Demonstration 9
Water Meter Replacements and Monthly Water Billing

Location: Topsfield, MA

Purpose:

• Demonstrate the value of radio-read water meters in increasing the frequency with which (1) water suppliers bill their customers, and (2) customers make the connection between their water use and the cost of water.
• Reduce overall water demand on the public water supplies of Topsfield.
• Quantify the water savings associated with use of frequent billing and conservation-oriented rate structures.

Description:  The town of Topsfield replaced 500 conventional water meters with radio-read meters. This allowed the town to not only read meters more efficiently but, more importantly for this project, to bill its customers more frequently.  The town converted its billing system to allow the 500 radio-read customers to receive a monthly water bill.  The rest of the customers continued to receive semiannual water bills. All water customers were charged at the same rate; the only variation was the frequency of billing.  The town uses a progressive block-rate structure to encourage water conservation.

Data Collection and Analysis:  The town compiled both “historic” (years 2000-2005) and post-installation water-use records for the 500 customers receiving monthly bills and records for the same period for an appropriate “control” group of customers who continue to receive semiannual bills.  Water use trends by the two groups were compared. Additionally, historic water use by the 500 program participants was compared to their water use once monthly billing began.

Partners: Town of Topsfield

Click here for Meter Replacement Fact Sheet

Status: See Progress Report