Tyler Water Utilities to begin replacing city water meters this month

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – Tyler Water Utilities will begin replacing 8,000 water meters– a $3.45 million project– on Aug. 19, the first part of a multi-year project to replace older water meters in the city.

Customers involved in this first phase of water meter replacement will be notified via letter in the mail and door hangers. Crews will work from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours work is possible if crews are delayed due to weather or other setbacks.

While the meter is being replaced, customers could see 30-minutes to an hour of service disruption. If a meter is showing use, crews have been asked to wait and not disrupt service.

The most recent meters in the Tyler system were installed in 2005, according to the city. Within the last several years, 27 percent of the existing meters had issues with accurately reading or reporting water usage.

“The new meters will improve accuracy and reliability, ensuring that our customers are billed only for the exact amount of water they use,” said Utilities Director Kate Dietz. “By replacing problematic meters in phases, we ensure that our customers can trust the accuracy of their water bills. This proactive approach allows us to stay ahead as technology advances, providing our customers with the best service possible.”

This project was approved by the city council last December when they agreed to replace 1,650 meters annually for the next three years. The goal is to have all identified problem meters switched to a new model– namely, Neptune meters.

According to the city, Neptune meters come highly recommended by cities like Frisco and Corsicana. They include Advanced Measuring Infrastructure, a technology for reading meters remotely without having to access each meter in their boxes in the ground.

The city contracted with Core & Main and Texas Specialty Services as subcontractors to replace the meters. Crews will be in marked vehicles and will be wearing ID badges.

TWU plans to spend $700,000 annually on meter replacement until all remaining customer meters are updated. Funds for the first phase are covered through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Capital Improvement Projects program. Future phases will be paid for using water revenue.

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