HIGH RIVER, AB: Residents may notice a change on their utility bills this week as rate of consumption will now be measured in cubic meters rather than gallons.
The changes are a result of the town-wide water meter replacement program that began in February and this period’s utility bills reflect the transition between reading the old meters and the new ones.
Residents who had their water meters replaced before the end of May will notice their previous billing period reading is a much larger number and their new reading, listed as “Actual” on the bill, is a much smaller number.
This is because the old water meters listed and billed consumption in gallons whereas the new ones are listed and billed in cubic meters.
This smaller number reflects an opening reading for the new water meters that is not relative to the current billing.
This billing period will continue to follow the system that was in place after the flood where billing is based on a consumption estimate and residents should not notice a change in their bill amount.
The next billing period will be based on the new water meter readings in cubic meters using this opening reading as the starting point for billing consumption.
Any residents who did not have a new water meter installed before the end of May will see this same gallons to cubic meters discrepancy on their next bill, with the following billing period being based solely on the new water meter reading.
This upgraded water meter technology will allow the Town to read water meters without entering a yard, home or business and will also create operational efficiencies within the utility system.