This is from a neighborhood listserve from someone who follows these water issues closely.
700 homes on the Northeast Side may start to see monthly (rather than current twice-a-year) water-sewer bills by May 2012. All Madison will be getting once-a-month bills by 1st Quarter 2013.
Board of Estimates, City Council’s Finance Committee, approved the $12 million item Monday–sent it on to the full Council for final approval next week.
Water Utility staff Robin Piper appeared before Board of Estimates to answer questions. Piper said the Utility does not yet have a contract signed with the companies who will be doing the work.
“We’re still working on the statement of work,” Piper said, “the legal language with the City Attorney’s Office.”
“If we can get a contract signed, shortly,” he said, “about three months after we sign the contract, we’ll complete our initial phase which includes a pilot study” (700 homes on the Northeast Side).
“At that point,” Piper told Alders, “if we’re satisfied we’ve taken care of all of the issues that might crop up, like getting access to people’s homes, and what not, we will then proceed with full implementation. It will take about a year from that point to complete the other 65,000 meters that will need to be retrofitted or changed out.”
Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway asked, We’re not going to go to monthly billing until 2013 when all meters have been switched over? No, Piper said, “we’re actually going to start to do that (convert to monthly billing) as soon as we can, in phases, as we convert our billing cycles. We want to slowly ease into it instead of waiting until the end and having one big jump.”
Rhodes-Conway asked when customers will have web access to their account information-water use information. Piper did not give a date. “We hope to have web access up and running fairly early,” he said. “We’re still working through the statement of work, when all the pieces are going to fit together.”
Ald. Lauren Cnare asked about customers being able to set up automatic account deductions, if they wish. Piper said that will be available “very shortly”. “I was hoping to have unveiled that already,” he said. “We’re working with the software vendor to get all the pieces in place for that.”
{Note: On City Channel video of Dec 5 Board of Estimates meeting, discussion of new water meters–going to monthly billing begins at 57:26, ends at 1.01.50 = 4 min.’s, 24 sec.’s total}
