Water Meter Replacement Project

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The City of Mercer Island is investing in new tools to serve water customers better. Over the course of 2023 and 2024, the City will replace all residential and commercial water meters with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.

Approximately 70 percent of the meters on the City’s water distribution system are over 15 years old. As meters age, they can become less accurate and only measure some of the water that is actually used. Meters of this age are also more likely to leak, wasting valuable water. Replacing mechanical meters will result in improved accuracy and enhanced leak identification.

The new water meters will automatically transmit data wirelessly to the City through the AMI system, reducing the need for manual meter reads. Customers will be able to manage water use wisely in the new online portal. Features include trackable water usage, leak alerts, and other notifications. Please note that due to a delay in the deployment of data collection stations, the launch of the customer portal has been delayed as well. Once the portal has been launched, customers will be notified about how to access their account and water use information.

Mercer Island has contracted with Ferguson Waterworks to complete this essential work. Their subconsultant, Pedal Valves, Inc., will install the new meters at customer locations.

Have a question? Check the FAQs section, or ask it below!


Graphic adapted from How AMI Works (EPA.gov)

The City of Mercer Island is investing in new tools to serve water customers better. Over the course of 2023 and 2024, the City will replace all residential and commercial water meters with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.

Approximately 70 percent of the meters on the City’s water distribution system are over 15 years old. As meters age, they can become less accurate and only measure some of the water that is actually used. Meters of this age are also more likely to leak, wasting valuable water. Replacing mechanical meters will result in improved accuracy and enhanced leak identification.

The new water meters will automatically transmit data wirelessly to the City through the AMI system, reducing the need for manual meter reads. Customers will be able to manage water use wisely in the new online portal. Features include trackable water usage, leak alerts, and other notifications. Please note that due to a delay in the deployment of data collection stations, the launch of the customer portal has been delayed as well. Once the portal has been launched, customers will be notified about how to access their account and water use information.

Mercer Island has contracted with Ferguson Waterworks to complete this essential work. Their subconsultant, Pedal Valves, Inc., will install the new meters at customer locations.

Have a question? Check the FAQs section, or ask it below!


Graphic adapted from How AMI Works (EPA.gov)

  • Meter Replacements are Complete!

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    The City is pleased to report that the meter replacement portion of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project is complete! Over the last five months, the City's contractor installed 7,416 new water meters. Combined with the 500+ meters installed by our in-house staff, all but a handful of tricky meters on the Island have been replaced with state-of-the-art digital meters. With this phase complete, staff are now devoting their time to the remaining elements needed to fully implement the AMI system: base stations and the customer portal.

    Base stations, which are placed at key locations around the Island, are an essential element - they pick up and transmit hourly water use data from each meter and send it to the City. Currently, two of the six base stations are installed and operational. Although they are able to read data from a significant number of meters on Mercer Island, there are still many meters that can only be picked up once the remaining base stations are installed. Staff will present information about the remaining base stations to the City Council at the September 17, 2024 Regular Meeting.

    The second element is the online customer portal, where customers will be able to view detailed information about their water use, set leak alerts, and receive notifications. Work on the customer portal is underway and it is expected to be available to limited customers (those whose meters are being captured by the base stations) this fall. The portal will be available to all customers once the remaining base stations are installed.

    In the meantime, if you have concerns about a potential leak or have questions about your water bill, please contact our Utility Billing team at 206.275.7602. They will be happy to work with you on any concerns or inquiries.


  • Meter Replacement Progress Update

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    The meter replacement project is moving down the island quickly! Since early March, crews have installed a total of 5,789 water meters - which is approximately 74% of Mercer Island's meters. Due to supply delays on a critical meter component, Pedal Valves installation crews must skip some locations until they have the parts in-hand. Don't worry, they'll be back soon to replace any that are skipped!

    As a reminder, Pedal Valve installation technicians are wearing shirts and vests with a prominent PVI logo, and their vehicles are marked on each side with a PVI logo magnet. Before starting each installation, they will attempt to contact the customer. If the technician is unable to contact the customer and water is in use, the installation will be delayed until a later time or day. In order to install the new meter, water service must be shut down for approximately 20 minutes. You'll receive a follow-up doorhanger, letting you know if the installation was successful or if they need to revisit at a future time.

    If you have any questions about your installation, please don't hesitate to reach out to the City's Customer Service Team at customerservice@mercerisland.gov or call 206.275.7600, Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. They are happy to look up information about your specific account.


  • Water Meter Installations to Begin in March

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    Starting in early March 2024, the City will begin replacing all residential and commercial water meters in its utility system.

    The meter replacement schedule will be determined by the water billing cycle and meter reading routes. The map below shows the approximate timeline for replacements.

    Technicians from Pedal Valves Inc. (PVI) will place a door hanger at each property ahead of installation and will attempt to contact each customer immediately before the installation. If the technician is unable to contact the customer and water is in use, the installation will be delayed until a later time or day.

    Each installation will take about 30 minutes, and the property's water usage may be interrupted for up to 20 minutes. The technician will leave a doorhanger indicating that the installation is complete, or letting the customer know that additional work is required.

    All PVI installation technicians will be wearing shirts and vests with a prominent PVI logo, and will drive PVI-marked vehicles.

    For questions about the work, customers can contact customerservice@mercerisland.gov or (206) 275-7600.

  • Supply Chain Delays and Public Comment Period for Meter Data Collection Stations

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    Water Meter Replacement

    Work on the water meter replacement project began earlier this spring with meter box cleaning in preparation for equipment replacement. Most meter boxes are now clean and ready for the new meters to be installed! Unfortunately, installation of the new meters has been delayed due to supply chain issues. Staff estimate that the project will be pushed out a few months, with meter installations beginning in spring 2024 and completion targeted for the end of next year (2024).

    Data Collection Stations

    UPDATE | 12/15/23 | The permit application process has been paused for five locations. City Council will evaluate alternatives to the identified locations in a Study Session at their March 5, 2024 meeting.

    As part of the project, the City is investing in new tools and technology that will help both the City and customer better track water use, leak alerts, and collect meter readings. The data collection equipment necessary for individual water meter boxes to successfully communicate water use information to the City must be strategically placed throughout the City. Seven locations have been identified for these Water Meter Data Collection Stations.

    The City must complete Conditional Use Permits for each station. As part of that process, the City will open a public engagement process where the community can provide feedback on proposed locations.

    More information about each location and the public engagement process will be available within the next few weeks. Neighbors within 300 feet of the proposed locations will receive notifications directly from the City.

    Stay tuned for more information about the public engagement process soon. Meanwhile, meter box preparation as well as other project work will continue while the materials are delivered, and final permitting is secured.

  • Meter Box Cleaning is Underway!

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    In December 2022, a small crew from the City's water utility team began inspecting water meter boxes in preparation for the upcoming meter replacement program. These inspections identify meter boxes that need to be replaced, moved, and most commonly, cleaned. The team records each inspection in the City's work order system, tracking their progress as they tackle over 7,800 meter boxes. This map (click title to open) shows their work on the island to date - as of May 2023, they have inspected and cleaned more than 4,300 meter boxes, or 77% of the island's meters.

    • Green - meter box inspection and cleaning complete
    • Yellow - meter box updates are in progress
    • Blue - meter box is scheduled for inspection and cleaning
    • Gray - meter box has not yet been inspected or cleaned


    It's hard work (with lots of spiders!) that is critical to the success of the meter project - so if you see them working on your meter box, give a wave or say hello!




Page last updated: 06 Sep 2024, 09:37 AM