By Roxanne De La Rosa/KTAR News
PHOENIX — The city of Mesa received $800,000 to upgrade 12,000 meters that will help with water conservation efforts.
The city will use information from the smart meters to help use water more efficiently in homes and businesses, according to a Tuesday press release from U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton.
Why is water conservation important to the city of Mesa?
More than half of the state, including all of Maricopa County, is in extreme drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map. Currently, SRP has enough water stored in its reservoirs for the next two years.
The new meters would also help detect water leaks faster, that way residents can adjust water usage and get repairs done. The city hopes to get ahead of the curve when it comes to promoting water conservation.
“These smart meters have been shown to reduce household water usage up nearly half. That’s not just conserving water — it’s saving families money and it’s saving taxpayer dollars as remote meter reading helps the city reduce fleet fuel consumption and emissions,” Stanton said in a press release.