Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – Feb. 5, 2024 – Why is Halton Region Upgrading Water Meters at Homes & Businesses?
Welcome to the Mayor’s Monday Mailbag, an initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office launched to share weekly answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.At the end of the month, we publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.
Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – Feb. 8, 2024QUESTION:"Why is the Region of Halton upgrading water meters at homes and businesses?”ANSWER:The Region of Halton will begin upgrading water meters in the City of Burlington starting this month. The Region delivers high-quality drinking water to homes and businesses across the community. Your water meter measures your water use and provides readings used by your local hydro provider (Burlington Hydro) to calculate your water bill.During the initial roll-out in February 2024, approximately 300 homes and businesses in Burlington will get upgraded meters. In August 2024, the Region will start upgrading meters at all homes and businesses in Burlington. Halton’s new meter technology will make meter reading more efficient and environmentally-friendly.Below are a few related frequently-asked-questions. To learn more about the advanced metering infrastructure project, you can also: email accesshalton@halton.ca, call 311, and/or visit the Advanced Metering webpage on the Region's website at halton.ca
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Q: Why is Halton upgrading water meters at homes and businesses?A: Currently, a meter reader visits your home or business (in person) to read your water meter. This new water meter technology will:
- modernize water meter infrastructure and allow you to track your usage online;
- make the collection of water meter readings more efficient by eliminating manual (in person) meter reading;
- use radio frequency to transmit water usage data, and
- reduce our environmental impact by eliminating the need for meter readers to drive throughout the community to read water meters.
The new water meters (collectively known as advanced metering infrastructure) are a secure, modern and reliable technology that is already used in many communities across North America. The new meter technology will help you easily track your water usage. You will be able to use Burlington Hydro’s online customer portal to get secure access to your water usage data and view your hourly water meter readings (release date to be determined).The new meters will also help you prepare for upcoming bills:
- You can set up email alerts through the online customer portal to be informed of increases in your water usage; and
- Alerts about increased water use can help you make changes at your home or business to conserve water or investigate possible leaks.
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Q: When will this water meter upgrade happen?A: In February 2024, approximately 300 homes and businesses in Burlington will be upgraded.
- In early 2024, Halton Region will send letters to 300 customers informing them of their participation in the advanced metering infrastructure. The letter will include detailsabout the installation of the new meter technology.
In August 2024, the Region will start upgrading meters at all homes and businesses in Burlington.
- In summer 2024, Halton Region will begin contacting more residents and business owners to begin installing new meter technology at all homes and businesses in Burlington. We anticipate that all properties in Burlington will have the new water meter technology installed by the end of 2025.
The Region anticipates that the new meter technology will be installed across all communities in Halton by the end of 2026.
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Q: How does the new water meter technology work?A: Your water meter measures your water usage. The new technology:
- has a transmitter that will track your water usage information;
- will encrypt your usage information to protect your privacy; and
- uses wireless technology to send your water usage information to Halton Region.
This data is sent six times per day and takes less than one second to send. No personal information is transmitted.Halton Region will provide your water usage information to Burlington Hydro, who will then include it on your utility bill. You can access this water usage information through Burlington Hydro’s online customer portal, once available. You can visit the online portal to help manage your water use.There will be no changes to how or when you receive your utility bill from Burlington Hydro.
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Q: Is this new water meter technology safe?A: The new meter technology is safe and complies with Health Canada’s guidelines for radio frequency exposure limits.The transmitter’s radio frequency levels are significantly less than other common household devices, such as microwaves, WIFI routers or cell phones.
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Q: Where can I learn more?A: It is important that you get information about the upgraded meters from trusted and reliable sources. To learn more about the meters or their installation at homes and businesses in Burlington, please visit halton.ca/water. You can also sign up for email updates about the new water meter technology on the Region's website.Related webpages include:
- Modernization of Water Meter Infrastructure in Halton
- Project page offering the installation schedule and information about how the new meters work.
- Burlington Hydro
- Learn about Burlington’s local hydro provider. Burlington water customers will soon be able to access their water usage and billing information using Burlington Hydro’s online customer portal (visit burlingtonhydro.com, select “My Account” from the main menu and login).
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