BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — The Martin County Water District (MCWD) has announced a $2 million water meter replacement project set to begin Jan. 27.

According to a customer alert issued Monday, the initiative is funded through a grant allocated by the Kentucky General Assembly.

MCWD expects the project to take approximately four months to complete.

“Customers will see staff working in or around their meter boxes,” the water district stated. “The new meters will allow the district to better understand the water usage in the distribution system.”

MCWD emphasized that the new technology will offer numerous advantages, including the ability to profile water usage for all customers and identify leaks, even those on the customer’s side of the system. The upgraded system will also feature drive-by meter reading capabilities, which aim to improve staff efficiency.

“It will also eliminate human error and ensure that customers are correctly billed for their usage,” the statement continued.

Many of the current meters have surpassed the industry-standard 10-year life span. With the installation of new meters, customers may notice changes in their bills, the district warned.

“When the new meters are installed, they will capture more accurate readings which may yield a higher bill for some customers,” the district explained. “Customers that are receiving minimum bills because the meter does not work at all (this is reflected on their bills) will start receiving bills based on their actual consumption.”

The water district encouraged residents with questions to contact the billing office at 606-298-3885. “We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue to improve the Martin County Water System,” the statement concluded.

MCWD did not respond to calls from the newspaper seeking additional comments.