Council approves new meter technology | News

The City Council on Monday evening unanimously approved the go-ahead to purchase so-called radios that would be attached to each home, which would send that home’s water usage amount to a signal atop the city’s water tower. Then, when billing time arrives, the city clerk would simply push a button on a computer to receive that information from the tower.

“It’s a remote controlled reading of water meters,” said Councilman Mike Kindle. “It’s state-of-the-art technology.”

What’s more, the cost to the city wouldn’t even be a drop in the bucket.

The city is slated to receive $96,900 this year from the American Recovery Act, plus the same amount in 2022. The funds must be used for specific uses, primarily water and sewer infrastructure.

The council agreed to purchase the radios with those funds.

City Clerk Linda Fleming said approximately 500 of these radios will be purchased, plus a new antenna for the tower, computer programming and any necessary training.

Altogether, the total cost would be around $150,000, leaving more than $40,000 of those funds remaining for other needs, Fleming said.

That could be improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, she said.