Houston Public Works is asking City Council to approve an $8.5 million plan to replace some of the oldest water meters in the city.
KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Amy Davis uncovered billing problems in a years-long investigation. She explains who will get the new meters and what it means for customers’ water bills.
The $8.5 million will fund 25,000 new smart water meters. Public Works Director Randy Macchi says this is just a start, as 315,000 meters in Houston are more than 20 years old.
“We’ve got to start somewhere,” Macchi said.
Two thousand of the new meters will be installed at homes where current meters are so old they can’t connect to remote read sensors. These sensors send meter readings directly to the water department.
All 25,000 new meters will be monitored in a 12-month pilot program.
“Now as we’re bringing in a new technology, we need to make sure that the city as a whole is able to support it if we’re going to roll it out on a larger basis. So, we’re going to hit every council district. We’re going to hit every corner of the city and we’re to see how well it’s working and maybe what additional things that we’re need to invest in to make that works really well,” said Macchi.
In December, the city finished installing remote read sensors on about 150,000 water meters at a cost of $35 million.
When asked if the new meters would replace those recently upgraded, Macchi said, “We’re not going to touch any of the ones we just fixed. We’re hoping that we fix those, and they’ll be fixed for quite some time. And that means that over multiple years, as the utility ought to have been doing all along, we will start to phase in new technology and new equipment on a regular basis.”
The city will begin installing the new meters as soon as they arrive. City Council is expected to approve the contract this week.
Customers who receive the new meters will be able to access their water usage data online almost in real time, instead of waiting for their monthly bill.
What is the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation?
- Multi-year investigation (started public reporting in 2022) into surprise and outrageously high water bills across Houston.
- Focus areas: faulty meters and remote-read sensors, meter-reading and billing errors, and improper/secret city contracting for waterline repairs and meter work.
Key ‘DRAINED’ dates:
- Nov. 2022 – KPRC begins airing consumer stories and reporting on billing problems.
- Oct. 31, 2023 – KPRC facilitated public testimony by dozens of affected customers at a Houston City Council meeting; coverage drew city attention.
- Late 2023 – KPRC reporting exposed questionable contracting practices inside Houston Public Works related to waterline repair contracts.
- May 31, 2024 – Harris County DA’s office announced indictments (seven people) tied to bribery/contract scheme revealed by the reporting.
- Jan. 2025 – Several defendants reached plea deals; KPRC coverage and follow-ups continued into mid‑2025.
- Through 2024–2025 – continued follow-up reporting on meter replacements, billing policy changes, and remaining customer issues.
City actions after the reporting:
- Houston launched a water-billing improvement plan and committed to replacing broken remote‑read devices.
- The city has replaced broken remote-read sensors on 125,000+ meters (reported progress in 2025).
- Billing policy change: customers are often billed on average historical usage until the department verifies a working remote read; this was part of the city’s plan to limit surprise spikes while sensors are fixed.
The ‘DRAINED’ Investigation started with emails and calls from viewers. Do you have a problem or a story you’d like to share? Email Investigator Amy Davis at ADavis@kprc.com and Investigative Producer Andrea Slaydon at ASlaydon@kprc.com.