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Ferron council debates installing meters on city properties to find long-running leaks and monitor contractor use
Summary
Councilmember Mike Behling urged installing or repairing meters on city-owned sites after maintenance found a main shut-off leaking for an estimated 15 years; the council discussed contractor hydrant use, automated card-pay systems, and moving a meter tied to a Crawford property.
Councilmember Mike Behling told the Ferron City Council on Feb. 11 that city-owned properties should have functioning water meters so the city can detect leaks and account for usage. He said maintenance discovered a leak at a main shut-off near fairgrounds bathrooms that maintenance estimated had persisted for about 15 years.
"Water is our most precious resource and the only way to find out if we have leaks is to monitor it with meters," Behling said. He reported some city meters are reporting zero and may need electronic readers or new 'brains.'
Behling also raised concerns about contractor use of hydrants and bulk fill points, saying contractors should provide their own meters or the city should implement an automated fill system that requires payment (for example, a card-swiped controller) to prevent unmetered use. He noted a separate line feeding the Crawford property will need reconnection because of fairgrounds work and that the Crawford meter must be relocated to accommodate gate changes.
No purchase decision was made at the meeting. Councilmembers asked staff to inventory city meters, check meter-read electronics, and return with a cost estimate and options for contractor metering or an automated system.
