Water Metering
Water metering seems to be a topic that gets brought up frequently by both the media and our customers. Just to clear any confusion, water meters are a federal requirement. In 1992, U.S. Congress passed the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. This act requires all Bureau of Reclamation water contractors to implement metered billing by 2014; and since the Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) is a bureau contractor, we are mandated to meet that deadline in most of our service areas. Some areas are subject to new state law that requires metering by 2025. Since 1992, state law has required water meters to be installed in all new construction. As a result, about 80 percent of the homes in our service areas already have water meters. All homes with water meters are now on metered billing. We will begin installing meters for customers without meters in 2009 and expect to complete that project by 2012.
Accuracy and Reliability of Your Water Meter
You can be assured your water meter provides accurate, reliable water consumption data. All water meters undergo extensive quality control testing with the manufacturer prior to shipment. Your meter’s manufacturer guarantees it to be defect-free and perform to American Water Works Association’s accuracy standards for at least 15 years.
After the meter reads are completed, the data is processed by our billing department. If they find reads that look incorrect, our staff go out to check them again prior to billing. If you have questions on your bill please contact CUBS at 875-5555. They are happy to answer your questions.
Benefits of Metered Water Billing
All SCWA customers will benefit from water metering via the following ways.
- Encourage efficient water use among customers
- Ensure that customers enjoy a high quality and reliable water source for decades to come
- Provide more equitable charges for water service
Meters will allow customers to pay for what they actually use. Customers then can directly benefit from efficient water use measures they choose to implement.
What Can I Do to Use Less Water?
To help you use water more efficiently, we offer a free water wise house call to our customers. A certified water auditor will visit your home to perform the following.
- Check plumbing fixtures inside your home for leaks
- Check your irrigation system
- Offer water saving tips specific to your property
- Provide training on programing your irrigation system
Once the water evaluation is complete, customers will receive a written report of findings and recommendations, and a 12 month custom irrigation schedule. Call 772-2226 to schedule your free water wise house call.