Hallsville Meter Testing and Non-Registration of Water ordinance (§ 705.210)
Chapter 705: Water Regulations · Article I. Rules and Regulations for Water Use
In short: Customers can request a special water meter test at any time, and they pay for it only if the meter reads correctly or within 2% of normal. If a meter is off by more than 2%, the bill is corrected for the prior month; a defective meter's usage is estimated from the same period last year or the previous three-month average.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
A. Each water meter shall, by comparison with accurate standards, be tested and calibrated by the department. If a meter shall be found inaccurate, it shall be restored to accurate condition or a new meter shall be submitted.
B. The customer has the right to request a special meter test at any time. If any test made at the customer's request discloses that the meter is registering correctly or within two percent (2%) of normal, the customer shall bear the expense of such test. The expense of all other tests shall be borne by the department.
C. Results of calibrations and tests, when requested by the customer, shall be furnished to the customer. If any meter is found to register more than two percent (2%) above or below normal, then the readings of that meter, previously taken for billing purposes, shall be corrected according to the date of meter removal and the customer's bill shall be adjusted, upward or downward as the case may be, for the corrected period (month prior).
D. Should the meter become defective or fail to register correctly, the quantity of water used shall be determined by the amount used during the same period of the preceding year or the average amount for the three-month period immediately preceding the defective registration.
Official source: City of Hallsville official Code of Ordinances (online), § 705.210
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.