About the Meters

About Your Meter

Your water meter tells you how much water you’re using during a given time period and can help you monitor the amount of water you use indoors and outdoors on a daily basis. Although meter readings are recorded electronically, all meters can be read manually. See more about reading your meter:  Read Your Meter

It can also help you figure out if there’s a leak inside or outside the house. See more about leaks:  Leaks

i-meters

The District has nearly completed a metering system upgrade from Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology to intelligent-metering technology (i-meters). I-meters transmit hourly, daily, and monthly water usage to the District via a wireless communication network. The District can share water usage information with the customer through the WaterSmart Customer Portal (coming December 2020). Some of the customer benefits of the i-meter upgrade are:

  • Increased Leak Detection
  • Access to Customer Portal
  • Ability to Set Customized Water Alerts

As we wrap up the i-meter upgrade, some meters are still our older Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology or they have been upgraded but still require reprogramming to send usage information to the network. These rely on a staff person driving by them once a month to pick up the read with a radio receiver.

The i-meter upgrade is expected to be complete in early 2021.

Technology

The i-meters and AMR meters use radiofrequency to securely transmit information on customer water use. This wireless technology is also used in cell phones, microwaves, WiFi, walkie talkies, baby monitors and remote-control toys. The i-meter registers only transmit a signal twice a day for a fraction of a second each time, meaning the total time the register is transmitting with RF is only slightly over 1 minute per year. Even if you stood right next to an i-meter each time it transmitted a read, it would take approximately 50 years to get the same amount of RF exposure from it as you get from a 10-minute cellphone call.
 

Alternate Metering System

Customers may choose to opt out of the i-Meter upgrade in favor of having an alternate metering system (i.e. an analog meter). As an alternate meter requires staff to collect a manual meter read each month, there currently is a monthly charge of $10/account to opt-out and this fee may increase in the future. Please complete the Application for Alternate Metering System and return to the District.

Contact

Shelley Flock, Conservation and Customer Service Field Manager; 831-475-8500

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