Soon, St. Charles residents will no longer need to have workers come into their homes to read their water meters. A city project is upgrading systems to make the work a little more hands-off.

To increase accuracy and efficiency, the city is continuing to install new water meters in residents’ homes and commercial spaces throughout the community.

The City Council approved $100,000 for new water meters on March 16.

The water meter replacement project is part of a multi-year effort, beginning in 2023, to update the systems to enable wireless readings, eliminating the need for workers to come by for in-person readings.

The systems also enable real-time data which can be crucial in detecting any leaks and managing water usage.

Since 2023, the city has replaced 362 water meters across town, according to city documents.

The city is under contract with Badger Meter Inc. to implement what officials call the “Water Advanced Metering Infrastructure.”

All water meters get replaced in a cycle when their life runs out. The city is gearing up for another contract and round of new water meters at the end of this fiscal year.

During a Committee of the Whole meeting, Alderman Bryan Wirball asked if the budgeted money for new water meters is connected to the city’s lead pipe replacement project, which is estimated to cost around $84 million over a decade.

Tim Wilson, the city’s public works manager with the environmental services division, said the money spent on new water meters is not a part of the lead pipe replacement project.