Frequently Asked Questions

The useful life of a water meter is approximately 20 years. The City's meters are approaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced. The systemwide replacement of water meters will improve water conservation and water use efficiency; improve system reliability; reduce ongoing operational costs; and improve availability of meter parts.

AMI is Advanced Metering Infrastructure, called AMI for short. With AMI, every customer’s water meter within our service area will be able to reliably measure the use of water in your home or business and automatically send a brief, private, digital message to a data collection tower using a cellular signal—much like a cellphone does now. The cell tower then transmits all meter reads to the City of Hanford, where the information is processed within its billing system.

No. Despite using existing cellular infrastructure, the meter is not using the same signal as your cell phone. 

Installing automated meters will enhance our customer service by minimizing the potential for missed or inaccurate reads—allowing our customers to have confidence in the bills they receive. We are excited to adopt AMI because it will enable us to provide faster service, better information and reliable bills for all our customers. 

AMI technology ensures that customers pay only for the water they use—no more and no less. By ensuring that your bill is based on actual usage, AMI technology eliminates billing based on estimated reads. AMI improves accuracy by eliminating the potential for human error in manual meter reading. It can also help to identify any irregularities in water usage, such as leaks. The City of Hanford and its customers can be alerted to abrupt or abnormal changes in water usage much earlier than previously possible, potentially saving customers hundreds or even thousands of dollars from an undetected leak. It will also remove the need for someone to come onto your property for manual meter readings, increasing the privacy of your home.

Each residential meter must be replaced. The meter is the property of the City of Hanford, and there are no protocols for residents who may wish to opt out of meter replacement. An upgraded meter is required for continued water service.

There is no cost to customers for the AMI upgrade.

The meter replacement portion of the project will begin in summer 2025 and is scheduled to be complete by June 2027.

As a first step in this exciting project, the City's contractor, Concord Utility Services, will be performing a pre-installation survey of your water meter to verify information related to meter size and meter box condition. This noninvasive survey will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes and will focus on the area immediately surrounding your meter box. Your water service will not be disrupted.

We have selected a system which features Badger Meter water meters with ORION® Cellular Endpoints.

The City of Hanford has contracted with Concord Utility Services for much of the meter replacement work. Information on the installation team will be available on the City's website.

The meter replacement will be performed by a contracted installer from Concord Utility Services. All installation personnel will present photo identification and will be driving a clearly marked vehicle. The installer will need access to the meter. 

For exterior replacements: You do not need to be home and you do not need to schedule an appointment to have your meter changed. However, please be sure there are no obstructions around the meter that will hamper access. Under normal circumstances, the installation will take approximately 30-60 minutes. Water service will be interrupted during this time.

It is the homeowner’s responsibility to provide an operable shut-off valve on each side of the water meter. If the installer cannot operate the valves to shut off the water, the homeowner may be directed to have this work performed at his/her expense. 

Yes. The power of the radio frequency signal used is too low to pose a health risk. The products that make up the AMI system are stringently evaluated for safety and meet all standards established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The system sends a signal that can be compared to a cellular text message. It uses low-powered radio frequency (RF) to transmit data. The technology fully complies with U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines for human exposure to RF energy. The endpoints have been certified by the FCC and tested in accordance with Title 47, Part 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The Food and Drug Administration and the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health have determined that the RF emitted by AMI systems is non-iodizing radiation, which doesn’t have enough energy to change the structure of molecules. That means that they are less harmful than X-rays and even ultraviolet light. Some devices that also use non-ionizing radiation include TVs, radios and remote controls. 

No, the radio transmission operates in compliance with FCC regulations to avoid interference with electronic devices.

Yes. Your account information is secure. Data transmitted through the system is protected and proprietary communication protocols are used. Each radio frequency device has a unique identification number, which is transmitted along with the meter reading. The unique number is compared with account records to ensure a match. No personal account information is transmitted via radio frequency.

The Badger Meter meters meet or exceed the American National Standards Institute and the American Water Works Association standards for accuracy. All meters are tested and calibrated at the factory before shipping and come with a multi-year material and accuracy warranty.

Water utilities all over the world are adopting AMI technology, first and foremost because it provides accurate information. The reading at the meter is regularly converted into a digital format using technology that has proven to be highly reliable and secure. It improves accuracy in large part because it eliminates the potential for human error in manual meter reading. 

As some water meters age, they can run slower and under-register water use. When we change out your current meter with a new smart meter, the first bill may be higher simply because the new meter is running more accurately.

No. Water utility bills will continue to be issued monthly.

No. Water consumption by individual users is not monitored but the system is designed to notify the utility if hourly consumption readings increase significantly and consistently, indicating a possible internal plumbing leak.

Yes. Customers will have easy access to information about their own water consumption through a user-friendly app that allows you to compare current usage to previous periods and set email and text alerts to achieve conservation goals.

No, you will continue to receive the same high-quality water you have come to expect from the City of Hanford.

The installer will take digital photographs of the last meter reading. Should any questions arise, our utility billing staff will have this information available to answer your inquiry.

Please contact the City of Hanford at (559) 585-2510 or visit our project webpage.