Hmm, new water meters ?

yuandrew

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 12, 2003
Messages
1,323
Location
Chino Hills, CA
When I left for classes this morning, I noticed a truck in my neighborhood parked down the street with two people from our city (which also operates it's own utility for water, trash, and sewer) pokeing around in the water meter box near the curb.

I came home about a half hour ago and decided to check inside the water meter compartments just to find that they had replaced all the meters in our neighborhood with new ones. The new meters say Master Meter Dialog 3G-DS series on them. They also had a larger base than our old meters

I looked on the website listed and this seems to be the ones they are using
http://www.mastermeter.com/en/product.html?category=Automatic Meter Reading&item_id=331

Guess they can read our meters remotely now.
 

jtr1962

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 22, 2003
Messages
7,506
Location
Flushing, NY
We've had remote reading water meters here from day one. Prior to about ten years ago the city just billed a flat rate for water and sewer. After that they installed water meters.

Now why can't they do likewise with the electricity and gas? I think it's ridiculous that we have someone come to the house monthly to read the meters. This day in age everyone should have meters which can be read via the phone lines.
 

Sigman

* The Arctic Moderator *
Joined
Sep 25, 2002
Messages
10,124
Location
"The 49th State"
I remember water meters in our basement when growing up. The meter man had to come in the house to read it. How times have changed!! Indeed where there are water meters - they should be remotely read.

Anchorage charges a flat rate for water & sewer.
 

BugOutGear_USA

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
476
Location
Boston, MA
...Not only can they read the meters remotely, but they can now control your thoughts as well! Make sure to wear your aluminum foil hats around the house. lol

Just upgraded to these as well in my neighborhood.
 

skillet

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
797
Location
Green Co. , Bluegrass State
Meter Man?, meters that send their own readings? WOW :huh:

My water bill has a place to write the reading on it.. after I wade out to the meter, squat down in the mud, remove the cast iron cover, reach down in hole and wipe the settled residue from the glass(its under a foot of water since all the rain), drop the pen in the water, yell for a child to bring another pen, drop the bill in the water, yell for child to bring paper, slip in mud, stick clean hand in mud, wipe hands on pants, smear mud on good pen, soak the stamp-sized scrap of paper the child brought in mud, give up, go in, take a shower, change clothes and.......

MAKE A GUESS-TIMATE LIKE LAST TIME :)

Gordon aka:skillet
 

benchmade_boy

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,239
Location
not far enough away
WoW i knew our little town (about 50 people)was behind but i didnt relize we were that behind. heck we dont even get a water bill we have to read our own water meters by hand and fill out our own bills so we could cheat but we dont it really is a pain though
 

lukus

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
252
Location
Central Texas
Water meters here are still read monthly by a brave fellow. Has to hop a fence and into the weeds virtually every meter in the area. No telling how often he finds snakes in the boxes. But.....electric company changed their meters to remote senders this summer. The excitement of wondering who just came through the gate and set off the dogs no longer there. My dogs miss her too, they'd see who it is and go all googly silly. She would talk to them like they were babies and sometimes give them treats.
 

Buckeye

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
202
Location
Between Goetta and Flying Pigs
Our meters were replaced this spring with meters that transmit the readings by radio. The guy drives through the neighborhood and reads the meters without getting out of the truck.
 

goldenlight

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
464
Location
Right here....
jtr1962 said:
We've had remote reading water meters here from day one. Prior to about ten years ago the city just billed a flat rate for water and sewer. After that they installed water meters.

Now why can't they do likewise with the electricity and gas? I think it's ridiculous that we have someone come to the house monthly to read the meters. This day in age everyone should have meters which can be read via the phone lines.

....Except a lot of housholds no longer have a working land line; just several cell phones.
 
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