The City of Waxahachie continues water meter replacement to install new residential and commercial smart water meters. The project began in February and will continue through the end of 2022. These new meters more precisely measure the amount of water delivered to customers. “We’ve seen a big influx in calls for water leaks,” says best plumber Waxahachie, Duncan Plumbing. People are seeing their water bill go up substantially from under $100 a month to well over that. When no water leaks are found, the City of Waxahachie explains that the old meters weren’t measuring water usage correctly.

WHEN SMART METERS AREN'T SO SMART

A google search will show you many articles detailing what happens when so called Smart Water Meters aren’t so smart.  CBS news 8 in San Francisco investigated consumer claims that bills skyrocketed after installation. Some online sources show an increase in close to 50% while others show Smart Meters could be overbilling you by as much as 582%.

CAN RESIDENTS REFUSE SMART METERS?           

As of 2019, at least 7 states have created policies that allow consumers to opt-out of Smart Meter installation or choose an analog meter. New Hampshire requires customer consent for smart meter installation and Pennsylvania law prohibits opt-outs. In another 22 states, utility regulators have ruled on whether utilities can implement opt-out programs on a case-by-case basis. In recent years, the issue has more frequently landed before state legislatures, with at least 17 states considering smart meter opt-out legislation in the past four legislative sessions. Texas currently has a statewide opt-out policy in place. As of 2013, the Public Utilities commission adopted the Non-Standard Metering Service Rule, which authorized opt-out programs and associated fees.

MAJOR CONCERNS OVER SMART METERS

Duncan Plumbing fields calls mainly related to the soaring prices. However, there are also concerns like health impacts from the frequency emitted, consumer and data privacy and increased cybersecurity risks. Texas has enacted laws or implemented new regulations restricting how utilities can use the customer data collected through smart meters. These new laws generally restrict utilities from sharing customer data with third parties without fully disclosing the secondary commercial purpose to customers and receiving their permission.

WHAT ARE OTHER TEXAS CITIES ARE DOING?

Larger cities like San Antonio have published opt-out instructions on their website. We suggest you contact the Waxahachie City Manager, Michael Scott if you have any questions about the ‘improvements’ the city is making to water meters and how you can voice your concerns if your water bill has increased as a result. The City Secretary’s office is 469-309-4006