TAMPERING WITH METERS 

• Per North Carolina General Statute 14-151.1, it shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to alter, tamper with, or bypass a meter which has been installed for the purpose of measuring the use of water or knowingly to use water passing through any such tampered meter or water bypassing a meter provided by the town for the purpose of measuring and registering the quantity of water consumed.  Any meter or service entrance facility found to have been altered, tampered with, or bypassed in a manner that would cause such meter to inaccurately measure and register the water consumed, or which would cause the water to be diverted from the recording apparatus of the meter, shall be prima facie evidence of intent to violate and of the violation of this section by the person in whose name such meter is installed, or the person or persons so using or receiving the benefits of such unmetered, unregistered, or diverted water.  Any person(s) not authorized by the town operating any valves on the distribution system, which included the cut off valve at the meter, hydrants, etc. shall be charged with tampering.
• Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
• Whoever is found in a civil and/or criminal action to have violated any provisions of this section shall be liable to the town and subject to a fine of triple the amount of the losses and damages sustained.

If water is cut on illegally after disconnection due to nonpayment of a utility bill, this will cause the removal of the water meter.  To have meter reinstalled and turned on, the account balance must be paid in full, plus a $100.00 meter set fee and a $50.00 reconnect fee.

If you need to have repairs done at your property, please contact the Billing Department at 910-458-2983 to have a Town employee turn the water off at the meter. Once repairs are completed, contact the Billing Department and we will turn the water back on. If it is after hours you may call our water and sewer on-call number at 910-465-0376.

If you have a broken meter box, meter lid, or need your meter box risen, please contact the Billing Department so that a work order can be generated to repair the meter box.