Kanarraville board votes to lock dormant water meters, require deposit and applications for reconnection

KANARRAVILLE, Utah — The Kanarraville Town Board voted Sept. 11 to require that dormant water meters be locked and to require a $250 deposit and completed application before service is restored.

Board members said the move is intended to formalize enforcement already referenced in the town ordinance and to make clear who on staff is responsible for locking meters and handling reconnections.

The board clarified notice and enforcement steps. Staff described a 30-day customer notice as typical, a certified letter sent at 60 days for unpaid accounts, and a 48-hour posting requirement after the certified letter is delivered. The board said meters may be locked after that process and will not be reactivated until the account holder completes the required application and pays the deposit and any reconnection fees.

Participant 2 (meeting participant) introduced the primary motion: “I will make a motion that all dormant meters be locked and then have to pay the $250 start up fee when unlocked,” which Participant 3 seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

A second motion, offered to clarify enforcement, stated that meters that are unpaid or dormant will be locked and that account holders must reapply and repay the $250 deposit to get service again. That motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board also approved a motion requiring that each meter at a separate address — even if owned by the same person — must have its own application and deposit. Participant 2 made the motion and Participant 3 seconded; the board approved it by voice vote.

Officials discussed related operational steps: limiting the number of keys in circulation for physical locks on valves or meter boxes, having copies for specific staff and town hall, and using higher-quality locks from a locksmith rather than general retail hardware. Staff said the town will lock an existing hydrant and will install and lock a replacement hydrant and an underground valve box at the Falls parking lot near Mary’s Fence as part of meter/hydrant security work.

Board members and staff also discussed process details for new connections and multiple-meter situations. They said a deposit should be collected when a meter is requested active at the time planning and zoning approvals are issued (for example, via a checkbox on application forms), or at the time a connection fee is paid. If a meter is installed inactive, the meter can remain off until the application and deposit are submitted; if a customer receives warning notices and fails to complete the application and payment, the meter will be locked.

Staff reiterated that the town has the authority to place liens on properties with unpaid utility bills. The board discussed using the town’s code-enforcement process for unresolved cases and stressed the need for clear, uniform enforcement so staff (Patty and others cited in the discussion) have authority to proceed.

Operational items noted by staff included a cemetery meter that has radio equipment configured and a repeater installed; only the meter installation and hookup remain. The board also briefly reminded attendees that planning and zoning and town board public hearings on annexation are scheduled in October and that UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation) posts schedules and updates for planned freeway work on its website.

The board made clear that some enforcement and ordinance language already exists and that the meeting decisions were intended to align enforcement practice with the ordinance and to document who is responsible for carrying out meter locks and reactivations. The board adjourned following the administrative items and announcements.