Residential water meters have a life expectancy of 14-16 years. As they age, the accuracy of the meter declines, which may result in under charging of water use. It is not uncommon of new meters to reflect more accurate use, often showing increases as the old meters were under-reading.
Water meter replacement throughout the city began in 2017 and is expected to continue through 2027. Learn more by visiting the utility meter update page.
It is possible that based on the more accurate meter, some residents may have entered the next level of our water conservation tiered rate structure during this recent period of higher use due to drought.