Newmarket to begin replacing water meters

First phase will focus on 7,000 homes where work can be done outside during pandemic

Yorkregion.com
March 23, 2021

Newmarket will start replacing water meters by the end of March.

Installed with COVID-19 safety measures in place, the program aims to replace and upgrade all water meters in town.

The first phase will focus on meters that are less than 10 years old, which includes about 7,000 households, the town said.

With the ongoing pandemic, these upgrades will take place first as this work is done entirely outside and does not require interaction with the homeowner.

The work will be carried out by the town’s contractor, Wamco. Workers will install new digital water meter reading hardware directly over the existing reader.

Residents do not need to be home when the water meters are being installed.

Workers do not need to enter homes. If an installer is asking to come inside, call the town at 905-895-5193 to confirm these details.

There is no cost to residents for this work and there will be no service disruptions while this work is being done.

Benefits of the water meter upgrade include:

• Ability to conduct remote water meter readings;

• No physical visits will be required to obtain water meter readings, which will result in saved time and improved efficiencies;

• Improved water meter reading accuracy;

• If the resident’s water meter was previously over-registering or under-registering, the new water meter will now measure the water usage accurately;

• Providing the town with the future ability to identify leaks and losses within the system before they become a larger issue; and

• Providing residents with the future ability to track water usage through an online portal.

Replacing water meters will take place on an area-by-area basis and residents will receive a letter giving them an approximate time when the work will be done.

Installers will be subjected to daily health screenings before work. Residents are asked to stay at least six feet away from the workers.

The second phase of the replacement project will include about 18,000 homes.

A date for this work, which requires entry to residents’ homes, has not yet been established.

For more information, visit newmarket.ca/watermeters, email info@newmarket.ca or call 905-895-5193.