Politics & Government
Water Bills Could Go Up with New Meters
Homewood homes and businesses will be getting new, more accurate water meters beginning in July, officials said. The new meters measure water usage to the tenth of a gallon. Along with the new meters, the village will switch to a monthly water billing c
New water meters are coming to Homewood and officials say they're extremely accurate—which could mean higher water bills.
The new meters, which measure water usage to the tenth of a gallon, are going to be installed in every home and business in the village beginning this July. The meters will also use a new billing system, which a switch from quarterly bills to monthly water bills.
“The meters are more accurate, the current meters are 20 years old, so they're going to be more accurate,” said Homewood Public Works Director John Schaefer. “Will that reflect in a person's bill? It depends on their water usage.”
Find out what's happening in Homewood-Flossmoorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The new meters must be installed as part of water usage regulations, in conjunction with the village's Chicago water supply.
“We're required to have more accurate meters, because of the Lake Michigan allocation, that we have to meet the standard,” Schaefer said. “We have a certain percentage, that's called water loss or unaccounted water, and we have to account for that water.”
Find out what's happening in Homewood-Flossmoorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The switch from a quarterly billing cycle to a monthly cycle should help some residents with water loss, but the accuracy could mean higher bills as well, Schaefer said.
“Will it cost more or less? It's a yes and no,” he said. “They're going to be able to catch leaks sooner, which will lead to smaller bills. But it is more accurate, so it is going to measure all the water they do use. So, they may see a little bit of an increase in their water bills.”
The new meters will be installed by licensed plumbers, who will come to residents' homes starting in July to replace the older meters. The work should take about a half hour to one hour and a resident who is at least 18 years old must be home during the time of installation.
“They'll have identification with them,” Schaefer said. “If a resident ever has a question about somebody coming to their house, whether it be public works, or anybody, they can always call the police department and they would make sure that person is legitimate.”
If residents have any questions about the new meters, they can call the Public Works Department at 708-206-3470.
It's easy to keep up with Patch!
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
