Llano residents fear ‘smart meters’ will hike utility bills
CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF
LLANO — Aging utility meters have prompted city of Llano officials to propose replacing the devices across the city with high-tech “smart meters,” but some residents have expressed concerns about the potential for higher bills and suspected privacy and health risks.
City Manager Brenton Lewis said city council members will consider an $800,000 loan to pay for the switch to the wireless, remote-read devices.
“Some of the water meters have been in place since the 1950s,” he said. “As meters get older, they start running slower, so they are not actually collecting the true consumption the customer has (used).”
City officials believe they can save money, increase revenue and conserve water resources.
“We want to address the part of the infrastructure that has leakage in it. It’s a total package of not only trying to save costs but conserve water, too,” Lewis said. “On the electric meters, so we know those meters are operating properly, too. … We can save on personnel cost.”
However, more efficient data might translate into higher bills.
“What might happen is the consumer would pay for what they’re using, so they will see an increase in their consumption charge or usage, which will increase their charges,” Lewis said.
Some residents balked at the proposed expenditure and potential hike on customer bills.
“It’s too much at once. People who are in poverty who can’t even afford to pay their electric bill are going to be coughing up new meter money,” Llano resident Keenan Fletcher said. “A lot of people are already hit by the recession and already having severe amounts of problems paying their bills.”
Fletcher and at least two of her neighbors expressed concerns to city leaders in the past several weeks including requests for more research and a more modest approach to replacing aging meters.
“We’re going to be paying on these smart meters even after the technology is obsolete,” Fletcher said. “Take out a few (meters) at a time. Make sure they’re running effectively. If they are, then put them back in circulation. If not, then replace them.”
Other fears include controversial claims that the devices pose a privacy risk, might be tied to health-related issues associated by electro-magnetic waves and would mean the neglect of other city infrastructure projects because of lack of funding, Fletcher said.
“It’s like the industrial age. Nobody knew what was going to happen with all the chemicals put out in the air, and now we know,” she said. “We don’t know how the children’s brains are going to be affected by all the technology going on around them.”
Officials maintain the proposed meter-replacement project will benefit residents.
“It won’t effect taxes. It’s on the utility side. We’re projecting by what we’re saving, we’ll be able to pay off (the loan) by just what the consumer is consuming, rather than increased rates,” Lewis said. “(When the meters are replaced), no one will even notice the difference.”
connie@thepicayune.com