Section 19 in The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Service Charges (Levy and Collection) Regulations, 1998
19.
The owner or occupier of the premises to which a metre is fixed shall be liable to pay any loss or illegal use thereof tampering therewith or other damage thereto, such amount as may be considered reasonable by the authorised authority. He shall also be liable to get the metre repaired at his cost if so directed by the authorised authority. No person shall after the index of any metre or prevent any metre from duly registering the quantity of water supplied.
