The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans announced Tuesday that the first bills generated by smart meters are now being issued.
SWBNO has installed more than 12,000 smart meters so far, with plans to install tens of thousands more.
The smart meters are also capable of detecting constant water flow, an indicator that a property owner may have a leak.
"This new technology not only ensures customers receive accurate bills that reflect actual water use moving forward, but it also enables us to notify customers of potential leaks before they impact customers’ bills," said SWBNO Executive Director Ghassan Korban.
Korban warns that the new meters could result in customers paying more, because many of the old meters were beyond their useful life expectancy and not taking accurate measurements.
"It’s important to note that all customers use water differently, so impacts will vary from customer to customer," said Korban. "Some may see bill increases while others may see decreases."
To help educate ratepayers about smart meters, SWBNO recommends watching this video:
