Water meters will help conserve limited supply

Saipan, Mariana Islands and Dallas, TX, U.S.A. --- (METERING.COM) --- February 18, 2008 – The majority of customers of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) in Saipan have received their water meters, and full deployment is expected within the next few months. Close to 90 percent of customers are already using the meters, which have been introduced to help conserve water in an area where there is limited supply.

The deployment means that for the first time users will be billed for actual consumption, as opposed to paying a fixed amount. The data produced by the electronic meters will also enable the CUC to identify leaks more quickly, which in turn will aid conservation.

Residents are likely to experience a hike in their water bills, however. The CUC has not changed the rates charged for water to any significant degree in the last 15 years, and is likely to raise these rates in the near future. It is working with consultants Economists.com to establish a fair price, taking into account the need for maintenance of the infrastructure and the prevailing inflation rate.