 100- and a 10-gallon tank for meters registering in gallons.
3. Accuracy Requirements of Water Meters
All meters used for measuring quantities of water delivered to customers shall be in good mechanical condition, shall be adequate in size and design for the type of service which each measures and shall be accurate to within generally accepted standards. The standards of accuracy for displacement meters are set forth in paragraphs Bb and Cc, following.
For determination of minimum test flow and normal test flow limits, the Commission adopts as a guide the appropriate standard specifications of the American Water Works AssociationAWWA for the various types of meters.
(1) These tTest flows for new, rebuilt and repaired displacement type cold-water meters are as follows:
Nominal Meter Size Inches |
Minimum Test Flow (Gallons per Minute) |
Maximum Test Flow (Gallons per Minute) |
5/8 or 5/8x3/4 |
¼ |
|
¾ |
½ |
|
1 |
¾ |
|
1-½ |
1 ½ |
|
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
4 |
|
4 |
7 |
|
6 |
12 |
|
(2) Test flows for new, rebuilt and repaired multi-jet type cold-water meters are as follows:
Nominal Meter Size Inches |
Minimum Test Flow (Gallons per Minute) |
Maximum Test Flow (Gallons per Minute) |
5/8 or 5/8x3/4 |
¼ |
15 |
3/4 |
½ |
25 |
1 |
¾ |
35 |
1-1/2 |
1 ½ |
70 |
2 |
2 |
100 |
(1) Displacement and multi-jet meters shall be tested at three or more test flows:
(a) one at the minimum test flow,
(b) one at 10% of the maximum normal test flow limit and
(c) one at a rate over 35% 25% of the maximum normal test flow limit.
(2) A meter shall not be placed in service if it registers less than 95% of the water passed through it at the minimum test flow or over or under registers more than 1.1/25% in the normal test flow limits; with the exception that a repaired meter shall register not less than the following appropriate percentage 90% of the water passed through it at the minimum test flow, and shall not over-or under-register more than 2% in the normal test flow limits.
If manufactured on or after January 1, 1947 .......................... 90%
If manufactured prior to January 1, 1947 ............................. 85%
(3) Accuracy and flow requirements for testing other types of meters are given in the American Water Works Association manual M6.
Upon completion of adjustment and test of any water meter under the provisions of these rules, the utility shall affix thereto a suitable seal in such a manner that adjustment or registration of the meter cannot be tampered with without breaking the seal.
(1) A complete record of all displacement and other mechanical meter tests and data sufficient to allow checking of test calculations, shall be recorded by the meter tester.
(2) Such record shall include: the identifying number of the meter; the type and size of the meter: the constant of the meter; the date and kind of test made; the reading of the meter before making any test; the error as found at each test; and, if readjusted, the percentage of registration as left after each test.
(3) The complete record of test of each meter shall be retained for at least five years.
4. Initial Tests and Storage of Meters.
A. Every water meter shall be tested as required by these rules prior to its installation either by the manufacturer, the utility or any reliable organization equipped for meter testing.
B. Each meter should be stored in an inverted position or utilize a type of intermediate gear train lubricant which that will not flow into the measuring chamber during storage, and unless so stored or lubricated it shall be so tested immediately before installation.
5. Repaired or Tested Meters.
All water meters removed from service for repair or tested in accordance with these rules shall be restored to the prescribed limits of accuracy as required by these rules before again being placed in service.
6. Periodic Tests of Water Meters
VI. 6. b. Test Periods.
(1) Adoption of Test Periods by Utility: A utility may adopt a test period for the periodic test of meters within any well defined separate system as the utility may deem appropriate, based upon a consideration of relevant economic factors and accuracy of meters, provided authorization for such test period for any such separate system is first obtained from the Commission. Requests for such authorization may be made by an application and showing of necessity by letter.
(2) Test Periods if Not Adopted by Utility: Unless a test period for such periodic tests of meters shall have been adopted as provided in paragraph (1), above, no meter shall be allowed to remain in service without retesting for more than the number of years indicated in the following tabulation:
Size of Meter |
Maximum Period |
Smaller than 1 - inch |
|
1 - inch |
|
Larger than 1 - inch |
|
B. Frequency of periodic tests
Nothing in these rules shall be construed to mean that such periodic tests may not be made more frequently than the maximum period specified herein.
C.c. Report of Periodic Tests of Meters
Each utility shall make a summary of all periodic tests of meters made each calendar year as required by these rules and shall submit such summary concurrently with, or as part of, the utility's Annual Report to the Commission for that year.
7. Tests on Customer Request. [delete in its entirely. See Tariff Rule No. 18]
7. Meter Records
Each Utility shall keep records giving for each displacement, multi-jet, and other mechanical meter owned and used by it for any purpose the identification number, name of manufacturer, serial number, type, size and the dates of installation and removal. These records shall also give condensed information, including dates, concerning all tests. See Appendix B for retention periods.
