January 31, 2014

Mayor Emanuel, Department of Water Management Announce MeterSave Program Exceeds 2013 Goals

Metered Households Achieve Average Water Bill Savings of 50 Percent

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Water Management (DWM) today announced that the MeterSave program installed meters in 16,393 households in 2013, exceeding its goal of 12,000 installations for the year. On average, MeterSave customers are saving 50 percent on their water bills.

“Considering the MeterSave program is achieving significant savings for Chicago residents across the City, it is no wonder that the program is progressing ahead of schedule,” said Mayor Emanuel. “In addition, because metered households only pay for the water they use, they are more likely to conserve water, making the program a boon for both the environment and residents’ pocketbooks.”

Chicago’s MeterSave program, which installs residential water meters free of charge, is designed to promote water conservation. In 2013, meters were installed in16,393 households – exceeding DWM’s installation goal by 37 percent. More than 40,000 new meters have been installed since the program began in 2009.

“Word of mouth has been the biggest factor in the success of this program,” said Thomas H. Powers, P.E., DWM Commissioner. “People hear about substantial savings from their neighbors, which encourages them to request a meter so that they can save money, too.”

Non-metered customers pay in advance for unlimited access to drinking water. Actual use tends to be well below non-metered assessments; customers with meters pay for only the water they consume.

Homeowners participating in MeterSave are eligible for a seven-year guarantee that their home water bill will be no higher than it would have if the meter had not been installed. The program also offers incentives like water barrels, and indoor or outdoor conservation kits. For more information, Chicago residents can call 3-1-1 or visit www.metersave.org.

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