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Millis approves $1.29 million borrowing for townwide smart‑meter replacement after resident questions
Summary
Town Meeting authorized $1,286,633 in borrowing to replace water meters with a fixed‑network smart‑meter system; the DPW director said the project will be financed through the water enterprise, meters will be always‑on networked devices, and a typical resident may see an estimated $4 monthly increase by FY2029.
The select board moved to authorize the treasurer, with select board approval, to borrow $1,286,633 to fund a townwide water meter replacement program, and Town Meeting approved the borrowing with the required two‑thirds majority. The article was presented as the largest item in the capital plan; proponents said many current meters are at or past their service life, with over one‑third failing to deliver readings.
During public discussion resident Phil Borgeson asked directly, "Are these analog meters or like Wi‑Fi meters, smart meters that are gonna be, like, on all the time?" DPW Director David Romaci replied: "They're gonna be Wi‑Fi direct, meters. They will be able to be read instantly… they'll be able to read them instantly." When asked if the meters would be "on all the time," Romaci said yes and explained the fixed network (three antennas around town) would read meters multiple times per day to enable faster leak detection and more accurate billing.
Officials emphasized two cost points: the project is a water enterprise borrowing (debt service paid through water rates, not property tax), and it is estimated that a typical resident’s water and sewer bill would increase by about $4 per month by fiscal 2029. The DPW estimated installation would take roughly one to one‑and‑a‑half years and that replacement would be mandatory for properties requiring new meters. The Finance Committee recommended the article unanimously; the moderator declared a two‑thirds majority and the article passed.
