Water Meter Replacement

About The Sensus iPerl Meter

After a Request for Proposal process and assessment of water meter manufacturers and products, the Sensus iPerl meter was selected as the replacement water meter due to their long standing track record of performance, resiliency, and accuracy. The installation of the iPerl meter for the Village's meter replacement program is not comparable to the recent press on a south suburban community, which began installation of smart meters in 2002 in the technology's early infancy and utilized a different manufactured meter that had a critical design flaw. Please visit their website to learn more about the technology, experience and safeguards of the selected Sensus iPerl Meter.

Replacement Program 2016

The Village of Indian Head Park has replaced about 900 water meters with new remote reporting transponders as of October 2016. The new meters replaced older, out of date units with new technology that will help identify high water usage and potential leaks. The new meters will result in smarter water use for customers.

The meters automatically transmit data wirelessly and eliminate the need to manually read each meter. This allows the Village to be more efficient and save money by preventing recording errors and eliminating time consuming manual meter reading.  The meters also allow us to automate invoicing, reducing administrative time needed to process the water bills.

The new meters were of no cost to Indian Head Park residents and businesses. The Meter replacement program took three months to replace all of the meters in the Village. The Village awarded the Contract to Mid-West Meter to perform the meter upgrade.View the Water Meter Replacement Program Ordinance. If you have not replaced you meter, please contact Village Hall at (708) 246-3080 or email Linda at lmerrifield@indianheadpark-il.gov. 


How The Process Works

Installation

  1. On the day of the appointment the Siemens contractor installer will arrive within the established appointment window. If the Siemens crew is running behind or ahead of schedule, you will receive a call to communicate the crew status. The installer will be wearing a uniform and have an identification badge showing their affiliation with the Village and Siemens. The installer will be driving a vehicle that is clearly placarded with the Siemens logo. If you have concerns over whether this person is an authorized meter installer, the installers are trained to direct you to call the Village or Siemens to confirm that their name is on the list of authorized personnel.
  2. Upon arrival, the installer will introduce himself and briefly describe the meter change out process.
  3. The installer will ask you to take him to the water meter. Siemens requests that all boxes, furniture, or other items that may be obstructing the meter are moved prior to their arrival. Siemens will request this at the time the initial appointment is made and during the reminder call the day before the appointment.
  4. Your water will be turned off for a short period of time (approximately 15 minutes).
  5. The current water meter is then removed and a new water meter is installed. A new transmitter wired to the new meter will also be installed (usually mounted on the exterior of your residence or building) and programmed.
  6. After meter installation, installation data is collected using a handheld computer.
  7. Time stamped installation information includes pictures, current meter read, new meter read, serial number, transmitter serial number, and customer signature.
  8. Once the new meter and transmitter are installed Siemens will:
  • Flush the water lines to remove air or debris that may have been dislodged when the valve was shut. This is typically best performed using a laundry tub faucet or bathtub faucet (something without a screen). Your water pressure will then be checked.
  • Ask you if you have any questions or concerns.
  •  Leave a business card with Siemens’ toll­free number and ask the customer to call if they notice any problems such as low pressure or a leak.
  • The meter installers will need to obtain a current phone number and email which will be used to update the Village's utility billing data base and will not be shared with anyone else.