Skip to content

Town replacing water meters in thousands of homes and businesses

The Town of Okotoks is replacing water meters in thousands of homes and businesses to bring them up to date. The Town is working with EPCOR and Corix Water products to install new metres and upgrade some existing models to replace.

The Town of Okotoks is replacing water meters in thousands of homes and businesses to bring them up to date.

The Town is working with EPCOR and Corix Water products to install new metres and upgrade some existing models to replace.

Dave Robertson, Okotoks infrastructure and operations director, said the project will bring all metres in town up to the same standard, replacing the current patchwork of metres that vary widely in age and model.

“This is one single project,” he said. “Not only does it bring all the meters up to date and it replaces all the meters, whatever aging meters that had to be replaced are all being done in one shot.”

Work will start this summer and is expected to be finished in late 2017. Roberston said some newer models will only require minor modifications to transmitters.

The new advanced meters will include leak detection, backflow monitoring and remote connectivity. Residents and businesses will also be able to monitor their water use and online.

The Town will pay $2.5 million cost to purchase and install the new meters, but the move is expected to save the Town money in the future.

The meters need to be replaced, Roberston said. The Town replaces water meters each year so there is a range of age and models across the community.

Once the replacement is complete, he said the Town won’t need to install new meters for several years to come.

It’s expected the new meters will reduce costs for the Town and allow them to get a meter reading without having to access private property. He said roughly half the meters in town have radio transmitters that require personnel to drive by the house to get a reading, while the other half require sending someone to walk to the outside of the home to get a reading.

The new meters will be read from a remote, tower-based system, saving the cost of driving around town to get meter readings and making billing more efficient. It could allow the Town to move to monthly billing, from the current two month period, said Roberston.

Corix has been contracted by EPCOR, on the Town’s behalf, to lead the installation work.

Darren Peel, EPCOR manager of Okotoks operations, said they’re ready to proceed next month.

“We’re planning to start at the beginning of August, right after the long weekend,” he said.

Peel said installers will begin work at commercial properties because of summer holidays and they understand many people may be away on holidays.

He said residents and businesses will be notified in advance by several methods, including mail, phone and notices left on door handles.

Each installations is expected to take about 30 minutes and water services will be turned off during that time.

Corix employees will be wearing Corix uniforms and identification.

For more information, visit www.epcor.com/okotoks-upgrade

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks