§ 9-7. Damaging, tampering with, etc., utilities.

(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person to deface or damage any house, fence, bridge, wall, street, main, sluice pipe, gate valve, stop valve, fire hydrant, pole, wire, lamp, insulator, machinery, or other fixtures pertaining to the combined public utility system of the city, or in any way to prevent the proper use thereof, or to climb upon any reservoir or water tank or tamper with any of its fixtures, or place advertisements, graffiti, or placards thereon.

(b)

It shall be unlawful for any person to alter or tamper with, a utility service, or bypass a meter which has been installed by the city. Any meter found in a condition which would cause such meter to inaccurately measure the use of a utility service or the attachment to a meter or distribution wire of any device, mechanism or wire which would permit the use of unmetered utility service or would cause a meter to inaccurately measure the use thereof shall be evidence that either the person in whose name such meter was installed or the person for whose benefit it was diverted caused the service to be diverted from the meter or the meter to inaccurately measure the use of service.

(c)

It shall be unlawful for any person other than authorized city personnel to restore utility service when said service is discontinued for nonpayment. If any person other than authorized city personnel causes utility services to be restored prior to paying in full the outstanding balance then it shall be evident that either the person in whose name such meter was installed or the person who benefited caused the service to be restored.

(Code 1979, § 24-7; Ord. of 3-8-83; Ord. No. 096-1015, 8-13-96)

State law reference

Theft of electric current, S.C. Code 1976, § 16-13-380; altering, etc. utility meters, § 16-13-385; cheating producers of electricity, § 16-13-383.