Meridian Service Metropolitan District Customers:

Many District residents have had concerns regarding higher than normal charges for water use in July 2023, as reflected on your District bill received in early August. I’d like to explain how we are working to address those concerns. The issue arose from a perfect storm. First, we get questions about high water bills every year during the first heavy irrigation billing period of the summer, which is normally in May or June. This year, our area received record-breaking rainfall during the spring, which pushed the beginning of the irrigation season back to July. Second, because the District normally reads water meters on the fourth Thursday of the month, there was one additional week of water use during the July billing cycle, creating a 35-day cycle instead of a 28-day cycle. Finally, one of the District’s antennas went down in July, which kept us from reading meters on the fourth Thursday and added an additional four days to the billing cycle, bringing us to a total of 39 days between reads.

Many District residents reached out to us questioning if the meter reads are correct or if the numbers are being manipulated. From the number of customers that we have met with, we are assured that the readings accurately reflect the actual amount of water used. Additionally, the reads are done electronically, and the data is directly uploaded into the billing software with no way to manipulate it.

After a thorough review of billing data, we believe that the best path forward is to address the nine additional days that were included in the July billing cycle. We are reviewing each customer’s average daily use during the July billing cycle, and will soon issue revised bills showing a new “discounted” price equal to a credit for 9 days of average use. Please note that if you did not exceed the 5,000 gallons included in your base water use fee during the billing cycle, you will not receive a revised bill.

In addition, we will change the meter reading schedule to make billing periods more consistent. Within the past several years, the District selected the 4th Thursday of the month as its regular date to read meters. This did improve consistency, but we recognize that it results in a 35-day billing cycle twice per year. In the coming months, the District will begin reading meters as close as possible to a 30 or 31-day billing cycle each month. Due to weekends and holidays, this may occasionally result in a small variation between 28-32 days.

If you receive your revised July bill and still feel that the meter reading is incorrect, please request to have one of our technicians come to your home and inspect your meter. Submit the request at admin@meridianservice.org or via our website www.meridianservice.org - click on “Contact Us.”

Thank you for your patience as we work through this issue. The staff at the District is dedicated to continually improving the services it provides to the residents of Meridian Ranch. You can always reach us via the District’s website, by calling 719-495-6567, or by coming by our office.

Jim Nikkel, District Manager