Starting this spring, Bloomington residents will be able to check their hourly utility usage online and receive their utility bill without delays, according to the Bloomington utilities department.
A new customer portal created by the City of Bloomington Utilities will give residents access to their hourly utility usage alongside monthly bills.
Bloomington is replacing its old meters with a new system that automatically reads utility meters, CBU spokesperson Holly McLauchlin said. Some meters have already been replaced, and the city expects to finish replacing meters by the summer.
“There is plenty of work to do here,” McLauchlin said.
McLauchlin said the new system also benefits residents. If the person is unaware of a leak, they will be able to see the spike in usage quicker and get it fixed sooner.This will also lead to fewer delayed readings that occur because of bad weather.
CBU staff members also benefit from the new system, McLauchlin said. With automated meters, staff won't have to go to the meter in-person to read it.
McLauchlin said all six staff members in charge of meter reading will be reassigned to different areas of the utility department, such as water infrastructure and valve maintenance.
