Tyler Water Utilities to begin meter replacement program

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities will soon begin a water meter replacement project for customers. The Tyler City Council approved the $3.45 million project with Core & Main on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Water meters are used to measure the amount of water delivered to a customer’s tap. The current water metering system was installed in 2005. Over the last several years, 27 percent of the existing meters have faced issues in accurately reading water usage at the meter, not registering consumption and not communicating the information to the Water Business Office. “Technology has advanced, and we know there’s a better solution for our customers with meters that aren’t working properly,” said Utilities Director Kate Dietz. “Replacing those meters will allow our customers to rest easy and know that their water bill is accurate.”

TWU is moving forward with Neptune meters, which come highly recommended by several communities, including Corsicana and Frisco. The new meters will improve accuracy and reliability.

Eight thousand water meters identified as not working properly will be replaced during the next 12 months, and the remaining water meters with issues will be updated within three years. Then, over the next 20 years, TWU will have an annual meter replacement schedule until all customer meters have been updated to the new Neptune models.

The first phase will be funded through American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) program. Future phases will be paid for using revenue generated from water consumption.