High Cost of Smart Water Meters Slows Adoption by Utilities

In a world of smart phones, smart cars, and smart appliances, drinking water utilities are striving to keep pace, installing smart meters that send real-time data about usage, leakage, and water quality.

The migration has been slow, however, mainly because of their high cost, according to the head of DC Water, the utility serving the nation’s capital.

The cost of installing a smart meter is a “heavy lift no matter what the size of the utility,” George Hawkins, DC Water’s chief executive officer and general manager, told Bloomberg BNA.

On average, a regular analog meter would cost $25. The average ...