A.    All water meters within Vernal City and all water meters as part of the Vernal City water system shall be readily accessible and visible in order to facilitate meter reading, repair and maintenance including water meters located on private property. It shall be the duty of the owner of the property and also the duty of the occupant to maintain the meter so that it is accessible and visible.

    B.    Whenever a water meter is not readily accessible and visible for the purposes of reading the meter or repairing or maintaining the same, Vernal City shall notify the property owner and the occupant that the meter is not accessible and/or visible. Such notice shall be in writing, addressed to the owner at the address shown on the utility account of the City and to the occupant at the address where the meter is located. The notice shall indicate the reasons the meter is not accessible and/or visible and shall direct that all obstructions be removed within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of notice. If the obstructions are not removed within the fifteen (15) calendar day period, Vernal City may take such action as is needed to remove the obstruction. If Vernal City acts to remove the obstruction, an itemized statement of all expenses incurred including labor costs of Vernal City employees in removal of the obstruction shall be prepared and mailed to the owner and occupant as provided herein and shall be thereafter included as part of the monthly utility bill. Such statement shall include a notification that failure to pay the statement amount within thirty (30) days from the date of notice will result in water service being discontinued. Discontinuance of water service shall be done in accordance with Section 13.12.050 of this chapter.

    C.    Appeals. The City Council shall serve as a Board of Appeals to consider any application of any person aggrieved by a decision that a water meter is inaccessible and/or not visible for the purposes of reading, repairing or maintaining the same. Such appeal must be filed in the office of the Vernal City Manager within fifteen (15) days of the date of the notice from Vernal City that the water meter is inaccessible or not visible. The City Council shall then consider the appeal and the decision of the City Council shall be final. If the decision of the City Council is that the meter is not readily accessible and/or visible, any obstruction shall be removed within such time as the City Council shall designate, which shall not be less than fifteen (15) days. Notice of the decision of the City Council to comply with such decision shall be sent to the owner and occupant as provided herein. If the obstruction is not removed within the time specified, the City may act to remove the same and shall then follow the procedures as provided with respect to notification and discontinuance of water services. (Added during 1993 recodification)