MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Marco Island will begin installing 11,500 ultrasonic smart meters on Dec. 10 as part of a major upgrade to the city’s aging water system. The project follows reports of some homeowners receiving unexpectedly high bills due to undetected leaks.
The new meters will allow people to track their water usage in real time and receive alerts if there's a leak or if water is left running, according to the city.
WATCH TO SEE THE NEW SYSTEMS THAT COULD HELP PREVENT COSTLY LEAKS FROM GOING UNNOTICED:
The upgrade comes just months after the city confirmed some homeowners said they were losing thousands of dollars to water leaks they didn't know existed.
David Horvat, who has lived on Marco Island for decades with his wife, said his sister recently received an unexpected $7,000 water bill from an undetected leak at her island home.
"My sister and her husband own a house on the island, they had a water leak just recently," Horvat said.
He hopes the new system will prevent other families from facing similar surprises.
"You shouldn't be penalized for something you have no control over and it just makes it more fair and even," Horvat explained. "It helps the homeowner if a problem does occur. It helps them out to solve the problem before it becomes a major issue."
As part of the project, the city will also check nearly 4,871 service lines to ensure they meet EPA standards.
Crews will wear clearly marked uniforms as they move through neighborhoods. the city said.
The project is expected to be completed by fall 2025.
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