Has anyone had to upgrade their water or gas meter?

YourDirtisMyfood

Apparently there are notices going out to neighborhoods in different cities that they will have to have digitized boxes implemented in their homes to read their water and gas levels. These will be the new meters used to eliminate the old ways of having 6 people walk around neighborhoods doing readings. Has anyone done the upgrade yet and if so, has the rates gone up from before on a monthly basis?

Thanks.

lukin2006

YourDirtisMyfood wrote:

Apparently there are notices going out to neighborhoods in different cities that they will have to have digitized boxes implemented in their homes to read their water and gas levels. These will be the new meters used to eliminate the old ways of having 6 people walk around neighborhoods doing readings. Has anyone done the upgrade yet and if so, has the rates gone up from before on a monthly basis?

Thanks.

Where I live the water and hydro is done remotely, not sure about gas, doesn't cost us more, in reality it should cost less, but of coarse it doesn't. Starting in 2011 the hydro will be using smart meters which means hydro will be priced at different levels throughout the day, more expensive during peak times, less expensive in the evening and cheapest on the weekends. At first I didn't like the concept, I have now warmed to it. It has been explained to me that we subsidize hydro here (Ontario), under the new system that will not be the case, my wife and I do a very good job of conserving energy, but we know several people that run the air non stop from May to October, under the new system they will see their hydro jump considerably.

mikalina

We built our home in a neighborhood (16) yrs ago, the meters were just fine. Suddenly last yr the city had "trouble" reading the meters and all in are area were replaced. Are rates pretty much stayed the same, but some neighbors complained theirs took a HUGE jump. All I can say is double check your reading every so often like we do.

comebackgirl

Mine was updated last year. My rates went up very slightly (about $5 a quarter). No problems with the change at all.

Heatherj43

YourDirtisMyfood wrote:

Apparently there are notices going out to neighborhoods in different cities that they will have to have digitized boxes implemented in their homes to read their water and gas levels. These will be the new meters used to eliminate the old ways of having 6 people walk around neighborhoods doing readings. Has anyone done the upgrade yet and if so, has the rates gone up from before on a monthly basis?

Thanks.

They only change them to a new little box, that still attaches to your house and to the old meter, and it reads numbers only. The meter people still have to come and read these. Plus, they don't get to look at the meter, which these still run from, in case they go wrong.

If your rates go up, its cuz they did it wrong. Make them come back out and fix it.

Kevinman

This will probably be more accurate. Any rate increase will probably be an increase from your utility company that would have happend anyway. Example: My rates went up this year, and I have not had this installed this year.

The new meter may actually save you money because they won't be estimating your usage anymore.

Who Princess

We are getting new smart meters in this area for our electricity. They will supposedly be more accurate and won't have to be read because they transmit readings to the electricity provider.
Unfortunately, the company originally bought several thousand of them only to find that they'd invested in the wrong kind. They received permission from the Public Utility Commission in our state to pass that expense along to their customers in the form of a monthly surcharge.
So I'd say that so far, smart meters have raised our bills before we've even gotten one. :evil:

81

we have the water version installed. it doesn't work for shit. since it was installed 2 years ago, the bill always shows a begining of 68 and an ending of 69.

i've seen the same bill amount for months on end. although this last time, the bill actually dropped by 33%.

if they ever fix it, i'll end up with one hell of a bill that month, which i will have to dispute.

YourDirtisMyfood

thanks much.

81

81 wrote:

we have the water version installed. it doesn't work for shit. since it was installed 2 years ago, the bill always shows a begining of 68 and an ending of 69.

i've seen the same bill amount for months on end. although this last time, the bill actually dropped by 33%.

if they ever fix it, i'll end up with one hell of a bill that month, which i will have to dispute.

reading still hasn't changed. :fp:

might be time to call them and say what's up.