Why Columbus' new water meters are raising some customer bills
The City of Columbus is working to replace over 300,000 aging water meters across Central Ohio — a switch that's unexpectedly flooding some customers with higher water bills.
Why it matters: The new meters are more accurate and efficient, eliminating the need for manual readings, per the city.
They'll be more user-friendly, eventually featuring a new online customer portal, and will allow the city to switch from quarterly to monthly billing.
By the numbers: It's a $125 million project impacting over 1 million people, including in some suburbs that contract with Columbus for water services.
Catch up quick: The Enhanced Meter Project started in 2023 and is gradually rolling out across neighborhoods, with an estimated completion in 2027.
Customers receive a letter when it's time for their meter to be replaced, which is mandatory, and must schedule an appointment for a worker to enter their home to access it.
A switch to monthly billing will follow.
Pro tip: Make sure your toilets and other appliances aren't leaking. Old, worn-out meters may not pick up on leaks, but the new ones will — which could cause the sticker shock some residents are reporting.
Other homes may just "catch up to reality" with a more accurate meter, per the city's website.
How it works: The water meter you see outside your home is just a remote, connected via a wire or small cable to an actual indoor meter where water passes through.
As they age, the remote may "slow down" and not reflect true consumption, Public Utilities department spokesperson George Zonders tells Axios.
That's why customers should regularly verify outdoor and indoor readings match.
What they're saying:"What we're finding is that for some customers, the difference between the inside meter and outside remote is enough that the last inside reading on the old meter will show up on their next bill as a usage spike," Zonders says.
The new meters won't have outdoor remotes and will transmit consumption data digitally.
To troubleshoot an unusually high bill after a switch, call customer service at 614-645-8276 or email [email protected].
What's next: After their meters are replaced, about 11,700 Hilltop area customers will be the first to test the new monthly billing system starting in June, Zonders says.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
20 hours ago
- Axios
Peaches, Tampa Bay's Idalia flamingo, spotted in Yucatán
He may not be in Florida anymore, but he's still ours. What's happening: Peaches, the flamingo rescued in 2023 off the coast of Pinellas County after Hurricane Idalia, was recently spotted by researchers in Yucatán, according to Audubon Florida. Why it matters: His sighting confirms a migration pattern between Florida and the Yucatán and reveals the latest whereabouts of Tampa Bay's flamingo mascot. State of play: While researchers outfitted Peaches with a band and tracking device before releasing him into the wild, the transmitter broke, Zoo Miami conservation and research director Frank Ridgley told Axios last year. The big picture: While Peaches appears to have moved on for now, observers spotted more than 80 flamingos in Florida Bay, Pine Island and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge during a first-of-its-kind census last February in Florida. Flashback: The birds were once native to the Sunshine State, researchers discovered in 2018, but disappeared at the turn of the century due to aggressive plume hunting.
Axios
7 days ago
- Axios
GSU's plan to demolish historic building sparks community uproar
Georgia State University's proposal to demolish an old substation within the local Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District is drawing criticism from members of the community who want to see the building preserved. Why it matters: GSU, which has the largest student population of any college in Georgia, is a major player in attracting people to Downtown, and the school wants to turn its "concrete jungle" into an integrated campus with more gathering spaces for students. Driving the news: The school hosted a public input session last week where dozens of community members and students could ask questions about the project, which would demolish Sparks Hall at 33 Gilmer St. and the former substation at 148 Edgewood Ave. The gathering quickly devolved into heated discussions between those opposed to demolishing 148 Edgewood and GSU representatives and students who backed the plan. What they're saying: Supporters, which included some Black fraternity and sorority students, said removing the building would give Greek life students a communal space to gather. The 148 Edgewood building is vacant and abuts GSU's Greek Housing area. Ashleigh Harper, vice president of the Zeta Phi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta at GSU, told Axios that demolishing the building wouldn't diminish Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in Atlanta. "It can't be encompassed into one [building]," she said, referring to King's legacy. "I feel like that's doing him a disservice." The other side: Opponents argued the building is part of Atlanta's history and could be incorporated into GSU's campus. "The objection to its destruction is based upon facts and experience and the longevity of this area," said David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. "This building … represents an identity and something that's integral to understanding what the city of Atlanta is." Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari wrote a letter in opposition to the plan, as did Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation president and CEO W. Wright Mitchell. Zoom in: GSU's plan to demolish Sparks Hall and 148 Edgewood is part of its larger, long-range plan to create a " true college town downtown." Sparks Hall would be torn down and a "Panther Quad" would rise in its place. The quad would include additional greenspace that would connect to the existing campus greenway. Plans also call for transforming part of Gilmer Street into a car-free zone, which would provide better connectivity to Hurt Park, said L. Jared Abramson, GSU's executive vice president and chief operating officer. The Edgewood building would be demolished to create outdoor community space next to the fraternity and sorority housing, Abramson told Axios, adding the building's historic significance would be commemorated. By the numbers: Abramson said it would cost $12 million for GSU to renovate the Edgewood building, which he said is about 9,000 square feet. It would cost about $1.7 million to demolish it, he said. The big picture: Abramson said GSU's plans are part of its overall work to shed its "concrete jungle" image and create a campus that encourages students to stick around Downtown. "We have determined that this is the type of experience our students need," Abramson told Axios. What's next: A GSU spokesperson told Axios the university is reviewing the feedback it received from the May 28 hearing.
Axios
04-06-2025
- Axios
Seattle summer camps fill fast as prices soar
With the school year coming to an end, Seattle-area parents are scrambling to lock in summer camps and grappling with a price tag that can run into the thousands per child. Why it matters: Summer camp is more than just a fun break — it's critical child care for many working families, Kyle Bywater, a Seattle Parks and Recreation manager, told Axios. The city works to keep its prices low, but the cost still forces some parents to make tough financial trade-offs or forgo camp altogether, he said. State of play: City-run day camps typically serve ages 5–12, while other programs offer preschool options or teen-focused tracks. Seattle Parks still has spots at most of its 14 licensed day camp sites — which run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. — but they're filling quickly, said Bywater, who oversees summer camp programs for the city. Between the lines: While there are spaces, the city has depleted its scholarship funds, said Bywater. Low-income households may be eligible for subsidies through the state Department of Children, Youth and Families or Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy - BrightSpark, Bywater said. Families can contact the DCYF client help line at 844-626-8687. What they're saying:"Finding something that's not going to bore my kids or break my pocket is a real struggle," Senika Smith, a Seattle-area mother of five, told Axios. Smith said she's spent hours digging through websites, calling around, and hoping things will line up. Her advice for next year: Start looking in December. But now? "Get them on every waiting list you can." By the numbers: In the Seattle area, the cost of summer camps varies dramatically based on the type and duration of the program. City-run day camps, such as those sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and ARC Seattle, can run around $390 to $470 a week, depending on the program and location. Specialty STEAM camps, such as iD Tech at the University of Washington, run from around $1,000 for a one-week coding camp to nearly $6,000 for a two-week robotics camp. Some organizations have lower-cost options, including the Salvation Army, which is running camps throughout August at a cost of $115 a week and $50 for every additional child. Camp Aurora at Aurora Community Church in Shoreline offers three- and five-day camps throughout summer at $150 to $225 per week. Plus: Many churches offer one-week vacation Bible schools for nominal fees that can be used for enrichment or to fill child care gaps. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Parish in West Seattle is hosting a five-day camp June 23-27 with a $75 fee for the first child and $35 for each additional child. Bethany Community Church offers a four-day camp in July for $40 a kid or $100 for three or more. Thought bubble: As an extremely broke, single working mother of three, there were a few years where migrating from Bible school to Bible school was the core of my summer child care strategy.
