Smart Meters

How do I read my new meter?
Visit Reading Your Smart Meter.

Do other cities and local utilities use smart meters?
Yes. City of Tempe, City of Scottsdale, City of Chandler, SRP, and APS are a few examples.

I received a postcard or email about meter exchange. What does this mean?
One or all your Mesa utility meters (water, gas, and Mesa electric) will be exchanged for updated meters over the course of the project. This does not apply to Southwest Gas and SRP meters.

If I have a gas meter, how will the exchange impact my gas service?

Residents: If the Service Specialist can perform the meter changeout while the gas remains live, they will do so without affecting service or requiring a relight. Otherwise, the gas will be shut off, and the meter will be secured. A door hanger will be left for you to call for service restoration. Service Specialists respond 24/7.

Businesses: Most businesses have a bypass system in place, which will be utilized to ensure uninterrupted service. This approach aims to minimize or eliminate disruptions to business operations. If a gas shutdown is necessary, our Service Specialists will coordinate with business management to schedule a time that minimally impacts operations.

How can I prepare for my meter exchange?
Please keep a clear path around the utility meter. If you have tenants, please notify them. If you have meter(s) in a backyard with pets, please secure your pet for their safety and the safety of utility staff.

Will I be charged extra for the new meter(s)?
No, there are no additional charges associated with smart meter installation.

Can I opt out of having a smart meter?
We are updating our utility meters as part of an infrastructure upgrade and customer service enhancement. All customers, without exception, will be upgraded. Customers will not see a difference in their billing process. Customer service representatives will be better equipped to address customer consumption questions, and customers can opt in to receive or set up system notifications.

Will smart meters interfere with my other wireless devices?
No, smart meters will not interfere with other wireless devices. Meter data will be updated daily in the meter reading database. Information specific to the equipment being used in Mesa can be found at https://sensus.com/rf/.

Can I track my utilities usage online?
In the future, Mesa residents with smart meters will be able to monitor their utility consumption online, empowering customers to manage their utility use more effectively. Mesa will notify customers when these features are available. 

What quality control measures does Mesa have in place for smart meter installation?
Mesa is committed to proactively ensuring accuracy and transparency with our Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) exchange, including quality control processes that start before the deployment of smart meters. These include testing meters for accuracy before installation, restricting meter configuration options to limit configuration errors and verifying configurations against the billing system to ensure they match. Mesa also reviews reports frequently to catch unusual reads and bills, and we proactively notify customers of potential issues, such as leaks that would otherwise go undetected and lead to costly water damage.

How does Mesa ensure the new meters are billing accurately?
Mesa has comprehensive quality control processes in place:

• All meters are factory tested and confirmed to meet American Water Works Association (AWWA) meter accuracy standards
• 3% of all new meter shipments are randomly selected and tested for accuracy before installation
• Manual readings continue in parallel with AMI for the first two months after installation work
• Meter configurations are verified against billing systems to ensure accuracy
• Staff proactively review reports frequently to catch unusual reads and bills
• Exception checks are processed in the billing system each billing cycle to identify any unusual reads and bills

What should I do if my utility bill increases after my new meter is installed?
A spike in consumption could indicate changes in usage due to a leak in the property, a seasonal change, or a shift in your household’s usage pattern resulting from the introduction of new appliances or additional people living in the household.

Mesa staff actively monitors for unusual consumption patterns and will contact you if we detect potential issues. If you notice a spike, contact our customer service team at 480-644-2221. 

How do smart meters help detect leaks?
Smart meters read consumption continuously and can detect:

• Continuous flow patterns that indicate water running 24/7, often from toilet flappers, irrigation leaks, or other issues
• Unusual consumption spikes that may indicate a burst pipe or major leak
• Gradual increases in baseline usage that could signal developing problems

Mesa reviews reports frequently and proactively notifies customers of potential issues. Without smart meters, these leaks could go undetected for months until the next manual meter reading, resulting in costly water damage and high bills.

What are the main advantages of the new meters?

• Superior accuracy compared to aging meters that needed replacement
• No property access needed for meter reading
• Proactive leak detection through the identification of unusual usage before it becomes a major problem

Are smart meters safe? Have they been tested?

• Yes, smart meters have been thoroughly tested to meet stringent safety standards.
• A subset of meters is tested as part of the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification process. (UL is an independent, not-for-profit, product safety testing and certification organization).
• Multiple independent labs have performed meter safety tests in addition to internal safety tests.

Can smart meters cause illness?
The American Cancer Society states the possibility of smart meters being connected to an elevated risk of cancer is very unlikely. The organization explains smart meters have lower levels of radio frequency waves than cell phones. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) states there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health. To learn more visit: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/smart-meters.html