The City of Bowling Green is notifying water customers about the need to replace aging water meter equipment used in the city’s meter reading system.
Installed in 2008, the electronic transponders transmit water usage information to the utilities business office for billing. Many of the original transponders are now failing due to age. While the water meters continue to record usage, the failed transponders can no longer send readings to the city.
The transponders were to be replaced earlier; however, replacement equipment was delayed for several months due to supply chain issues. The necessary inventory has now arrived and the city has begun contacting affected customers.
Because most water meters are located inside homes, the Water Distribution Division must schedule an appointment to replace the water meter equipment. Each appointment takes less than 30 minutes at no cost to customers.
To notify residents, city staff are placing door hangers at affected homes, followed by calls from the utilities business office to schedule appointments. If staff are unable to reach a customer by phone, a letter will be mailed to the household that includes a tentative shut-off date.
Water service will only be disconnected if the customer does not respond to schedule the required appointment.
In some cases, the city has not received water meter readings for several months. This means several months of water and sewer usage may appear on a customer’s future bill. Once the new meter equipment is installed, the next utility bill will include the final reading from the old water meter. Customers experiencing financial difficulty due to this delayed billing are encouraged to contact the utilities business office at 419-354-6252 to discuss payment options.
