Water Meter - AMI Project

Appointments will only be made for residential customers within the neighbourhoods listed under the Deployment Schedule above. When you book an appointment, you will be asked to provide the following information: 

• Your name, address, and a phone number
• The preferred date and time slot for your appointment
• Your e-mail address for appointment confirmation

Module installation work and water meter exchanges will be completed during the day from Monday to Friday.  If an appointment is not made, Saskatoon Water will try to contact you to book.  This may include phone calls while crews are working in the area.

If you are not home when crews arrive for your appointment, you will receive a door hanger with program information and instructions to rebook. 

• Improved monthly billing: Bills are based on actual usage, not estimates.  Having actual meter reads each month will allow you to adjust your water consumption habits, to see how it affects your bills.
• You can be notified if you have a water leak: Save money by fixing issues.
• Meters are read automatically: Meter readers no longer visit your property.  
• Savings: Less manual meter readings for City staff reduces an estimated 35 tonnes of carbon dioxide tied to vehicle use each year, and an estimated 3,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide from less water used. That’s equal to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved if we removed 685 vehicles from Saskatoon roads each year.

Water meters older than 1994 need to be replaced with a new meter. 

• The new meter will have a communication module added to the outside of your home and updated wiring that allows the meter to work with the AMI system.
• Saskatoon Water estimates that there are now only about 600 meters in Saskatoon that are older than 1994 which will be changed as part of the regular water meter maintenance program. When you book an appointment the appropriate crew will be sent to your house.  Water meter replacements appointments are 60 minutes on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  (Look under "AMI Water Meter Project" below to see what older and newer water meters look like).

Water meters newer than 1994 require a conversion that takes 30-60 minutes total.

• The scan pad (small black puck) on the outside of your home will be replaced with a communication module. 
• Inside your home, a wire is connected from the communication module to your water meter. 
• Book your appointment online 

The meter replacement and conversion began in May 2016 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023. At the beginning of the project, approximately 62,000 water meters were identified as needing to be converted and another 10,000 water meters need to be replaced with newer models. There are two categories of water meters in Saskatoon:

What is AMI?

Advanced Metering Infrastructure is the equipment which allows utility meters to be read remotely. The first generation meters had to be read visually by a person. After 1994 a scan pad was added to the outside of homes to allow meter readers to read a meter from outside the house. With AMI, the readings will be done automatically. Many utilities are moving forward with an AMI system. 

How long will it take to convert all of Saskatoon’s water meters so they are compatible with the AMI system?

Based on the amount of time it takes to complete the conversions, we expect the project to be substantially completed by the end of 2023. However, that will depend on customers contacting us to make appointments to have their conversions completed as crews need access to the inside of homes to complete the work.

Is this work being done alongside the electricity meter AMI upgrades being completed by Saskatoon Light & Power? 

We will begin with the Saskatoon Light and Power (SL&P) service area because meter readers read both electricity and water meters at the same time.  SL&P is a few years ahead of Saskatoon Water in deploying their AMI upgrades. The plan is to then fan outward to the remaining parts of the City from the core areas to the newer neighbourhoods.

What is the installation process for businesses?

Saskatoon Water is currently working to upgrade commercial meters at the same time as residences. One neighbourhood at a time will be converted to AMI.

Do I need to be home for this work to be done?

Yes, installers need to get access to the home to attach a wire for the communication module.  It is a quick job, usually takeing about 15 minutes inside the home and 15 minutes on the exterior of your home. They will replace the scan pad (small black puck) with a communication module (grey box) on the outside of your house. If existing wiring is not compatible, the installation time may take longer.

Will my water be turned off?

No there will be no disruption of water services while a communication module is being added. If the water meter needs to be replaced then there will be less than an hour the water needs to be turned off. 

Once you complete the work, does this mean my meter will be read remotely?

Yes, once this work is done, and the AMI infrastructure is deployed, your meter will automatically give readings for your water usage bill.

During what hours will the installation work be done?

Saskatoon Water will try to accommodate all communication module installations Monday to Friday.  Water meter replacements are completed between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. weekdays.

Is AMI safe?

Radio frequency (RF) emissions related to AMI and smart meters are well below Health Canada and Industry Canada regulations. The RF exposure from AMI is no different than for cellular telephones and other common household appliances, except they are generated at lower levels and only for short periods throughout the day.

Will my water bill be higher as a result of AMI?

Some people have a higher water bill after AMI is installed because an actual meter reading is being used. If previous estimates were below actual usage, then a catch-up bill is needed. AMI will eliminate estimates and be able to detect problems before they become bigger issues. 

Will my billing data be safe if it's being transmitted wirelessly?

The City would apply the same privacy protection standards as the current system has in place. All data collected would be used only to ensure accurate billing. Only encrypted meter readings and meter identification are transmitted through smart meters, not your personal information. Saskatoon Water and the City of Saskatoon comply with Saskatchewan's privacy legislation.

How much will this new system cost me?

There will be no additional cost on your water bill for the AMI system. The city has budgeted for this project and will recover costs through fuel and labour savings. 

What will happen if I don't make an appointment?

The City is contacting residents who have not scheduled an appointment. Houses without AMI will require a meter reader to be sent to the home for readings. The AMI Participation Policy is in effect with extra fees being added to utility bills if an AMI meter is not installed. 

How do I get this work done?

Bookings are made online using the following website. Follow the link and enter the required information.

Online: www.saskatoon.ca/watermeter

If a person doesn’t have web access or are having issues, they can contact Saskatoon Water using the phone numbers or email address listed at the top of the page.