5,500 Water meters will be replaced in Margate.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – The city will start to replace water meters Tuesday, Oct. 10 at approximately 400 households as part of a multi-year project to replace every water meter in the city.
Phase 1 of the multi-year project will install a base station at the Benson Avenue water tower and integrate software and radio transmitters at existing meters at approximately 400 newly built homes.
The installation takes about 15 minutes and under normal circumstances water will not have to be shut off.
The average life expectancy of a water meter is 20 years and most of the city’s meters are more than 24 years old, officials said. Installing new meters will provide the water and sewer utility with a more cost-effective way to read the meters, improve billing accuracy and energy efficiency, and aid in detecting leaks.
The Phase 1 work is being done by Core & Main at a cost of $211,016.
The funding to replace all of the city’s meters was put in place when the Board of Commissioners approved a $2.5 million bond ordinance Oct. 20, 2022 to fund the multi-phase project to replace 5,500 meters in the city.
Grant consultant Rutala Associates is applying for state funding to finance part of the project. The city is also using money set aside from the American Rescue Plan to fund a portion of the project.
For more information, call the Margate Public Works Department at 609-822-5038
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