Section 21-308. METER READING AND BILLING

 

308.1Meters shall be read quarterly or at such other times as the General Manager shall determine.

 

308.2The General Manager shall determine the schedule upon which bills shall be rendered and may establish and implement a monthly billing cycle or such other billing cycle deemed, in his sole discretion, appropriate to meet the needs of the Authority. An Owner may request a monthly billing cycle with no additional charge from the Authority provided an AMR meter is installed at the location for which the change in cycle is requested.

 

308.3If free access to the premises cannot be gained for the purpose of reading a District or Privately-owned meter at the interval(s) determined by the General Manager under this chapter, the water charge for that interval or succeeding intervals shall be based on the average previous consumption for that interval until access can be gained and actual consumption determined by meter readings.

 

308.4If at any time, a meter, data collection device or transmitter fails to register correctly or collect, deliver or transmit data or otherwise operate or bears evidence of having been tampered with, as determined by qualified personnel of the Authority, the water charge for the interval in which the incident occurred shall be based on the average previous water consumption for that interval.

 

308.5In case of excessive water consumption seemingly due to invisible leakage from an underground service pipe on either public or private property between the meter and fixtures, the General Manager is authorized to make adjustment of the water bill; provided, that the following conditions and requirements are met:

 

(a)There has been no negligence on the part of the owners in notifying the Authority of unusual conditions indicative of waste of water;

 

(b)Upon ascertaining the existence of an invisible leak, the owner has taken prompt steps to have the leak repaired;

 

(c)The Authority has been notified immediately, and notification was made prior to repairs when the leak is exposed;

 

(d)Repairs have been made by a registered plumber and approved by the Chief, Plumbing Inspection Branch, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) or his or her lawful successor;

 

(e)The request for adjustment is made to the Authority within thirty (30) days of the date of rendition of a water bill after the leak has been repaired; and

 

(f)Form SE-138, or other documentation acceptable to the Authority shall be furnished to the Authority. The form or other documentation shall be completed in full, signed by the owner of the premises or the owner's agent, and certified by the plumber making repairs.

 

source

12 DCRR §§402.2(h-1) and 402.2(w) (October 1981); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 50 DCR 782(January 24, 2003).