I keep wondering, if the city paid us based on actual reductions, how do they account for leaks or faulty readings?
Yeah, that’s my worry too. I once got a bill that said I used 10,000 gallons in a month—turns out it was a busted meter. If they start paying people, they’ll need a way to flag stuff like leaks or meter errors, or it’s just not fair. Otherwise, people who fix leaks get a random bonus and the rest of us are stuck with weird bills.
WHAT IF YOUR CITY PAID YOU TO USE LESS WATER?
Honestly, this is the kind of thing that sounds great in theory but gets messy real fast. Water meters are finicky—I've seen brand new buildings with meters that go haywire in the first year. And leaks? Half the time you don’t even know you’ve got one until you’re staring at a bill that looks like you filled a swimming pool. If they’re going to do payouts, they'd need some serious tech upgrades or regular inspections, otherwise it’s just a lottery for whoever's plumbing goes rogue. Not sure anyone wants their bonus tied to a pipe bursting under their driveway...
WHAT IF YOUR CITY PAID YOU TO USE LESS WATER?
I get what you mean about the meters. I actually keep a spreadsheet of my water use (nerdy, I know), and sometimes the numbers just don't add up. If the city really wanted to roll this out, they'd need to start with step one: make sure every meter is accurate and easy to read. Step two, maybe offer leak detection kits or at least alerts, because nobody wants to lose a bonus over a sneaky drip behind a wall. And yeah, if your pipes burst, it shouldn't wipe out a whole year’s worth of careful showers and skipped lawn watering... that's just rough.
If the city really wanted to roll this out, they'd need to start with step one: make sure every meter is accurate and easy to read.
- Had a similar issue when we moved in—our meter was buried under dirt and impossible to read without digging.
- Ended up getting a plumber to check for leaks after a surprise spike. Turned out it was just a running toilet... but that could’ve cost me big if there were money on the line.
- Agree about burst pipes. One freak winter freeze and you’re out of luck? Doesn’t seem fair.
Had a similar issue when we moved in—our meter was buried under dirt and impossible to read without digging.
That brings back memories. Once built a place where the city meter ended up behind a hedge—no one thought about it until the first reading. It’s wild how something so basic can get overlooked. And yeah, one winter we had pipes burst in three houses on the same street... total chaos. If you’re tying money to usage, they really need to factor in those freak events, or folks are just gonna get burned through no fault of their own.