Your water meter has either recently been replaced or is slated for replacement in the coming months, and this may have an impact on your water and sewer bill as explained below.
Water Meter Replacement Information
Citywide Meter Replacement Project: The Water & Sewer Department is currently undertaking a Citywide Meter Replacement Project. This project is to replace water meters that are accurately reading your water usage but still require replacement for one of two reasons: either their transmitters are no longer automatically sending your water usage readings to our billing systems, or their transmitters are aging and expected to fail soon. It is a standard best practice to replace all water meters on a periodic basis to address failing or aging transmitters known to have a limited lifespan.
When Meter Transmitters Stop Working, You Receive an Estimated Bill: When a transmitter fails to send your water usage to our billing system, the Water & Sewer Department sends you an estimated bill. An estimated bill is based on your prior water usage, not your actual water usage. You can tell if you are receiving an estimated bill if there is an “E” in the Read Code column on your bill.
As New Meters Are Installed, We Conduct Manual Readings of the Old Meters: When onsite to install a new meter are, we also conduct a manual reading of your water usage as measured by your old water meter. If you were receiving estimated bills, your actual usage based on this manual reading will then be compared with your estimated usage.
After the Manual Readings, You May See a Credit or a Temporary Increase in Your Bill: If your estimated bills were higher than your actual usage warranted, you will receive a credit on your next available bill for any overpayment. If your estimated bills were lower than your actual usage warranted, you will be charged on your next available bill for the additional water you used but were previously not billed for. Please note, these are one-time adjustments. Future bills will include only your charges for that billing period and any unpaid balances.
See Below or Contact Us for Answers to Your Questions: The Water & Sewer Department is committed to enhancing our services, ensuring accurate billing, and striving to manage costs responsibly. If you have any questions or concerns about our services, please don't hesitate to contact us at water@somervillema.gov or reach us by calling 3-1-1. Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated, and we are dedicated to serving our community to the best of our abilities.
Thank you for taking time to learn about the Citywide Meter Replacement Project.
- Do I Have to Have My Water Meter Replaced?
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Participation is mandatory, and there is no cost to you for any of the work.
- When Will My Water Meter Be Replaced?
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If your water meter has not recently been replaced, please schedule an appointment at a time convenient for you for your meter replacement. To do so, please contact our contractor Mass Installation, Inc. at 1-800-933-1360, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. You may also go to http://massinstallation.com/appointment/ to request an appointment time through their website. Or leave a message with their 24-hour answering service. Installation usually takes less than one hour.
- What Happens If I Don’t Schedule an Appointment for Water Meter Replacement?
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Either we or Mass Installation will attempt to contact you. If no response is received, we may visit a property to obtain access to your water meter. Meter technicians and supporting personnel will always be wearing identifiable uniforms that say either "City of Somerville" or "Mass Installation." Please call 311 or e-mail water@somervillema.gov with any questions or concerns.
- If I Overpaid Due to Estimated Billing, How Will I Get My Credit?
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If you overpaid for water usage due to estimated billing, you will automatically receive a credit on your water and sewer bill. The credit will appear after your new meter is installed and a manual read of the old meter is conducted.
- If I Underpaid Due to Estimated Billing, How Do I Make a Back Payment?
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After your manual reading and meter replacement is complete, your next available bill will note any back payments owed due to estimates that resulted in underbilling. If you are able to pay the full amount, please do so by paying the total reflected on your bill.
- What If I Can’t Pay the Back Payment Right Away?
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If you are not able to pay the full amount, you can consider spreading the payment out over multiple bills for one year subject to an interest charge as noted on the bill. (Interest is 1.17% per month (equaling 14% per annum/year). Low-income seniors and other eligible persons may also qualify for our needs-based exemption, which lowers water bills by up to 25 percent. Please visit somervillema.gov/waterhelp.
- What Do I Do If I Think My Adjusted Bill is Wrong?
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If you are concerned that your bill may not be accurate, please reach out to the Water & Sewer Department and we will investigate.
- How Do I Contact the Water & Sewer Department?
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Email us at water@somervillema.gov or call 617-625-6600 x 5850 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
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