Right of employees to inspect water installations; discontinuing service for violation of regulations.

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 25-3

in effect

Sec. 25-3. - Right of employees to inspect water installations; discontinuing service for violation of regulations. (a) Any employee of the public works department, at the time of turning on water to any consumer, shall watch the meter to determine the possibility of an opening in any line, e.g., broken line, faucet turned on, or any indication from the meter that an unusual amount of water is passing through the meter under the circumstances. If it appears that an unusual amount of water is passing through the meter, the employee may conduct a visual inspection of the premises outside any building to look for evidence of water leakage without permission from the consumer or owner if different from the consumer; provided, however, the employee shall not enter into or upon any buildings or structures. If such evidence is found and the employee can correct it, e.g., turning off an outside faucet, the employee shall do so. If such evidence is found, e.g., water from a broken line or coming from under a structure, and the cause cannot be corrected by the employee, the water shall be turned off and a report immediately made to the public works department who shall notify the consumer as quickly as possible. (b) In other situations, after giving reasonable notice under the circumstances to the consumer and owner of the premises, if different from the consumer, the director or other duly authorized personnel of the public works department, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall have free access at any reasonable hour to all parts of the premises supplied with water from the waterworks system of the city for the purpose of examining into the conditions or uses of water on the premises as may be reasonable or necessary to determine whether conditions exist which may impair or threaten the safety, integrity or quality of the water system itself or the water provided by the city, or to determine whether conditions exist which may threaten or endanger the safety, health and welfare of any consumers of the system including, but not limited to, the uses to which the water is applied, the condition of fixtures, service pipe installations and other equipment, presence of lead, copper, chlorine or other pollutants or to investigate or respond to any report or complaint from a consumer. (c) Refusal to allow inspection may immediately be followed by a discontinuance of the water supply which shall not be restored, if discontinued, until inspection is allowed and proper damages paid. Should it be found that the water is being used contrary to the rules, rates and regulations or provisions of this chapter, the supply may be shut off and not restored until a proper accounting has been made and all claims paid. (d) The person making the inspection shall prepare a concise written report of each inspection containing, as a minimum: (1) The basis for determining the need for the inspection; (2) Notice given or efforts made to give notice; (3) The date and time of the inspection; (4) The findings of the inspection; (5) The other persons present, if any, during the inspection; and (6) The conclusions and recommendations for action, if any. (Code 1962, § 25-4; Ord. No. 3612, § 15, 8-4-81; Ord. No. 3955, § 2, 5-18-93)

Source: City of Meridian, Mississippi, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ms/meridian/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH25WASE_ARTIINGE_S25-3RIEMINWAINDISEVIREFetched: 11/1/2026