City to Install Automated Residential Water Meters Beginning January 16 as Part of True Reads Program

12/20/2023

Work to install more than 145,000 new automated residential water meters will begin January 16, 2024.

The new installations are part of the City’s True Reads Program, a program that combines new automated water meter installations with a systematic investigation of service line material to categorize the material and ensure the City’s system is free of lead pipes. The project also includes meter box replacements at most locations.

The True Reads project is expected to take 3-4 years to complete. There is no additional cost to Tulsa utility customers for the project at this time.

About AMR
Automated Meter Reading (AMR) is a communication technology used by water utilities to automatically collect water consumption data from water meters. 

Other Tulsa utilities PSO and ONG already utilize this automated meter technology, and nearby communities like Jenks and Owasso use AMR for their water systems. In addition, the City of Tulsa has been using AMR meters for years in areas where it is difficult or dangerous to manually read meters.

Notification & Installation Process

Watch This Informational Video

Starting in January, some of the first households to receive new AMR meters will receive a door hanger 1-2 weeks prior to the contractor (Envocore/RTS Solutions) conducting work. The day of installation, households will receive a knock before installations start.

Installations will result in a disruption of water service that will last no more than 30 minutes. 

Following the installation, a post-work doorhanger will be placed on each home. As work continues through the spring, the contractor will be sending out a postcard prior to the pre-work doorhanger as another means of communication.

AMR Meter Upgrade Program to Assist with Lead Service Line Inventory Effort
The service line inventory portion of the project is related to a new federally mandated regulation – the revised Lead & Copper Rule (LCRR) – that was announced in 2022 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requiring all U.S. utilities to develop and update their inventory of lead service lines by Oct. 16, 2024. 

Tulsa is complying with this EPA mandate by capitalizing on the installation of the new AMR meters to conduct an extensive investigation of service lines in the city (where lead lines or connectors would be located). 

More Information
A map detailing current and upcoming installations, along with the lead service line inventory, will be released to the public in the second week of January. That map, along with additional FAQs about the True Reads project that are available now, can be found online.