It will cost nearly $7 million to install new smart water meters in Moose Jaw, which means a bylaw change will occur to ensure homeowners can't reject the device.
During its July 11 regular meeting, city council voted unanimously to amend the sewer and water utility bylaw so contractors can enter private properties to perform the meter installations in homes and buildings.
Background
Council originally approved the project during a December 2020 meeting, when it authorized city administration to award the project for $6,571,000 between 2021 and 2024, a council report explained.
Council decided to finance the first phase with a self-funded loan from the municipality’s operating account. The loan would be for 10 years at an interest rate of 2.50 per cent compounded semi-annually with repayment from project savings. Funding for the other phases would be through either additional self-funding or from the water and wastewater reserves.
Since then, city administration awarded and entered into a consulting services contract this past March with Neptune Technology Group Canada Co. Neptune’s proposed price of $5,551,990.78 included the first three years of an annual software as a service and network maintenance fee agreement.
Project details
The timeline includes an installation phase between this October and July 2024, the report continued.
The company will install more than 12,000 meters throughout the community. Four workers will install about 160 meters per week and 640 per month, which city hall expects to generate roughly $200,000 to $300,000 per month once the new meters come online.
Neptune will survey and plan the installation of large-meter accounts this year, followed by the installations into next year. Meanwhile, it will identify sites to install remote shutoff valves this year and complete them next year.
To enforce the replacement of old water meters, city administration plans to add a clause to the water and sewer utility bylaw to eliminate homeowners’ arguments suggesting the bylaw does not allow the municipality to shut off water to a location that has not had its water meter changed, the report continued.
City administration expects the bylaw to be amended by September.
There will be minimal effect on homeowners’ daily water consumption during the installation because the changeover will take 30 to 90 minutes, the report said. Meanwhile, residents will receive partial bills from both the old and new systems during the billing cycle, while they will not have to pay any administrative, connection or construction fees.
The report added that Neptune’s technicians would take photos before and after installing the water meters and make them available upon request.
Council discussion
Some homeowners will not be interested in changing their water meters, which is why city hall is giving residents advance notice, said city manager Jim Puffalt.
“We want full compliance to get the water meters installed. We do not want this to be a surprise to anyone,” he remarked, noting shutting off people’s water is a last resort.
Coun. Jamey Logan was pleased to see the project moving forward but was concerned that some homeowners might return from out of the country to find their water shut off and problems with that. He wondered how long residents had to contact city hall about this before their water was halted.
There is no timeline for that yet based on the project’s status, but city hall would have a better answer and timeline later, said Bevan Harlton, director of engineering. Having worked with Neptune, he was confident the company could answer that question.
“Hopefully, we won’t ever get to the point of sending a final notice,” said Coun. Crystal Froese.
The reminder letter that homeowners will receive contains a website and 1-800 number they can use to book their meter change appointments, she continued. The changeover takes 30 to 90 minutes and can be done Monday to Saturday, allowing residents to fit this into their schedules.
Even though this project is expensive, Coun. Doug Blanc was convinced it would save residents money since the city would have more accurate long-term water meter readings.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 25.
