internal leaksmeter technology

Council reviewed how the city handles sanitary sewer bill credits when residents have unexpected leaks, weighing customer fairness against protecting utility finances.

Council generally supported keeping the current sanitary sewer credit policy.

Council discussed that residents can receive large bills before realizing their water use has spiked due to a leak.

Council asked staff to explore better high-usage notifications, clearer bill messaging about the sewer credit policy, and safeguards for residents on auto-pay to reduce the risk of large automatic withdrawals after a surprise leak.

The Public Utilities Committee discussed that monthly meter reads can allow leaks to run for weeks before a usage spike is noticed, and that reaching property owners can take multiple attempts, sometimes pushing notification beyond 30 days.

The Public Utilities Committee discussed moving to newer meter technology to provide more frequent data and possibly replacing meters faster than the current 20-year cycle, and directed staff to investigate options and report back.

On bill relief, the Public Utilities Committee stated that state utility rules mean the city cannot credit water charges, and that the existing sewer-credit policy would remain unchanged, including no sewer credit if leaked water went into a floor drain because it still must be treated.

A City Council agenda item proposed borrowing $496,676 from WPPI Energy at 0% interest for utility projects including electric meters, water plant security upgrades, and generator repairs at the Water Filtration Plant.