Who is responsible for water meter placement?

[Playa]

City or General Contractor?

Our water meter is outside of our property line by probably 3 feet. Consequently it sits in what should be the alley way. But there isn't an actual alley developed back there, BUT we still get some traffic. Our meter box gets run over several times a year. A couple of weeks ago I had to shut the water off at the meter for an emergency, except I couldn't because the meter was covered with soil. Once I got it dug out enough to find the meter and valve, the valve was packed with dirt and I couldn't shut it.

[texas shag]

typically the city is responsible for identifying their preferred location, as well as the installation of the meter.

[topwater blowup]

City Is responsible.

One solution to shutting off the water is put a shut off valve at your house where the water comes in.

[boh347]

City

[Playa]

City Is responsible.

One solution to shutting off the water is put a shut off valve at your house where the water comes in.

Nah that isn't the solution, they made me mad this week, the solution is to raise Cain until they fix it. There is no connection between the water meter and why I'm irritated, it's just a legit gripe in a list that I have with the city...

[Hawkpuppy 1]

So what's your beef with the city if not the water meter? You just looking for a reason to ***** at someone?

[systemnt]

I'll back over it a few dozen times for $50 and some beer...till they move it

[Playa]

So what's your beef with the city if not the water meter? You just looking for a reason to ***** at someone?

It goes back to last summer. We and our neighbors replaced a shared fence. We stacked the old fence material next to the dumpster that we share until my neighbor could borrow a trailer after the got back from out of town. We received a warning to remove the fence material hand delivered by a city police officer. Just us, not the other neighbors whose property the actual materials were on.

The city contractor regularly fails to empty our dumpster which sits adjacent to our front yard, consequently I contsntly have to pick up trash in our front yard.
I'm tired of calling and complaining about
Missed thrash pickup

So fast forward I get home yesterday I have a warning for weeds in my back alley, they have been sprayed and are dead. My mower and weed trimmer are in the shop for maintenance.

Meanwhile the city officer who lives across the alley from me 1)has no fence (ordinance violation), 2) weeds knee high in his yard, 3) a trampoline that's not secured by virtue of him having no fence and 4) his **** pit bull runs free and has gotten in my yard a few times and tried to make trouble with my dog and has torn a hole in my chainlink dog kennel.

I'll mow my alley, it was the agenda for Saturday anyway, but it's going to come with a host of griping from me

[twobittxn]

Complain to your city council person and or the city manager.

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Take pics and raise hell. I would. If they are picking and choosing what codes to enforce only on you is BS....

[TMEC]

Do you have a beef going with the city officer/neighbor? Maybe he is causing you trouble by turning you in for the violations?

[Hogmauler]

City. Anything past the meter is on you.

[mikemorvan]

The water tap, the part the meter connects to, is installed by the developer. Typically the city supplies and installs the meter itself, though not always. Some cities, Flower Mound for example, supplies the meter, but the plumber installs it.

If i understand correctly, your issue is with the tap placement. Once the city signs off on the work from the developer, it becomes a city issue. The longer a utility is in place the more difficult it is to get it moved, just from a hassle standpoint. All that to say: You're fighting an uphill battle on getting the water tap relocated. As far as the pit bull goes, well...

[WItoTX]

Whatever you do, show up with documentation. Document each time the city had to come fix the water line. Document any losses you had as a result (Track the days which you water was affected, then track if you had to pay laundry mat do clean your clothes, had to get a hotel, food while stuck at said hotel).

Then, you show up to your counsel meeting with your damages you suffered as a result of the water meter being busted. If you do that, and the city says they still are not at fault, get an attorney. With facts like that, there will be no way the city can refute it.

As for your other gripes, documentation wins. Document it all, with timelines, you will win in the end. Photo's, samples, even a journal of the date and what is happening or not happening, the city will have no way to refute your information, and you will win on those as well.

[dustoffer]

Then, you show up to your counsel meeting with your damages you suffered as a result of the water meter being busted. If you do that, and the city says they still are not at fault, get an attorney. With facts like that, there will be no way the city can refute it.

Oh yes they will if they are anything like Seguin. I have finally figured out Seguin isn't in the state of Texas but in the state of Denial. After our neighborhood was annexed and the city put in a sewer line and repaved the streets, disrupting the drainage patterns, they continue to deny they have any responsibility in the matter, even for my neighbor's driveway which they replaced---but forgot to put the drain pipe under the drive. Unfortunately, municipalities have all the marbles in the game---and a lawsuit and attorney fees seems to be the only way to get them to make it right.

Best of luck to you, and only thing I might offer---approach (not attack) with facts and not emotion. Calling out the official neighbor may or may not be in your best interest, but be sure you've documented everything before you go to the city council meeting. Be sure and alert the local news media too--public ridicule can be a powerful ally.