Sec. 13.140. EXAMINATION AND TEST OF EQUIPMENT. (a) The regulatory authority may examine and test any meter, instrument, or equipment used for the measurement of service of any utility and may enter any premises occupied by any utility for the purpose of making the examinations and tests and exercising any power provided for in this chapter and may set up and use on those premises any apparatus and appliances necessary for those purposes. The utility may be represented at the making of the examinations, tests, and inspections.
(b) The utility and its officers and employees shall facilitate the examinations, tests, and inspections by giving every reasonable aid to the regulatory authority and any person or persons designated by the regulatory authority for those duties.
(c) Any consumer or user may have a meter or measuring device tested by the utility once without charge after a reasonable period to be fixed by the regulatory authority by rule and at shorter intervals on payment of reasonable fees fixed by the regulatory authority. The regulatory authority shall declare and establish reasonable fees to be paid for other examining and testing of those meters and other measuring devices on the request of the consumer.
(d) If the test is requested to be made within the period of presumed accuracy as fixed by the regulatory authority since the last test of the same meter or other measuring device, the fee to be paid by the consumer or user at the time of his request shall be refunded to the consumer or user if the meter or measuring device is found unreasonably defective or incorrect to the substantial disadvantage of the consumer or user. If the consumer's request is made at a time beyond the period of presumed accuracy fixed by the regulatory authority since the last test of the same meter or measuring device, the utility shall make the test without charge to the consumer or user.
Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 3.005, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 2 - Water Administration
Chapter 13 - Water Rates and Services
Subchapter E. Records, Reports, Inspections, Rates, and Services
Section 13.131. Records of Utility; Rates, Methods, and Accounts
Section 13.132. Powers of Utility Commission
Section 13.1325. Electronic Copies of Rate Information
Section 13.134. Report of Advertising or Public Relations Expenses
Section 13.135. Unlawful Rates, Rules, and Regulations
Section 13.136. Filing Tariffs of Rates, Rules, and Regulations; Annual Financial Report
Section 13.137. Office and Other Business Locations of Utility; Records; Removal From State
Section 13.138. Communications by Utilities With Regulatory Authority; Regulations and Records
Section 13.139. Standards of Service
Section 13.1394. Standards of Emergency Operations
Section 13.1395. Standards of Emergency Operations in Certain Counties
Section 13.1396. Coordination of Emergency Operations
Section 13.140. Examination and Test of Equipment
Section 13.141. Billing for Service to State
Section 13.142. Time of Payment of Utility Bills by State
Section 13.143. Voluntary Contributions
Section 13.144. Notice of Wholesale Water Supply Contract
Section 13.145. Multiple Systems Consolidated Under Tariff
Section 13.146. Water Conservation Plan
Section 13.1461. Correctional Facility Compliance With Conservation Measures
Section 13.147. Consolidated Billing and Collection Contracts
Section 13.148. Water Shortage Report
Section 13.149. Notification of Water Loss
Section 13.150. Reports Required for Water and Sewer Utilities
Section 13.151. Billing for Services Provided During Extreme Weather Emergency