About Your Water Meter

We have deployed the Aclara Fixed Network AMI STAR® System, using a wireless fixed network system that has three components:

• Meter Transmission Unit (MTU): This radio unit is factory connected to each automated water meter and collects your meter reading each hour. Every six hours, it sends its information to a Data Collection Unit; and
• Data Collection Unit (DCU). A total of 81 Data Collectors are located throughout the city on our facilities and City-owned poles and rooftops to transmit the meter readings to the SF Water, Power and Sewer’s AWMP database; and
• AWMP Database: The SFPUC billing system will use this information to calculate the amount of water used and create bills. Beginning in Spring 2014, the data collected daily in the AWMP database was also made available on our My Account website.

The meter readings are encrypted and sent through the automated network using a private radio frequency (RF) channel from the meter box to the data collectors, and using a cellular data network from the data collectors to the AWMP database. The signals used to transmit data from meter transmission units are much weaker than those from many everyday devices, such as cell phone and baby monitors. In addition to being very low power, Automated Water Meters transmit radio signals only once every 6 hours, with each transmission lasting less than one-tenth of a second. 

We have partnered with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to complete an evaluation of RF transmission levels associated with the Meter Transmission Unit System. This evaluation confirmed that the signals used in the technology are well below government limits with respect to human exposure to RF energy. The full report can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

The meter transmission unit system will directly benefit us and our customers. The system reduces our operating costs for meter reading and billing, and improves customer service through:

• Frequent transmission of more precise water consumption data allowing for quicker and more precise identification of high usage and suspected leaks. Learn more about our leak detection notification program; and
• Call resolution improvement–customer service representatives will have access to more frequent and accurate water consumption data, as do customers using our My Account portal to view daily water use; and
• Improved meter reading ability, virtual elimination of any bill estimations.

In addition to being reliable and accurate, your new meter will be more precise. The meter transmission units measure water consumption on an hourly, daily and monthly basis and at 100 times the precision level of manual readings.  

The meter transmission units system transmits only the water meter readings, the meter identification number, and diagnostic information to verify that the automated meter equipment is operating correctly. Personal customer or account information is not transmitted as it is not a part of the meter information or reads. For additional security, the data is encrypted and transmitted over a privately licensed RF channel. 

Whenever a new meter is installed, either a meter transmission unit or a manual read water meter, there is a chance that your bill may increase. Prior to the meter reading system upgrades, most of the water meters in San Francisco were more than 20 years old, and at the end of their functional life. As meters age, their accuracy begins to decline. The new meter will accurately reflect your consumption. The SFPUC has also moved to monthly billing using the AWMP reading system which will help customers monitor usage more closely along with the new My Account portal that launched Spring 2014. 

A customer web interface, our My Account portal has been developed so that with Internet access you will be able to monitor your daily water usage data online. A Customer Service Representative will be able to discuss the data with you. The My Account portal was launched May 2014. To register go to myaccount.sfwater.org.