NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Officials with the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans said they are beginning to issue smart-meter-based bills to customers whose meters have recently been updated.
According to SWBNO officials, there have been 12,000 smart meters installed throughout the city.
In addition to the bills, customers will also receive Continuous Use Letters, alerting them that the meters detected a constant flow of running water on their property, which may indicate a leak.
“This new technology not only ensures customers receive accurate bills that reflect actual water use moving forward, but it also enables us to notify customers of potential leaks before they impact customers’ bills,” said Executive Director Ghassan Korban.
SWBNO officials said the bill will include data from the old mechanical meter combined with the smart meter data, depending on the meter’s installation date.
Customers are being advised that the meter will have a more precise reading on water usage that could impact their bills.
The new meters can more accurately measure water usage compared to the mechanical meters that are beyond their expected useful life, according to SWBNO officials.
They add that the new readings may lead to an increase in billing.
“It’s important to note that all customers use water differently, so impacts will vary from customer to customer,” said Korban. “Some may see bill increases while others may see decreases.”
SWBNO officials say customers will soon have access to an advanced customer portal to view water use details and manage their accounts so that they can have more control over their usage.
There are precisions put in place, according to SWBNO officials, to assists customers make the transition to smart meters, such as:
- Meeting with high-volume customers to prepare for changes to their bills.
- A customer service staff that specializes in the Smart Metering Program until the customer portal is active.
- SWBNO officials will cap customers’ first traditional bill at 20% more than their average bill. over the last 12 months to help transition to lessen the burden on transitioning customers.
- Payment plans will continue to be offered to customers who struggle to pay their bills.
For more information on the Smart Metering Program and to see a map of current meter locations, visit the SWBNO’s website.
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