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Coeur d'Alene water department emphasizes winter meter testing to protect billing accuracy
Summary
The City of Coeur d'Alene Water Department says crews remove and test about 2,500 meters each winter, using a 2020 Mars test bench to perform in-house testing aimed at ensuring fair billing, reducing vendor dependence and extending system life.
Coeur d'Alene — The City of Coeur d'Alene Water Department said its crews remove and test roughly 2,500 residential and commercial water meters each winter as part of a program it says keeps billing accurate and the system reliable.
The department, which serves about 20,000 service connections, divides the city into 27 boundaries and targets a portion of those each year; this season focused on the largest area, "boundary six," the Presenter said. "It's about accountability," the Presenter added, saying meters that pass in-house testing are returned to service while those that fail are rebuilt or replaced and never reused without verification.
The Presenter described how meters, exposed year-round to temperature fluctuations and pressure changes, can lose accuracy over time. "Confidence that water bills reflect actual usage," the Presenter said, is a central goal of the program.
To support that work, the department bought a Mars test bench system in 2020, an advanced platform that allows technicians to test meters across a full range of flow conditions before reinstalling them. The Presenter said performing tests in-house gives the department direct oversight of accuracy, reduces reliance on outside vendors and lowers long-term operational costs.
Officials framed the meter program as part of broader, long-term asset management: preventative maintenance, infrastructure upgrades and system monitoring are used to extend asset life and reduce emergency repairs. The Presenter said these measures help keep water rates "accurate, stable, and as low as possible without compromising quality or reliability."
The presentation concluded by stressing the department's prevention-first philosophy: rather than reacting to failures, the water department invests in maintenance and careful resource management to preserve service and public trust.
Next steps: the department continues seasonal meter removals and testing as part of its multi-year schedule; no formal vote or policy decision was recorded in the transcript.
