Roseville Finishes Water Meter Project

Tuesday morning, Oct. 18, the last water meter was installed on Little Oak Court in north Roseville. This was a big milestone for the City of Roseville and its water meter retrofit program, which has been in the works since 1998.

Mayor Pauline Roccucci helped install the last meter marking the completion of the retrofit project.

What is the water meter retrofit program?

Planning for the program began about 13 years ago and it officially began in July 2001. Through the water meter retrofit program, 16,000 water meters were installed throughout the city in the last 10 years.

Water meters act as a tool that customers can use to track their water use, according to city officials.

This program proves that the city is water efficient.

"Becoming a fully metered city helps define Roseville and the region as leaders in water use efficiency in the state," Roccucci said. "Roseville and the region take water efficiency seriously."

What does this mean for residents?

Simply, water meters could save homeowners money. But how? Well, according to Derrick Whitehead, environmental utilities director with the city, residents will “now know how you use your water.”

Through a year’s worth of mock bills, residents can see the flat rates versus metered rates and analyze the bills. They’ll see that they typically use less water in the winter than in the summer and become educated on how to cut their water usage and use water more efficiently.

“Installing water meters is an important tool that helps our water customers understand their water usage and in some cases, lower their utility bill,” Roccucci said.

How much did this retrofit program cost?

The program, with a $10 million price tag, came in below budget thanks to approximately $3 million worth of equipment and materials from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Funding for the program came in from a special surcharge on services requiring improvements for 10 years. The surcharge stopped about two years early and the program retrofit program expanded made possible through the additional funding from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

How can you learn to use water more efficiently?

About 10 years ago, the city started a program called water-wise house calls. By making an appointment, a water specialist will come to your home and analyze your water use, both inside and out.

According to Lisa Brown, water conservation administrator with the City of Roseville, the most common water inefficiencies inside a home are from a toilet leak. Outdoors, it can be attributed to water pressure and irrigation systems, among other issues.

“We completely diagnose any inefficiencies,” Brown said.

The water-wise house call specialist will check toilets and plumbing for leaks, help set an efficient water irrigation schedule, check the water pressure, give information on rebates and look at water drainage, among other things.

Housecalls are free and available weekdays. To schedule an appointment, call 916-774-5761.