Reading the snazzy new water meters

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Anyone know how to read the new water meters the city is requiring?

Our household just got the new meter (after a series of increasingly aggravating postcards came our way, insisting we get it taken care RIGHT NOW OMG IT IS !!!URGENT!!!), and there's nothing on the damn thing that displays how much water has actually been used (the old one did). You'd think that given the city's fairly recent history of inaccurate water meter billing, they'd make it easy for people to tell when they were being billed incorrectly.

According to the city's website, "The state-of-the-art water meters will allow for more accurate billing and easy water usage monitoring by both the City and property owners." But, um, that suggests there's actually a display ON THE METER, right?

Comments

[mollyrazor.livejournal.com]

But, um, that suggests there's actually a display ON THE METER, right?

Actually, no, they get the readings from the meters wirelessly. So they don't have to actually see them. "The new water meters utilize a licensed radio frequency channel to deliver meter reading information directly to the City. A Meter Transmission Unit (MTU) attached to the meter transmits a signal to the City customer database. This occurs automatically and will result in exact billing for all water customers. "

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Well, some of the urgency is likely that they're required by *state* law to replace the water meter every N years, where I believe N=10 or so. That said, the last one I saw installed (this was in Quincy, when I was living there) still had the little dial thingies to read it, as well as the bulky wireless box dealio.

Much as I hate to suggest it-call 311?

Oh, those are the new ones.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

The ones they can manipulate remotely :0

[laryu.livejournal.com]

You can read them manually. The cover has a hinge you can flip up and see the numbers.

[laryu.livejournal.com]

The anti-tamper wire does not impinge the hinge. Just flip the anti-tamper to the side, and flip the hinge up. I had mine replaced a couple days ago and I have no problem doing this.