PUD Monthly Meter Reading Update

Today the Snohomish PUD posted the latest update to the change to monthly meter reading. The PUD says it will cost 11.5 million dollars over three years. Here’s the scoop…

Snohomish County PUD continues to make progress on its project to read every customer meter each month, and is on schedule to implement the change by October.

PUD project lead Will Odell presented an update at Tuesday’s PUD Commission Meeting. The project, which initially was projected to cost the PUD $18 million over three years, has come down in cost. Odell said that the newest estimation for the project is $11.5 million over three years, which includes upgraded equipment, hiring of contractors and facility costs.

The cost of the project is being funded out of the utility’s reserves and is not expected to impact customers’ rates.

The PUD is in final contract negotiations with an outside contractor to read the additional meters for the next three years. The contractor, Kentucky-based TruCheck, will hire approximately 36 local workers to read the meters. The contracted meter readers will be based at the PUD’s Halls Lake facility in Lynnwood.

The change to reading customers meters monthly eliminates having to estimate customer bills every other month. In some instances, estimated bills will still be performed because of a lack of access and weather conditions.

The PUD has a web page with information about monthly billing that they keep updating. It also has a good FAQ about the meter reading program. Click here to visit the page.