1. Except as otherwise provided in this section or in any special law for the incorporation of a city, it is unlawful for any public utility, for any purpose or object whatever, in any city or town containing more than 7,500 inhabitants, to install, operate or use, within such city or town, any mechanical water meters or similar mechanical device, to measure the quantity of water delivered to residential water users.

2. A public utility which furnishes water shall file with the Commission a schedule establishing a separate individual and joint rate or charge for residential users who have installed water meters or similar devices to measure the consumption of water.

3. A water meter or similar device may be installed to measure the consumption of water by a residential customer:

(a) With the consent of the customer; and

(b) To obtain information concerning a representative sample of residential customers to determine what benefits, if any, would be derived from the installation and use of water meters for residential customers generally.

Unless the residential customer has agreed, in writing, to pay the separate rate, the public utility shall charge the residential customer for whom a meter is installed the same amount for water used as if no meter had been installed.

4. A water meter or similar device may be installed to measure the quantity of water delivered and determine the charge to residential users of water if:

(a) The owner of the property on which it is installed consents in writing to the installation, operation and use of the device; and

(b) The written consent is recorded with the county recorder of the county in which the property is located.

The written consent binds any successor in interest to that property to the provisions thereof.

5. Every newly constructed residential building which is occupied for the first time after July 1, 1988, must be equipped with a water meter.

6. This section does not apply to cities and towns owning and operating municipal waterworks, or to cities and towns located in a county whose population is 700,000 or more.

[Part 13:109:1919; A 1931, 320; 1955, 421] — (NRS A 1961, 101; 1967, 357; 1969, 1545; 1977, 1402; 1979, 559; 1985, 656; 1989, 1934; 2011, 1308)