How often does the My Water Advisor update customer usage?
Customer portal information is updated every 24 hours.

How quickly after I have a leak will the leak alert alarm be sent to my phone/email?
A leak alert is triggered after 24 hours of continuous usage.

Can multiple accounts be linked to one e-mail address/log-in?
At this time, the answer is no, but the developers of My Water Advisor are looking into the necessary changes required to allow one customer to signup for multiple accounts. The City will provide updates when and if they become available.

The discoloration is simply an aesthetic issue and does not present a health concern.  If you experience this problem, the easiest way to eliminate the discolored water from your system is to run as many cold water faucets, including bathtubs, sinks, and outside spigots, as possible at the same time. This will clear out any color which may have found its way into your service line. DO NOT run kitchen or bathroom faucets because they have screens and filters built into them and can impede proper flow.  DO NOT turn on your hot water, as this will direct discolored water into your hot water tank.  If the problem does not clear up within 10 minutes, please contact the Public Works Department at (424) 350-9664.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure, more commonly known as AMI, allows water meters to be read remotely. With the capability of offering near real-time data, AMI will enable you to view up-to-date water usage at any time during the billing cycle.

The AMI system will allow the City to further enhance current customer service and make available new services like leak alerts, online access to timely usage measurements and usage alerts to prevent surprise bills. This new class of meter reading technology will enable customers to better monitor and manage their water usage.

In order to bring you these new AMI services and capabilities, your current water meter will need to be upgraded to one that it is AMI compatible. Many of the meters we have in service now are nearing the end of their useful life and will need to be replaced in the coming years anyway. By replacing them with AMI compatible meters, we can enhance current customer service offerings and make available new and enhanced services like leak alerts, timely usage measurements and usage alerts to prevent surprise bills.

Although you were not charged for the new meter and your water rate did not change at the time of the upgrade, you may see an increase because the new meters record consumption more accurately than the old meters. As water meters age, they tend to run slower and may not measure all of the water going through them. Most of the old water meters in the City are more than 20 years old and at the end of their functional life. Therefore, depending on the age and accuracy of your current meter, you may see an increase in your bill based on more accurate readings.

The implementation of AMI technology will help the City continue to improve the cost-effectiveness and value of City services. Additionally, the City is committed to outstanding customer service and promoting open communication with our customers, and AMI technology will further improve our ability to do just that. The City also has a long-standing commitment to stewardship of water resources and the environment, and AMI technology will also advance that tradition by further reducing the environmental impacts of our operations.

Hundreds of Cities across North America have adopted AMI technology for their meter infrastructure needs. This technology has been approved for use in California since 2006 and has become the standard for water meter reading technology.

Yes. Preserving the security of our customers’ data and personal information is one of the City’s top priorities. The AMI system will feature advanced encryption technologies that will keep your data safe. 

Yes. the City takes great pride in providing safe drinking water to the communities we serve. The City would never undertake a project that could be harmful to the health or privacy of the members of our community and we will do everything in our power to ensure that this project is no different. 

Like all commercially available telecommunication equipment, the AMI communication devices are required to meet Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency (RF) limits. Equipment manufacturers have vigorously tested and reviewed independent lab results demonstrating that the communication devices meet or exceed FCC limits. Common household items like cell phones, microwave ovens, baby monitors, cordless telephones and Wi-Fi routers emit much more radio frequency energy than AMI meters.

The AMI technology employs a device that utilizes the cellular network, just like your mobile phone and also found in televisions and wireless home phones. This technology allows meters to be read remotely giving customers daily access to their water consumption data. Not only do the AMI device’s radio frequency (RF) waves fall below the level of what is recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), they are also less powerful than any mobile phone. Additionally, the AMI technology inside your water meter is located outside your house, which reduces contact with the RF waves.