Elmhurst Water Meter Change Out Project Begins this Fall

ELMHURST, IL — The city of Elmhurst will start its city-wide water meter change out project this fall. According to the city, this project requires all residential and commercial water meters to be replaced. This project is needed because the majority of Elmhurst's 14,000+ meters are over 25 years old and have exceeded their life expectancy. Because of the age of the meters, the city has experienced many years of 18-20 percent of unaccounted for water.

According to the city, it has signed a contract with Siemens to replace all existing water meters with highly accurate water meters. These new water meters will also aid in detecting leaks, and have the ability to provide on-demand reads as well as leak and tampering alerts. A web based customer portal will also be available for residents to electronically monitor for leaks, and manage their water consumption online.

Earlier this summer, the city said a number of resident’s water meters were changed out as a beta test. The response was very positive on how professional the installers were and how little time it took for the water meters to be replaced.

The water meter change out project is expected to occur through spring 2018, and is mandatory for all residents and businesses, according to the city. Meters will be installed systematically throughout Elmhurst, and when Siemens is approaching a neighborhood, residents in the area will be sent a series of postcards requesting them to schedule an appointment. Residents are asked to be responsive and schedule an appointment once this notification is received.

The new water meter will be installed at no additional cost, according to a release. Residents will be expected to have an adult over the age of 18 years old home at the time of appointment, which should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. Residents should attempt to locate their water meter in advance and ensure the meter is accessible for Siemens at the time of the appointment.

The city said once the water meter is replaced, residents will receive a bill, on their normal schedule, that will look the same as previous bills, but will include any remaining water use on the old meter, along with any cumulative use on the new meter.

Photo provided by City of Elmhurst.