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1. Why is my water meter being replaced?

The City of Midland Water Waste Water Department has initiated a project to replace its approximately 46,000 water meters. The meters will be replaced with an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. AMI smart water meters help conservation efforts and ensure a better water future.

2. Does this mean my bill will increase?

Not necessarily. The new meters will record consumption more accurately. In some cases, your bill may increase, but only if your current meter has been under reporting usage.

3. Will the City be raising water rates to pay for the new system?

No. The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system is a budget-neutral project. It is anticipated that the cost of the new system will be offset from the money saved from underreporting, leakage, theft of water, and on-site meter reading.

4. When will this work be performed?

The work began in November 2019. The entire project is estimated to be completed within 18 to 24 months. The work will be performed during normal working hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. 

5. How will this affect my service?

A contractor will come to your residence and replace your meter. The water meter will be checked to verify that water is presently not in use. If no water is being used, the meter will be replaced. There will be an interruption of service for approximately 10 to 30 minutes during the replacement. After the meter has been replaced, your service will continue as normal. In many cases, the transition will be completely inconspicuous and will not affect the residents.

6. How long will the installation take?

In most cases, it’s a simple procedure that will require anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes.

7. Do they need to come inside my house?

No, all meters in our City are located outside of homes. After your water meter is replaced, City employees will flush the line using an outdoor spigot to ensure that no debris is left in the line and subsequently into your sink filters or inside lines.

8. I'm on vacation or not available that day. Who do I call?

In most cases, it will not be necessary for anyone to be home. The majority of the work will take place near the street or alleyway in the meter box. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the City of Midland customer service at (432) 685-7320.

9. Why am I unable to turn on my water after the new meter was installed?

In rare instances, the main cutoff valve to your home may be left off. This will occur when the installation team is not able to pressurize your home following the installation. The normal cause of this condition is when an inside spigot is opened during the installation and subsequently left open. The water is not turned back on to ensure a sink or bathtub does not overflow with the resident not home to turn the water off. In these cases, your water will be left off and a notice will be left on your door providing you a point of contact to call to have your water turned back on.

10. What is "AMI"?

AMI stands for "Advanced Metering Infrastructure." It is a method of using communication technology to read meters remotely without having to access each and every meter located inside meter boxes in the ground.

Advanced meter systems are quickly becoming the standard for utilities around the country. These new devices allow for more accurate and faster collection of water usage readings than the current manual method and improve safety conditions for City staff. Introducing automatic meter reading as the standard for Abilene is one of the ways we can better serve our customers and improve the overall efficiency of the utility department.

11. Will the electronic device on the meter interfere with other electronic equipment?

No. The radio transmission operates in compliance with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations to avoid interference with other electronic devices.

12. Is the electronic device and data encrypted?

Yes. Data transmitted from the meter through the system is encrypted through the entire process.

13. How will usage be verified during the transfer from one meter to another?

Verification of the transfer will begin with serial number documentation and data recording. Before the existing meter is removed, the technician will record the actual accumulated consumption numbers, as well as the serial number and property address. The new meter will then be installed.

The bar codes on the new meter and transmitter will be scanned linking that meter with the property address and customer account. Duplicate bar code stickers will be included with the other old meter data in each property file. Once the new meter is activated, usage will begin recording automatically.

14. Is there any special care or maintenance that I need to do to my new meter?

Your new meter does not require any maintenance by the homeowner. As before, the City will take care of all maintenance. Please note that your new meter has transmitting technology which automatically sends usage information to our offices. Damage to the transmitting equipment will send an alert to the Water Utilities department prompting an inspection. Please take precaution when caring for your lawn near the lid mounted transmitter.

15. When can I access my water meter information online?

At this point in time, the City crews are working solely on the installation of the meters and data collection system. Once we’ve tested to insure hardware and software is working properly, we’ll make the data system and all its resources available to the public. We do not currently have an estimate for when this will launch, but information will be provided when we do.

In the meantime, the newly installed water meters will work with our current system, and residents can expect water billing to continue as usual.

16. I still have questions. Where can I get additional information?

We will continually update our website and social media outlets as we progress into new districts and neighborhoods. Check this page to find out what area we are currently servicing.

We are happy to answer any additional questions or concerns you may have. You can call our customer service at (432) 685-7320.