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Council hears request to raise water meter connection fees after rapid price increases
Summary
Staff told the council that the material cost of water meters has risen sharply since the fees were last adjusted in 2015 and asked to amend meter connection fees to recover meter material cost only. Presenters outlined meter size differences, current city charges and recent vendor prices.
City utilities staff asked the Arlington City Council workshop to amend municipal code 13.12 to increase the one‑time meter connection fee to reflect higher meter material costs.
Jim Kelly told council the city’s meter fees have not been adjusted since 2015 while meter prices have “gone up astronomically” since COVID. He said small household meters that previously cost in the low hundreds are now several hundred dollars or more, and larger meters have seen even bigger jumps. “A 1 inch meter, we charge, I believe, about $600 for it. The cost for them now are … $2,000,” Jim said.
Staff proposed adjusting the fee so the connection charge pays for the meter material only, not the labor or fittings the city supplies. Council members asked clarifying questions about whether the meter fee and the connection fee are one‑time charges (staff said both are one‑time) and what happens when a meter needs replacement (staff said the city bears replacement costs over time and factors replacements into capital planning).
Council and staff discussed how fixture counts relate to meter sizing. Jim explained the plumbing industry metric staff uses: a 5/8‑inch meter is rated for a fixture count of 37, which serves most single‑family homes, while larger meters (3/4
