2. Water Meter Curb Boxescity
of Kalispell Public Works Department
wr Post Office Boy: 1997, Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997 - Telephone 406)75 -7720, Fax (406)758-783 i
#M
16 March 2005
To: James H. Patrick, City Manager
From: James C. Hansz, P.E., Director of Public Works / City Engineer
Subject: Water Meter Curb Boxes
Yesterday you asked about a call from Ron Terry. Mr. `ferry is a small home builder who called
you to complain about the City's decision to no longer allow the option of installing water meters inside
homes. We are now requiring all new meter -sets to be inside approved insulated curb boxes, specifically.
the Mueller H-1.0308 model curb box (see attached manufacturer sheet) which is used in Evergreen and
most other NW Montana utilities (Whitefish, lakeside, Somers, Pablo, Ronan., Hot Springs, Missoula,
Bigfork). Up to now Kalispell was the only utility not using them. Most builders, when informed of this
change, have asked what took us so long to get on board with the others?
Our current regulations call for installation in an approved meter box. Up to now the only
approved style was a large and costly ($1,500-$2,000) pre -cast manhole pit (drawing SD-10 from our
standards, attached). Using this large meter pit presented a financial hardship to the homeowner so the
City has for many years allowed meters to be installed inside homes (basement) or in crawl -spaces. This
was done to avoid imposing a financial hardship. The regulation allows meter installations inside homes.
(The wording of the regulation implies the choice to install in the house is at the discretion of the owner,
however, we have always viewed this as the City"s choice to approve such are installation.) Now that we
have a reasonable cost alternative to the old-style meter pit, it is being used. There are several reasons for
this.
Inside installations present problems with City maintenance and do not eliminate the problem of
freezing. Several times a year we inspect meters that have frozen because the crawl -space was left open or
the homeowner left town for the winter and failed to ensure adequate heat in the basement to prevent
freezing the meter. Replacing a meter due to freeze damage is a costly obligation of the homeowner. In
addition, routine maintenance or simply responding to the ever-present customer requests to verify the
proper operation of the meter also presents a problem. Homeowners must be called, appointments must be
made and this frequently requires overtime for our employee or time -off from work for the homeowner.
There are frequent no-shows for appointments which then require that we repeat the entire process. The
problem of access, along with the security and liability related implications of City personnel entering a
memo0I32005.doe
private home were identified as serious but correctable problems in the City's recently completed and
Federal -mandated water system vulnerability assessment. The recommended solution for this problem is
use of the aforementioned insulated curb box. The new meter boxes also address a second vulnerability
identified in the assessment. There is no comprehensive backflow prevention system for individual homes
with the system as it was previously managed. Use of the Mueller curb box eliminates this vulnerability
because within the curb box is an approved backflow device installed ahead of the meter. It is provided as
a standard part of the installation.
City Council authorized the vulnerability assessment and was made aware when it was completed
that we would be implementing the recommendations made in the vulnerability assessment over time with
certain costs included as a part of our annual budget appropriation for the water division.
We do not believe the decision to require outside meter installations has caused any significant
problems for the building community. Only Mr. Terry has complained. Mr. Terry also complained two
years ago when the City changed its system development charges. At that time Mr. Terry acknowledged
their need and even indicated in a meeting of members of the Builder's Association held at the Chamber
of Commerce that we probably had determined them in a fair an equitable manner, but he simply did not
want to pay them, someone else should pay. In this case, Mr. Terry has indicated that the added cost of
these curb boxes will drive up the cost of "affordable" housing to the point it cannot be provided. His
stated solution, mentioned in a phone conversation with Frank Castles, is for developers to pay for the
curb box. In our opinion, this solution to shift costs does not promote affordable housing. Further, we
strongly doubt that the very large increases in building lot prices, which have been common the past
several years, have resulted from the City's decision to require a $300 pre-fab meter box instead of
requiring a very costly concrete meter manhole. Builders are already installing this same pre-fab curb
box, or its equivalent, in every other city in this valley. Depending on whom you ask, the cost of
installation is no more than previous, or possibly less. The curb box is pre -made with a standard meter
connection into which the City installs the meter. It requires the same connection to the supply line which
is provided with the curb box, the same hole must be dug to access the service line curb stop, and the
same trench must be dug for the supply line from the curb box to the house. There is a connection already
made on the curb box for the house supply line to which the builder attaches his extension. There is no
need to plumb a connection in the supply line inside the house because that is already done inside the curb
box.
All this information is provided with the intent to give you some background on the issue. The
Building Department was notified of this change months ago, and we had been notifying builders of the
coming change for several months, which was made back in January. When we learned that some builders
may have not been informed we extended the date to March. So far, only Mr. Terry has sought to avoid
using the curb boxes by seeking a political exemption from what we view as a purely administrative
change that is clearly in the public's interest and wholly within the authority of this Department to
implement within current standards.
Mue][Wa imt
Thermal -Goff T11 Meter Box
FEATURES
1. Rigid .3011 minimum PVC material
holds shape, resists frost bridging
2. Closed cell insulating pad optional
3. White color interior aids visibility
4. Setter anchored to movable plat-
form, holds meter alignment
5. Platform support and reinforcing ring
for rigidity
6. Large diameter polybutylene coil
tubing — low friction loss — equiva-
lent to rigid setter
7. Male I.P. inlet and outlet connections
will accept a variety of Mueller
service line fittings
S. Aluminum bottom optional
The full line of Mueller products is
available from distributors and repre-
sentatives across the country. For the
source nearest you, contact your Mueller
Sales Representative or the Decatur
Service Center.
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7Z
15" Diameter Thermal -Coil 18" Diameter Thermal -Coil
Meter Box for single or tandem Meter Box for single or tandem
518". 5/8" x 314" and 3l4" 1" meter; doable 518", 518" x
meter Regulator not included. 314" and 314" meters. Regulator
not included.
(Mueller Co. �B'le"Of Canaecatur,da Inc..�;�o o no 4�) 87�1
www.
Form No. #1292 Rev. 7/00-25GO-1 0198E Mueller ca. Printed in U.S.A.
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CONSIDEREE
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