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Utility Water Submeters

Steps to Compliance For the Rental Housing Industry


The State Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Measurement Standards, is responsible for testing, sealing, and regulating water and utility submeters that are used in the private commercial and residential setting in the State of California. This paper outlines the requirements for the installation and maintenance of submeters located downstream of a master meter at private property.

Step 1 Submeter Companies Must be Registered


Any person or corporation that, for hire, installs or repairs a submeter must register as a service agency with the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and must pay a fee to operate. Every service agency must ensure that service agents in its employ have a current service agent license. Prior to obtaining a license, a service agent must pass a written examination on the laws and regulations governing weights and measures. Every service agent must take an examination every five years.

Step 2 Submeters Must be Type Approved and Sealed Prior to Installation


Every submeter and its accuracy is regulated by the Measurement Standards Division of the Department of Food and Agriculture. Before a submeter is offered in the California market, it must first be approved for use (type approved), be submitted to the local sealer, and bear a seal affixed by a county official (a sealer). Monetary penalties, including jail time, can accrue to anyone who sells or uses a submeter that is not type approved or that is inaccurate. Sellers of submeter devices should be able to demonstrate with a certificate that they are offering a meter that has received the appropriate approval, which includes permission by the local tariff administrator for use. (See Step 3 below) Section 12500.5 of the Business and Professions Code provides that, . . . It shall be unlawful to sell or use for commercial purposes any weight or measure, or any weighing, measuring, or counting instrument or device, of a type or design which has not first been so approved by the department; provided, however, that any such weight, measure, instrument, or device in use for commercial purposes prior to the effective date of this act may be

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continued in use unless and until condemned under the provisions of this code. Section 12018 of the California Business and Professions Code states: Any person neglecting or refusing to exhibit any weight, measure, weighing or measuring instrument, or appliances and accessories connected therewith in his possession or under his control, to any sealer for inspection and examination is guilty of a misdemeanor. Californias Business and Professions Code at 12510 provides that a person is guilty of a misdemeanor if he/she uses: . . . for determining the charge for a service any . . . measuring instrument which is not kept at a fixed location, which does not bear a current or previous years seal, and which, upon test by the sealer, is found to be incorrect, unless a written request for an inspection of the . . . measuring instrument has been made to the county sealer. However, the use of any . . . measuring instrument used by a public utility in connection with measuring gas, electricity, water, steam or communication service subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission is exempt from this chapter. List of Type Approved Submeters (issued before the year 2000). For questions about models not included, call the California Type Evaluation Program Coordinator at 916-229-3013 http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dms/CTEP%20Approvals/CA_Approvals.pdf List of County Sealers of Weights and Measures http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/cl/documents/CountyCommissionerSealerContactInfo.pdf Copy of Application for Evaluation of a Weighing or Measuring Device http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dms/InfoGuides/pdfs/CTEPApplication.pdf

Step 3 Permission Received by Local Tariff Administrator


A county sealer who receives a request to seal or test a submeter will request from the user (the property owner) or the submeter seller or installer that the submeter be approved for use by the local utility company or district that has authority and responsibility in the area. While some county sealers will seek this approval directly from the local utility company, the sealer may require the owner or the installer to provide written approval from the utility company before proceeding with the test. Some local utility companies and districts prohibit specific installations and applications. For example, if an intended submeter application results in

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estimating unmeasured quantities used in preparing the tenants billing, such as measuring only the flow of water into hot water heaters, with the intent of billing for total water, for gas, or for charging for wastewater or electricity, etc., the meter will not be tested and sealed by the local sealer. (State Measurement Standards Internal Guidelines EPO REF-T Est: 6/03) Water Corporations http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/REPORT/38980.htm NOTE: Most water and sewer service to rental property is provided through municipalities. The appropriate jurisdiction should be consulted regarding any tariff rules for submetered water. Energy Providers See Appendix A for a listing of providers.

Step 4 Pay a Fee for Submeter Type Approval


Anyone who submits a submeter to the Division of Measurement Standards for type approval will be charged a fee. The fees are due upon completion of all prototypeapproval testing. The fees are intended to compensate state and county officials for the costs of time, mileage, and equipment expended in providing prototype-approval service. See fees outlined in Step 7 below. You can call the Division (916) 229-3013 to ensure the submeters you are considering are already type approved or you can ask the seller to provide a copy of the approval certificate.

Step 5

Submeters Must be Installed by a Registered Service Provider

Business and Professions Code Section 12532 provides that a submeter may only be placed in service by a sealer or a service agency.

Step 6 Notification to Local Sealer after Installation or Repair of Submeter


Anyone who sells, rents, leases, loans, installs, or repairs a submeter must, within 24 hours of the repair or installation, notify the local sealer of such action. A persons failure to notify the local sealer of such action is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Business and Professions Code Section 12515) Copy of required Placed in Service Report http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/dms/pdfs/PlacedinService.pdf

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Step 7 Annual Fees


State law allows counties to set their own annual charges for the inspection and testing of submeters. Some counties may require a new fee when a property is sold. Local fees may vary, but they are capped by state law. Business and Professions Code Section 12440 (g) allows annual fees as follows: (g) For marinas, mobilehome parks, recreational vehicle parks, and apartment complexes, where the owner of the marina, park, or complex owns and is responsible for the utility meters, the annual fee shall not exceed sixty dollars ($60) per marina, park, or complex, and a fee of up to two dollars ($2) per device per space or apartment. Marinas, mobilehome parks, recreational vehicle parks, and apartment complexes for which the above fees are assessed shall be inspected and tested as frequently as required by regulation.

Step 8 Retesting of Submeters


Title 4 Division 9 Chapter 3 Section 4070 of the California Code of Regulations sets the frequency of inspection for utility submeters at 10 years. When utility meters are tested and installed, they may remain in service for up to ten years before retesting. It is the meter owner who is responsible to maintain the meters. Check with the local county sealer to obtain the procedure that must be followed to have the meters retested when due. While local sealers report that they attempt to maintain a consistent intake, approval, and retesting process from county to county, the time to retest and return submeters to property owner may vary depending upon local staff and other available resources.

Step 9 Billing Tenants under a Submeter Application


The Public Utilities Code at 2705.5 provides that any person or corporation that maintains a multiple unit residential complex and provides, or will provide, water service to users through a submeter service system is not a public utility and is not subject to the jurisdiction, control, or regulation of the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) if each user of the submeter service system is charged at the rate which would be applicable if the user were receiving the water directly from the water corporation. The CPUC has issued an opinion stating that tenants cannot be charged a startup fee or other ancillary charges in connection with a (water) submeter services system. By example, a company hired by an apartment owner charged meter fees and new account fees in addition to charging for submetered water at a higher rate than charged by the local water company. All of these charges were found illegal by the CPUC since state law only allows an owner to charge for water at the same rate that would be applicable if the user received water directly from the water corporation,

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and the statute does not authorize any additional fees. The CPUC required the billing company and the owner to refund all excess payments with interest. PUC 2705.5. CPUC file No. 650 Opinion letter re: Foxchase Apartments & National Water and Power 11/20/97 letter by Dean J. Evans, Director Water Division.

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Appendix A Service Utilities Contacts


SERVICE UTILITIES CONTACTS
California Investor-Owned Energy Utilities
KIRKWOOD GAS & ELECTRIC CO. Tim Cohee, President P.O. Box 1 Kirkwood, CA 95646 (209) 258-6000 (209) 258-8899 PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY

(619) 696-4008 (619) 696-4027 FAX Internet: Jfrank@imx.sdge.com


SIERRA PACIFIC POWER

Ron Jang Pricing & Regulatory Support P.O. Box 770000 - Mail Code H28H San Francisco, CA 94177 (415) 973-2973 (415) 973-2384 FAX Internet: roj3@pge.com Mary Camby Customer Services - Consumer Affairs P.O. Box 770000 - Mail Code H28G San Francisco, CA 94177 (415) 973-3036 (415) 973-8490 FAX Internet: mmc7@pge.com
PACIFICORP (PACIFIC POWER & LIGHT)

Gene Williams Regulatory Affairs P.O. BOX 10100 Reno, NV 89520 (702) 689-3564 (702) 689-4484 FAX Internet: genewilliams@spvco.email.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON

Patricia Aldridge Regulatory Policy & Affairs 2244 E. Walnut Grove, Room 306, GO 1 Rosemead, CA 91770 (818) 302-4617 (818) 302-4332 FAX Internet: aldrid@sce.com Gail Gonsalus (818) 302-1612
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS

Brian Teague 825 NE Multnomah, Suite 625 Portland, OR 97232 (503) 464-5114 (504) 464-6216 FAX
SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC

Carl Lower Regulatory Services 8306 Century Park Ct., Suite 4210B San Diego, CA 92123 (619) 654-1580 (619) 654-1175 FAX Internet: lower@imx.sdge.com Jim Frank Regulatory Affairs, EB-10B P.O. BOX 1831 San Diego, CA 92112-4150

Denise Canning Tariff Administration, ML 25A1 555 W. Fifth Street Los Angeles, CA 90013-1011 (213) 244-2517 (213) 244-8262 FAX Internet: dcanning@pacent.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER

Dan DellOsa Tariff & Special Projects Manager 630 E. Foothill Blvd. San Dimas, CA 91773 (909) 394-3600 Ext. 759 (909) 394-0827 FAX Roland Tanner (909) 397-011 Ext. 333

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California Investor-Owned Energy Utilities (Continued)


SOUTHWEST GAS WASHINGTON WATER & POWER

Keith Brown Regulatory Affairs - LVB - 105 P.O. BOX 98510 Las Vegas, NV 89193-8510 (702) 876-7157 (702) 873-3820 FAX Jessie de los Santos (702) 876-7365 Internet: mcolledg@ix.netcom.com

Tom Dukich P.O. BOX 3727 Spokane, WA 99220 (509) 482-4724 (509) 482-4879 FAX Internet: tdukich@wwp.co.com Bruce Folsom (509) 482-8706

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Municipal Utility Districts


CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL UTILITIES ASSOCIATION

915 L Street Suite 1640 Sacramento, CA 95814-3705 (916) 441-1733 http://www.cmua.org/


ALAMEDA BUREAU OF ELECTRICITY

East Bay Municipal Utility District P.O. Box 24055 Oakland, CA 94623-1055 (510) 835-3000 http://www.ebmud.com/
GLENDALE PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT

2000 Grand Street P.O. Box H Alameda, CA 94501-0263 (510) 748-3900 http://electricity.ci.alameda.ca.us/
ANAHEIM PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT

141 North Glendale Avenue Glendale, CA 91206 (818) 545-4332 (818)548-4080 ext. 1555 http://www.glendale.ci.ca.us/
GRIDLEY MUNICIPAL UTILITIES

201 South Anaheim Blvd Anaheim, CA 92803 (714) 254-0125 http://www.anaheim.net/


AZUSA LIGHT & WATER DEPARTMENT

685 Kentucky Street Gridley, CA 95948 (530) 846-3631 email: gridley@manznet.com


HEALDSBURG MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC DEPT.

729 North Azusa Avenue Azusa, CA 91702 (626) 812-5225 http://www.azusa.ca.gov/


BANNING ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT

401 Grove Street P.O. Box 578 Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 431-3346
HETCH HETCHY WATER & POWER

176 East Lincoln P.O. Box 998 Banning, CA 92220 (909) 922-3260 http://paladin.cirrus.co.riverside.ca.us/ city/banning/
BIGGS ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT

City & County of San Francisco 1155 Market Street, 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 554-0725
LODI MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC SYSTEM

P.O. Box 307 Biggs, CA 95917 (530) 868-5493


BURBANK PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT

1331 South Ham Lane Call Box 3006 Lodi, CA 95242 (209) 333-6762 http://www.lodielectric.com
LOMPOC UTILITY SERVICES/ELECTRICAL

164 West Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91503-0631 (818) 238-3700


CITY OF COALINGA (GAS SERVICE)

100 Civic Center Plaza Lompoc, CA 93438 (805) 736-1261 http://www. ci.lompoc.ca.us/

155 West Durian Street Coalinga, CA 93210 (559) 935-1533

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Municipal Utility Districts (Continued)


LONG BEACH GAS DEPARTMENT SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

2 East Spring Street Long Beach, CA 90806 (562) 570-2000 http://www.ci.long-beach.ca.us/gas/


LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER

6201 S Street P.O. Box 15830 Sacramento, CA 95852-1830 (916) 452-7811 http://www.smud.org/
SANTA CLARA ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT

111 North Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100 (213) 481-5411 or 1-800-342-5397 (toll free) http://www.ladwp.com
CITY OF NEEDLES

1500 Warburton Avenue Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 984-3044 http://www.alphais.com/santa-clara/3101.html


UKIAH MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

817 Third Street Needles, CA 92363 (760) 326-2113


PALO ALTO ELECTRIC UTILITY

300 Seminary Avenue Ukiah, CA 95482 (707) 462-2971 http://www.ukiah.ca.us


VERNON MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT

250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 329-2161 http://www.ci.palo-alto.ca.us/


PASADENA WATER AND POWER DEPARTMENT

4305 Santa Fee Avenue Vernon, CA 90058 (323) 583-8811 http://www.vernongov.org

150 South Los Robles Avenue, Suite 200 Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 744-4409 http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/departments/ water_power.html
RIVERSIDE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT

Rural Electric Cooperatives


ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

P.O. Box 391909 Anza, CA 92539 (909) 763-4333


PLUMAS SIERRA

3900 Main Street Riverside, CA 92522 (909) 782-5781 http://www.ci.riverside.ca.us/utilities/


ROSEVILLE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT

73233 Highway 70 Portola, CA 96122 (530) 832-4261 http://www.psln.com/psrec/


SURPRISE VALLEY ELECTRIFICATION CORP.

2090 Hilltop Circle Roseville, CA 95747 (916) 774-5600

P.O. Box 691 Alturas, CA 96101 (530) 233-3511

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Federal and State Agencies and Irrigation District Systems


U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Department of the Interior Federal Office Building 2800 Cottage Way Sacramento, CA 95825-1898 (916) 978-5000 http://www.usbr.gov/
CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

1231 11th Street Modesto, CA 95354 P.O. Box 4060 Modesto, CA 95352 (209) 526-7452 http://www.mid.org/
NEVADA IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Energy Division 1416 Ninth Street P.O. Box 942836 Sacramento, CA 94236-0001 (916) 445-6687 http://www.usbr.gov/
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA POWER AGENCY

Yuba-Bear River Project 28311 Secret Town Road Colfax, CA 95713 (530) 273-8571 email: yubabear@foothill.net
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POWER AGENCY

9500 Coldwater Creek Road Kelseyville, CA 95451 (916) 732-6200


IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT

180 Cirby Way Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 781-3636 http://www.ncpa.com/


OROVILLE/WYANDOTTE IRRIGATION DISTRICT

333 East Barioni Blvd. P.O. Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 (760) 339-9225 http://www.iid.com/
LASSEN MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

P.O. Box 581 Oroville, CA 95965-0581 (530) 534-1221


PLACER COUNTY WATER AGENCY

P.O. Box 667 Foresthill, CA 95631 (530) 885-6917


SHASTA DAM PUBLIC UTILITIES DISTRICT

65 South Roop Street Susanville, CA 96130 (530) 257-4174


MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT

P.O. Box 777 Central Valley, CA 96019 (530) 275-8827


TRANSMISSION AGENCY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

P.O. Box 2288 Merced, CA 95344 (209) 722-5761 http://www.mercedid.org/

P.O. Box 661030 Sacramento, CA 95866 (916) 924-1196

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Federal and State Agencies and Irrigation District Systems (Continued)


TRINITY COUNTY PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT

P.O. Box 1216 Weaverville, CA 96093 (530) 623-5536


TRUCKEE-DONNER PUBLIC UTILITIES DISTRICT

11570 Donner Pass Road Truckee, CA 96161 (530) 587-3896 email: tdpud@telis.org
TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT

333 East Canal Drive P.O. Box 949 Turlock, CA 95381 (209) 883-8300 http://www.tid.org /
YUBA COUNTY WATER AGENCY

1402 D Street Marysville, CA 95091 (916) 741-6278

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