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Hutto launches WaterSmart customer portal and lower-fee payment options
Summary
City rolls out new WaterSmart portal that links smart meters to customer accounts, provides leak and high-usage alerts, hourly usage data and a new lower-cost online payment system; utility staff demonstrated features and answered questions from council and residents.
Hutto unveiled its new WaterSmart customer portal and upgraded online payment options at the April 3 city council meeting, city staff said, promising near real-time water usage monitoring, leak alerts and lower payment-processing fees for residents.
Utility billing manager Monica Burke told council the WaterSmart service depends on the city's advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), installed in 2015, and that the portal will put meter data directly in customers' hands. "Without that AMI system, we wouldn't be able to get this data," Burke said. She demonstrated hourly and near-hourly reads, customizable leak and high-use alerts and the ability to add additional users to an account.
Why it matters: City officials said the portal will help residents catch leaks earlier and support the city's water-conservation goals. City Manager James Arp framed the rollout as part of a broader customer-service upgrade: the new payment portal pairs with WaterSmart to reduce online processing fees and add modern options such as Apple Pay and eCheck.
In the demonstration and Q&A, Burke and staff explained key features: residents who opt in can receive suspected-leak notifications and high-usage alerts, register additional users (for example tenants or family members), and view usage trends at hourly or daily resolution. The city also launched a new payment vendor (InvoiceCloud) to lower fees: online credit/debit card processing will move from about a 4.25% fee to a 2.7% fee, while online eCheck will be 95 cents per transaction; customers who use the city office to set up autopay will still avoid the online transaction charge.
Council members and residents responded positively during the meeting. A councilmember praised the reduced processing fees and said the tool aligns with long-term infrastructure planning; another noted WaterSmart could help public works identify customers creating drought-stage triggers. Staff said the portal is available via mobile web and a downloadable app.
What's next: Staff will continue public outreach (video tutorials, bill inserts and social media) and report on early sign-ups and system performance. There was no council vote tied to the demonstration.
