Encinitas Municipal Code § 16.5 Sub-Metering and Sub-Billing of Water

Water may be supplied through a master meter to multiple residential, commercial or agricultural units existing on a single county assessor’s parcel. Sub-metering and sub-billing will be permitted. The District will not establish the rates at which water is resold.

The meter accuracy, accuracy of meter reading, or accuracy of billing or collection are not the responsibility of the District. The sub-metering and sub-billing of water does not relieve or shift the responsibility of the property owner from paying the bills to the District.

As a condition of new water service, each newly constructed multiunit residential structure or newly constructed mixed-use residential and commercial structure for which an application for one or more water service connections is submitted after January 1, 2018, shall measure the quantity of water supplied to each individual residential dwelling unit. The measurement may be by individual water meters or submeters. Except as otherwise provided by law or District policy, the owner shall be required to install and read submeters, unless the District agrees in writing to install and/or read individual meters.

The owner of the structure shall install submeters that comply with all laws and regulations governing the approval of submeter types or the installation, maintenance, reading, billing, and testing of submeters, including, but not limited to, the California Plumbing Code. Installation of submeters shall be performed by one of the following: (A) a contractor licensed by the Contractors’ State License Board who employs at least one journey person who has graduated from a state-approved apprenticeship program; or (B) a registered service agency that has registered with the Department of Food and Agriculture. The District reserves the right, but shall not be required to, fund or assume responsibility for ensuring compliance with any law or regulation governing the approval of submeter types or the installation, maintenance, reading, billing, or testing of submeters and associated onsite plumbing. (SB7, 9/2016; Water Code Section 537.1.)

(Res. No. 2020-02, adopted 5/20/20)