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Council hears update on water meter exchange program after resident high-bill complaint; staff to survey remaining meters
Summary
Public works staff reported they have about 750 water meters left to survey/replace after a prior program; council discussed a recent citizen high-bill caused by an unchanged meter and asked for better project data, outreach and customer-portal guidance.
Public works staff updated the council on the city’s water meter exchange program after a resident reported a high water bill tied to a meter that had not been changed. Staff said a recent survey (the latest segment) is underway to inventory existing meter types, sizes and plumbing configurations; an estimate of about 750 remaining meters in the system was discussed.
Council members said they were frustrated that a prior vendor (named in discussion as Aquametric/Aquametrick in the meeting) had not delivered complete data and that the city now must conduct its own survey to know which meters remain and what field changes are needed. Staff said the new survey will identify meter sizes and plumbing adjustments before replacement to avoid future misses.
Council also asked for public outreach to help residents use the smart-meter customer portal, set alerts, and reduce billing surprise; staff suggested covering portal access and alert settings at the upcoming town-hall or Artisan Market public engagement events. Staff said Aquametric remains on-site conducting the survey and that the city will invite them to discuss project completion if council requests.
Why it matters: incomplete meter-exchange data can leave households without smart meters and lead to billing disputes; the city plans to finish the inventory, replace remaining meters and increase public education on the customer portal.
