{"id":177512,"date":"2025-08-26T16:54:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T16:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/177512\/"},"modified":"2025-08-26T16:54:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T16:54:12","slug":"new-smart-water-meters-aim-to-resolve-houston-billing-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/177512\/","title":{"rendered":"New smart water meters aim to resolve Houston billing issues"},"content":{"rendered":"

Houston Public Works is asking City Council to approve an $8.5 million plan to replace some of the oldest water meters in the city.<\/p>\n

KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Amy Davis uncovered billing problems in a years-long investigation. She explains who will get the new meters and what it means for customers\u2019 water bills.<\/p>\n

The $8.5 million will fund 25,000 new smart water meters. <\/b>Public Works Director Randy Macchi says this is just a start, as 315,000 meters in Houston are more than 20 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to start somewhere,\u201d Macchi said.<\/p>\n

Two thousand of the new meters will be installed at homes where current meters are so old they can\u2019t connect to remote read sensors. These sensors send meter readings directly to the water department.<\/p>\n

All 25,000 new meters will be monitored in a 12-month pilot program.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow as we\u2019re bringing in a new technology, we need to make sure that the city as a whole is able to support it if we\u2019re going to roll it out on a larger basis. So, we\u2019re going to hit every council district. We\u2019re going to hit every corner of the city and we\u2019re to see how well it\u2019s working and maybe what additional things that we\u2019re need to invest in to make that works really well,\u201d said Macchi. <\/p>\n

In December, the city finished installing remote read sensors on about 150,000 water meters at a cost of $35 million.<\/p>\n

RELATED: How to see if you have a new water meter at your home<\/a><\/p>\n

KPRC 2’s ‘DRAINED’ Investigation looks into sudden high-water bills for people who were told their meter sensors were updated. Many customers say there is no way they are using the high amount of water they are being billed for. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis is getting answers now two years into this investigation. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n

When asked if the new meters would replace those recently upgraded, Macchi said, \u201cWe\u2019re not going to touch any of the ones we just fixed. We\u2019re hoping that we fix those, and they\u2019ll be fixed for quite some time. And that means that over multiple years, as the utility ought to have been doing all along, we will start to phase in new technology and new equipment on a regular basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city will begin installing the new meters as soon as they arrive. City Council is expected to approve the contract this week.<\/p>\n

Customers who receive the new meters will be able to access their water usage data online almost in real time, instead of waiting for their monthly bill.<\/p>\n

What is the KPRC 2 \u2018DRAINED\u2019 Investigation? <\/b><\/p>\n