The City of Regina has begun the three-year, $42.5-million process of installing new water meters that will be able to transmit residential and commercial consumption automatically.
Starting in October, Neptune Technology Group will lead the new water meter installations that will result in a reduction of approximately 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, now that city vehicles will no longer have to conduct drive-by reads for some 76,000 meters.
“Most of the city’s current water meters are reaching the end of their lifecycle,” explained Kurtis Doney, Regina’s director of water, waste and environment, in a statement. “This presents an opportunity to upgrade to more efficient infrastructure that will enhance the service customers receive,” adds Doney, who notes that there is no charge for the new water meter installations.
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Regina officials planned the upgrade project since the first system was originally installed and built into the city’s 25-year utility plan. When Neptune progresses into a new ward, customers will receive a booklet in the mail to let them know that it is time to book a meter upgrade appointment. The technician will then upgrade the water meter inside the property and install a radio transmitter on the outside of the home or business.
Only encrypted meter readings and meter identification will be transmitted, not personal information, Regina officials noted.
After a significant number of properties have had their water meters upgraded, the city will introduce a new online service for water utility customers to access account information, replacing the current utility eBill. This will result in enhanced near real-time water consumption information, electronic notifications about planned water outages, as well as leak detection that could help customers save water and money.
The new water meters align with the city’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
