MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Marco Island is moving forward with an $11.5 million upgrade to its aging water system in an effort to cut waste and better track water usage for residents.
The city says the project will make billing more accurate, though some residents could end up paying more than they have been.
WATCH TO SEE WHAT THE NEW METERS WILL LOOK LIKE:
Some of Marco Island's water meters date back decades, one even going as far back as the 1960's. Old and deteriorated, the city says about 82% of single-family homes aren't getting accurate readings and are therefore not paying a fair amount.
"When you have a mechanical meter, as they age — they slow down. And when they slow down, you lose revenues," said Jeffrey Poteet, general manager of Water and Sewer for the City of Marco Island.
Poteet explained that in some cases, undetected leaks have led to water bills that are thousands of dollars. The utility department confirmed to Fox 4 that at least two residents were charged more than $8,000 in the past six months—most often due to leaks at private docks.
These upgrades would provide real-time data to more quickly catch leaks and bring the accuracy of water meters up to nearly 100%, Poteet explained.
"We don't want to give a ten-thousand-dollar bill to someone who didn't mean to use the water — but someone has to pay for it," Poteet said.
The city admits that many residents who were underpaying will now pay more. But Poteet says it will more accurately represent their water usage and that the extra revenue will help pay for the project — and save money in the long run.
When asked if the upgrade is worth it, Marco Island residents had mixed reactions.
"I think it's a great idea. I was looking into putting my own monitor on the line — just so if I got a leak it would notify me. So I think it's an awesome plan," one resident said.
"I agree that everyone should pay equally. No one should benefit just because they have an older meter. Good for them if they got away with it — but maybe it's time to catch up," another resident added.
The city says the upgrades will take about 8 to 12 months, and crews will install the new meters house by house.
"It'll pay for itself in about seven or so years" Poteet said.
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