Lake Helen nears completion of $850,000 water-meter upgrade

0
Lake Helen nears completion of $850,000 water-meter upgrade
STOCK DEPOSITPHOTOS

BY ROBIN MIMNA

The City of Lake Helen is nearing the end of its $850,000 water-meter-replacement project, with just 50 upgraded meters left to install. The new installations, carried out by VEPO Solutions, has been in process since October 2024, and is set to modernize the city’s water system.

Public Works Director Ricky Mullens explained once the final meters are installed, city employees will be able to remotely collect water readings from City Hall instead of visiting individual properties, noting that the previous process of manually retrieving readings from properties was time-consuming.

Before the project started, the city faced the challenge of managing hundreds of dysfunctional water meters. According to City Administrator Jim Gleason, many meters had been unable to accurately measure water usage for an extended period. As a result, affected households were billed a flat rate of $84 per month, regardless of their actual water consumption. City staff calculated an annual loss of $180,000 because of the inability to read meters.  

The new system resolves this issue by ensuring accurate readings for all properties. Gleason outlined other advantages of the new system for residents.

 “The new system will alert us to spikes in water usage, enabling us to notify residents of potential leaks,” Gleason said. 

He noted that because Lake Helen residents are billed quarterly, subtle leaks could previously go unnoticed for months, resulting in unexpectedly high bills. That has happened several times in the past, including a $6,000 charge for one resident. 

The transition to the new system has caused a billing delay, with residents receiving their statements later than usual. City Hall expects to issue the bills in the coming weeks, Gleason said. Replacement of previously dysfunctional meters may result in higher water bills for some residents, as the new meters will now accurately measure water usage. The January bill will also reflect an extended billing period, while the March bill will cover a shorter time frame. The city anticipates returning to a regular billing schedule by the third cycle in June.

The completion of the water meter project marks a step forward for Lake Helen’s infrastructure, promising more accurate billing for its residents. 

“Ideally, we are looking for a 10-percent variance between what we pump and bill, but we aren’t there yet,” said Gleason. 

No posts to display

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here