Latest news with #watermeter
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Winnipeg home water meters slated for upgrade
Winnipeg's water and waste department plans to embark on a five-year, $135-million water meter upgrade in 2026 that will see approximately 221,000 analog meters replaced with "smart" meters capable of monitoring usage in real time.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Topeka residents frustrated by water meter charge, city responds
TOPEKA (KSNT) – For years, only Topeka residents with active water meters have paid into the city's utility system. Those users were also covering the cost for thousands of inactive meters, properties not using water but connected to the city's infrastructure. Now that's changing. The city introduced a 'readiness to serve' charge last year, a monthly fee for every water meter, whether it's active or not. Residents like Cheri Smith were caught off guard when a new item showed up on her utility bill. A monthly charge for her inactive water meter that hasn't been used in over a decade. Topeka customers may notice utility bill change, impacting vacant property owners 'I just think it's ridiculous. I don't think there's anything fair about it,' Smith said. 'Nobody should have to pay for a service they are not getting. You know, it's, it's just, it's not right.' Officials say the charge is not about usage, it's about access. Previously, the cost to maintain all water meters fell on those currently using water. That meant property owners were unknowingly covering the costs of meters not in use and not even theirs. 'We have always kept track of all of our meters and all of our infrastructure, and there's a cost to doing that prior to the readiness to serve going into effect,' City of Topeka Utilities Deputy Director, Nicole Malott said. 'That cost is being borne by everyone else except for the property owner who is experiencing the benefit.' The new fee amount is based off of the size of your meter. It is now applied to all meters, even those that are turned off. The city says it's not a penalty, rather a way to fund the city's infrastructure fairly. Some property owners say the change was poorly communicated and seems more like a cash grab than a cost distribution fix. 'So, I just think it's extortion,' Smith said. 'I think it's getting people over a barrel. It's you know, they know that a lot of people are just too tired and too busy to fight. I waited two months to start fighting it.' The city says the 'readiness to serve' charge will help hold property owners responsible for their inactive meters, especially as the infrastructure ages. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
