Water Meters

While water metering is new to some areas of Sacramento, it is a common and long standing practice in almost every city and region of California. In some communities, meters have reduced the demand for water by as much as 20%.

Future growth will continue to stretch the supply of safe and reliable water.  It is important to use water wisely and efficiently to safeguard drinking water for future generations. Water Meter Frequently Asked Questions.

State Law

State Law (AB 2572) enacted in 2004 requires all water suppliers to install water meters on all customer connections by January 1, 2025. Additionally, beginning in January 2010, all metered services must be billed at a metered rate.  However, the law allow for a short adjustment period after the meter is installed.

The District is retrofitting approximately 1,300 - 1,500 existing non-metered services annually. Generally meter retrofitting takes place on an area-by-area basis. The Meter Asset Management Plan outlines when each area is scheduled to receive water meters.

Main Replacement

The Distribution Main Asset Management Plan sets forth a strategy to replace aging, deteriorating, and undersized water mains throughout the District with an emphasis on the next 15 to 20 years. The Plan is based various criteria to define areas in most need of main replacement. The criteria used includes the age of the main, pipeline material, location of the pipe, leak history, hydraulic factors (including fire hydrant spacing, percentage of hydrants that are wharf type, and fire flow capability), and risk factors. Water Main Replacement Frequently Asked Questions.