Water Meters

The department has been moving towards updating the technology for their water meters. Approximately 23,000 exist in the City of Avondale. About half have already been converted to radio read which allows the worker to read meters through the installation of an antenna placed outside the vehicle that picks up a signal as it drives through the city's meter routes. This approach cuts down on the amount of time a person has to physically go out and read meters. It also addresses the issue of safety.

There are some places in Avondale where the meters are difficult to access. Some of these meters are in alleyways, in drainage canals with overgrown weeds, or they have been covered up by the resident so you have to locate and dig them out. At other times, wild/stray dogs may be present that do not allow the worker to get close to the home. On occasion, the worker will run into an irate resident that does not want the worker near their property. On any given day, our workers may run into anyone or all of these obstacles just to get a meter reading.