PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — According to a new report from the City of Punta Gorda, 9,063 of the 14,171 water meters installed by the city between 2017 and 2019 have now failed.
The water meters, made by Zenner USA, were installed in an effort to modernize the city’s billing system by automatically sending a customer’s water usage to the billing department without the need for an in person meter reader. But, components in the new meters have failed, leading to some customers getting estimated bills.
Watch FOX 4's Alex Orenczuk report on the latest report regarding the failing water meters in Punta Gorda:
According to the report, the meter failures outpaced the city’s ability to repair them.
In March 2024, after more than 6000 meters had failed, the city approved a contract with Wisconsin based meter reading company, Olameter, to bring in manual readers. The contract has an estimated maximum cost of $319,800. However, the report states that Olameter has not been able to staff its crews properly, having five employees either quit or be terminated since the contract began.
Additionally, the report states that Olameter crews have not been able to complete a “full cycle of reads”, and has ignored instructions by the city to read meters in certain areas. Fox 4 contacted Olameter for comment on the city’s report but has not received a reply.
For customers receiving estimated bills as a result of the failed meters, like longtime Punta Gorda resident Lilli Ritchie-Bearer, the experience can be frustrating.
“I got a jump in my bill, and I thought here I am here alone, how could I have this go up,” said Ritchie-Bearer.
She told FOX 4 that she was billed for 118 thousand gallons of water use in Oct. 2022, just after Hurricane Ian. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, on average a single-person household uses about 3000 gallons of water a month.
“How could I use that when I'm here alone?,” said Ritchie-Bearer. “I was quite alarmed.”
She told FOX 4 she had a plumber check for leaks at her house and found none, then the faulty meter at her home was replaced by the city.
Now with meters failing, estimated bills, unreliable meter readers and fed up customers the city will begin a pilot program for a new automatic meter reading system or AMI (advanced metering infrastructure).
According to the report, the city will try retrofitting existing meters with the Subeca Pin water meter register paired with the Amazon Sidewalk Network to automatically read water usage.
“It allows us to restore AMI capabilities to residents without interrupting their water service, as the current brass meters are reliable and serviceable,” said City Manager Greg Murray. “If this type of system is workable, then the bid process would be used to allow qualified vendors to supply the equipment needed.”
In the meantime, according to the report the city will also recruit “10 city employees to work overtime on weekdays (4 PM until sunset) and Saturdays (7:00 AM to 3:30 PM) to read water meters” in addition to the Olameter crews.
“City staff members are being trained and offered an opportunity to read meters in the evening and on Saturdays to ensure customers receive an actual read rather than estimated billing,” said Murray.
Acting Utilities director Tom Spencer will present the report at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
