They recently passed a law around here that requires meters on all new
private
wells, and all taps off a shared well with mandatory quarterly reporting.
No
requirement yet to retrofit existing wells. Supposedly to help manage the
aquifer, but you just know it will lead to taxes on usage.

Yep!

I am of "mixed emotions" on this issue.

Even here in Tidewater Virginia, some folks find wells going dry because of
the falling aquifer.

A "well water" tax would cut back on the BIG users of water. These are the
farmers with irrigated fields and homeowners who get carried away with
watering the grass several times a week. But that same tax (and meter)
would be just another PITA for us.

In a "typical" deep well installation, the only way the meter would be
"accessible" to the local authorities would be to place it next to the
"pit-less" adaptor. Otherwise, it would have to be in our basement and
occasionally the meter readers would have to have access (if only to ensure
we haven't by-passed the meter.)

--
"Tell me what I should do, Annie."
"Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars

IF you must have the meter anyway, I would vote for putting everything is a
sufficiently sized pit at the well head. In a pit you might not have to
worry about freezing and in any case, you have the power for a "pump house"
heater. Even in very cold weather routine water usage should keep pipes
and tanks in a pit from freezing without the need for extra heat.