WHAM-O! DISTRICT INSTALLING ‘SMART METERS’ TO SPEED WATER, SEWER BILLING

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

MUSKOKA — You gotta wonder when a guy from “Wamco” shows up at your doorstep in the middle of winter.

Is he some kind of pitch man with a bag of Frisbees, Hacky Sacks and Hula Hoops? Like a morning-after late night TV shiller for the Veg-O-Matic slicer and dicer.

No, apparently he’s part of a District of Muskoka’s installation of thousands of water meter reading devices (MXU) in Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville last year and this.

Darren Gray was in Gravenhurst today nearing the end of a project that will see him traipsing through snow to complete the massive task next month.

He does about 50 a day carting his bag and box around the streets — this day down by the Muskoka Wharf.

You may already have one. Check your bill for frequency and accuracy of your water and sewer costs of late.

The initiative is intended to get rid of estimated monthly billing.

Property owners received this notice as during installation. You may already have one. Check your bill for a more accurate and timely change in charges.

Thousands of meters are being installed in this town alone to save the district money by allowing them to do drive-by meter-readings monthly — rather than walking house-to-house and business-to-business every three months.

The new meters send signals to a nearby reader point to collect the data more quickly and accurately, the district says on its website.

It’s part of the “Smart” meter world, like the controversial one hydro companies tried and failed at years ago that former Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysyk criticized for cost overruns and poor performance.

The district has hired the Wamco Municipal Products contractor from Barrie to carry out the no-doubt expensive installations.

(They’re no relation to Wham-O — the American fun factory producer of other such toy treasurers as Silly String and the Super Ball.)

Wamco contractor Darren Gray installs a new Smart water, sewer reader on Bay Street in Gravenhurst, one of thousands the District of Muskoka is converting homes and businesses to in 2023-24.

It means entering onto the property to install the new device over the existing external reading device. Contractors do not require entry inside the house.

The MXU unit must remain on the premise. Units that are removed, lost or damaged are replaced at the customer’s expense.

There is no cost to property owners as part of this project.

The typical life of a water meter is 15 to 20 years. Like most mechanical devices, they eventually need to be replaced.

This program is mandatory for all who receive a Notice from Wamco, the District’s contractor to complete the work. Bylaw 2022-38 requires property owners to provide the District access for maintenance or replacement of water meters.

Muskoka is responsible for the free cost of the new water meters and installation, and under no circumstances will an authorized Wamco installer ask you for money.

If you have any questions or concerns, email the District of Muskoka public works department at [email protected]

Going door-to-door to install the boxes will make the same trek to read them redundant.
On a good day Gray says he can install 50 of the free meters. Cold, snow the past week slowed him down especially at difficult to access terrain property locations.
A small new elements-safe box sits between snow-capped gas and hydro meters.
Wamo! One and done and it’s on to the next home on Bay Street today for this handy, dandy Wamo contractor.

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