LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
CHRISMAN—At the May 5 Chrisman city council meeting, officials voted to amend a longstanding ordinance regarding water meter readings with the hopes of reducing resident confusion and streamlining the city’s billing process.
Previously, the ordinance stated that water meters would be read “on or about the 10th of the month.” After extensive discussion and input from city staff, the council unanimously approved an ordinance change that shifts the official meter reading date to “on or about the 25th of the month.”
The change was presented by city employees who handle utility billing and customer service. They explained that previous timing left a significant gap between the date readings were taken and when bills were generated, often leading to misunderstandings about usage and billing amounts.
“We do the readings early in the month, but the bills aren’t processed until the end of the month,” explained one city employee. “That creates a disconnect. Residents are being billed for water usage from weeks ago, and it’s hard for them to track where their high usage is coming from.”
Under the new schedule, readings will be taken closer to the billing cycle, just a few days before the bills are printed and sent out on the 30th. This adjustment allows for a more accurate and immediate reflection of water consumption and provides a brief but valuable window for city staff to review data for errors, leaks or inconsistencies.
“This gives us two or three days to double-check the readings and make sure everything lines up before the bills go out,” said another employee during the discussion. “Usually, we finish in two days anyway, and the data just sits on the computer until it’s time to print. By aligning the reading date with the billing date, it should make the process clearer for everyone.”
The council supported the proposal after clarifying that the transition to the new date would occur gradually over a three-month period to ensure no one is overcharged or billed incorrectly during the adjustment.
Mayor Dan Moore and all commissioners voted in favor of the ordinance amendment, with the motion passing unanimously.
The change is expected to reduce complaints about unexpectedly high bills and improve communication between the city and its residents regarding water usage.