I was surprised and very upset recently to discover that a new “improved” water meter had been installed at my house in Arden. To my shock and dismay, I found that the cover was locked in place. When I called the Water Resources Department to ask that it be unlocked, I was told this was not possible because of the new electronics in the water meter.
The person on the phone at Water Resources told me I “do have the option of installing a shut-off valve, at your cost, on your side of the meter.” Well, I already have that, and that is not the same thing as turning off service at the meter. The pipes between the meter and your house can freeze, leak, etc., also, as has happened to me before. This can only be prevented by shutting off service at the meter.
When I questioned this policy further in an email to the department, Clay Chandler (of the City of Asheville Water Resources Department) responded, saying that: “The lids on the new meters are locked for a couple reasons. The electronics they cover are expensive and have been subject to theft in other cities where these meters have been used. The lids are also made of a composite material, which is lighter than the old metal lids, making them susceptible to detaching and floating away during a high-water-volume event like torrential rain.” This doesn’t seem like a great option for a mountain community with downhill runoff.
My family, as do many others in Asheville that I know, routinely shuts off our water when we go away, especially in the winter, to prevent leaking and frozen pipes and potential damage caused by burst pipes. The Water Resources Department said that I could always call a day or two in advance to have my water turned off before I leave town. Obviously, that is not a viable option. (How can I go without water for a day or more before leaving on a trip?)
I’m surprised that after the water fiasco of winter 2022-23 — where so much of the city was without water for nearly a week — that the Water Resources Department didn’t roll out this change with more planning and input from end users.
I was equally upset by the almost total lack of interest of my elected representatives from Buncombe County. I wrote the full board of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and only one, Terri Wells, wrote me back. She stated that I should take this up with the City of Asheville government officials as they control the Water Resources Department. Not being a resident of the City of Asheville, my only recourse is to take this up with my government officials in Buncombe County. I would expect this to be part of the city/county agreement, and Buncombe County has every right to question the actions of the Water Resources Department.
This change prevents me from protecting my house from accidental flooding when I’m away. Having experienced several instances when interior and exterior pipes have broken, I know this is a very costly problem for the homeowner.
This situation is totally unsatisfactory and must be corrected.
— Alan Lipsky
Arden
Editor’s note: Xpress contacted Water Resources Department spokesperson Clay Chandler with the letter writer’s points, and we received the following response, which says in part: “The lids on the new meters are locked for a couple reasons. Under North Carolina law, it is a misdemeanor for a customer … to turn off water service at the meter, as this is considered tampering. Additionally, the lids are made of a composite material, which is lighter than the old metal lids, making them susceptible to detaching and floating away during a high-water-volume event like torrential rain. This creates a safety hazard, because people and animals can suffer serious injury if they step into an open meter hole.
“Water Resources staff are available 24/7 to shut off water in the event of an emergency. Customers can also contact customer service at 828-251-1122 to schedule a cutoff if they’re going to be gone from home for a lengthy period of time. Finally, customers do have the option of installing, at their expense, a shut-off valve on their side of the meter.”
Yessir. The lids on the water meters are now locked! That’s as far as Aville got with the unworkable water/sewer infrastructure. Everything is in place for another bad winter…meters locked and loaded. Maybe the whole system will blow and leave the great city of Aville with no water. THEN the brain trust that call themselves authorities, will see a cause and effect. If they can’t flush…well, buy bottled water, and a lot of it.