Dear Customers:

I want to provide an update on our water meter billing issues.  As I explained in an earlier post, we have had supply chain delays with new meters that will provide accurate water use readings.  Many bills have had estimated use and/or minimum base rate charges that do not reflect actual use, especially in the summertime.  

We have recently completed a full review of all the accounts that have a nonfunctioning meter.   The August bills for July use for each of those accounts will all have estimated use based on July use for the last several years.  Those customers who have been receiving a bill that had the minimum fixed charge instead of an estimated use bill will see an increase in the bill that reflects the higher use in the summer.

Currently we have approximately 350 meters that are waiting for replacements.  We expect to receive the new meters within the next 30 days and hope to have all of them installed this fall.  We will be posting updates on Facebook and our website when the meters arrive.

Our field crews will be contacting customers door to door to install the new meters.  Each customer who isn’t home at the time of that first contact will receive a door hanger notice asking the customer to call the office to schedule a time for the reschedule.  Please contact us quickly once you receive a written notice that you need a new meter. 

Some of you have had problems with your bills due to problems we are also experiencing with our billing software and remote reading equipment.  We have received new equipment and expect it to be fully functional within the next several months.  In the meantime, please check your meter readings and if it seems out of synch with your use, please let us know. 

Feel free to call our office at 406-257-5861.

Thanks for your patience while we work through these meter issues.

Sincerely,

Cindy Murray, General Manager