We hear from customers frustrated over surprise water bills. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is following up on the city’s plan to address meter issues uncovered by the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation. Davis has an update on meter replacements and customer usage.
SEE MORE: Next phase of Houston’s water bill improvement plan
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The Houston Water Department has made significant strides in updating its infrastructure by replacing broken remote read devices on nearly 125,000 meters. These sensors electronically transmit meter readings back to the department, enhancing accuracy and efficiency.
When the city initiated the water bill improvement plan last April, officials committed to replacing every broken remote read device.
- At the time, there were 125,000 such devices, and the department has successfully replaced all but about 15,000.
- The 15,000 meters that still need new remote read devices are inaccessible, either because the meters have been paved over, they may be behind a locked gate, or some other reason. The department is continuing to work on replacing these remote-read devices. It is just taking longer.
With the installation of the Sensus devices, residents can gain access to an online portal that provides real-time data on water usage. Here’s some information the City of Houston provided to Amy Davis.
- 437,000 single-family residential water meters in the ground
- 238,000 single-family residential customers have online water bill profiles
- 92,000 of those customers have upgraded Sensus remote reading devices
- Less than half of those, 45,000 customers have accessed their Sensus customer portal
When you set up the Sensus customer portal, you will leave your water account on the City of Houston water department website.
WATCH: Amy explains how to set up your account with meter tracking data
This feature is particularly beneficial for those who receive unexpectedly high bills, as it allows them to review their water consumption patterns. Questions such as whether water was used during times when no one was home can now be answered with this data.
Your account will show daily water usage.
Currently, 125,000 homes have access to this technology, but with 437,000 water meters in the city, the new public works director acknowledges that much work remains.
WATCH: How to tell if you have a new water meter in Houston
Randy Macchi, Houston Public Works Director, stated, “We now are at a point where we can address everything as it fails as it happens. And we’re also holistically planning out... well what do we do for the next 315,000 meters in the ground that are already more than 20 years old? That’s going to be our big task.”
However, some of these older meters are incompatible with the new remote read devices, leaving customers without access to advanced metrics. This limitation prevents them from utilizing the portal to monitor their water usage effectively.
Customers who still need their remote reading device upgraded can now contact Utility Billing at 713-371-1400 to check the status of their replacement and resolve any remaining access issues.
What can you do if you have a water bill issue?
Customers experiencing billing issues are encouraged to set up a meeting with the water department, either in person or virtually.
Since April, more than 800 customers have done so, with 75% of issues resolved in the first meeting.
Meetings can be scheduled here: https://www.houstonwaterbills.houstontx.gov/ProdDP/Default/Default
The KPRC 2 Investigates team will keep working to get answers for you about these water bills. We are committed to reporting on stories that drive transparency and positive change within the community.
