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Council told aging water meters are creating billing backlog; staff to seek funding
Summary
Water-maintenance staff told the council about a growing backlog in meter reads tied to aging meters and battery life; council discussed buying roughly 400 replacement meters and reviewing budget options and possible grant support.
City staff told the Marksville City Council that aging water meters and declining battery life are creating a billing backlog and risking revenue accuracy.
Water-maintenance staff reported 168 service calls for the month and said the first batch of automated meters has reached about 16 years of service. Staff estimated the city needs roughly 400 new meters to prevent ongoing reading and billing delays. Sample pricing mentioned in the meeting put 50 meters at about $18,000, suggesting the full replacement would be a material expense.
Council and finance staff discussed funding sources: the water department reportedly has about $140,000 remaining in its account, but replacing 400 meters may require additional transfers, a budget revision or a grant. Staff said they are preparing a budget revision and will check available balances and other fund sources before the next meeting.
Council members emphasized the urgency because inaccurate or delayed reads mean the city cannot reliably bill customers or enforce cutoffs for nonpayment. Staff indicated they will present a funding plan in the upcoming budget revision.
Next steps: finance and water staff will examine options (internal transfer, grant funding or phased replacement), prepare a budget revision, and return to the council with cost estimates and a timeline for meter replacement.
