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Washington County: meter component replacement to raise sunken vaults; billing tied to measured use
Summary
County staff told Sharpsburg officials that the meter-replacement project will raise sunken meter vaults and repair sidewalk damage; county cannot guarantee whether customer bills will rise because customers are billed for actual use.
Washington County planning and operations staff told Sharpsburg officials that work on water meters will include raising sunken meter vaults, repairing damaged sidewalks around vaults and installing more durable vault components, while cautioning that changes to meter components may affect measured usage and customer bills.
Mark Bradshaw, a county operations representative, explained the county is not swapping out the meters themselves but is replacing components — "We're not actually replacing the water meters. We're replacing all the components like the yoke, the angle check, shut off valve and the faults. The actual meter, we're gonna pull it out, put all the new components in and set the old meter right back into the new, parts." He said meters have about a 15-year life cycle and were replaced roughly seven years ago.
County staff said contractor specifications require removing concrete to the nearest joint and replacing it; for brick sidewalks the contractor will salvage and reuse bricks when possible. The county also said it will raise meter vaults to the proper elevation and "any damage to the sidewalk as a result of that process... will be repaired." The county cannot guarantee that customers' bills will not change after work is complete because staff are required to bill customers for the water they actually use.
Residents raised questions about sinkholes and a culvert collapse at Chaplin Street; county staff said the culvert was cleared of silt and that some concrete and retaining-wall work will be needed. County staff indicated the culvert work appears to be a joint town-county issue and said staff will follow up on repair needs.
Commissioners suggested the county consider whether future rate-setting conversations should anticipate any measured-usage increases following meter adjustments.
