Advanced water meters

Learn about EPCOR's advanced water meters in Edmonton, that send information directly to EPCOR on how much water you use at your home or business.

Advanced water meters in Edmonton

EPCOR uses advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in homes and businesses to help you get accurate bills and timely water data to help you make decisions about your water use. AMI water meter reading devices record the water you use, encrypt the information and share it directly with us.

Benefits of advanced water meters

Improved monthly billing – your meter is read remotely so we don’t need to enter your property. This helps ensure accurate meter reads for your billing and eliminates the need to estimate reads.
Early leak detection – water leaks, like a leaky toilet or faucet, can waste a lot of water. Advanced water meters share real-time data, helping indicate the possibility of a leak and reducing your chance of receiving an expensive water bill. We plan to add this functionality in the future.
Timely information – once available to customers, real-time water data will help you make decisions about your water use.
Safety and environmental conservation – we won't need to access your property or drive around the city to read meters, which helps reduce emissions and slips, trips and falls for our meter readers.

Booking an appointment

If you received a letter from Neptune Technology Group or call from EPCOR to replace your current water meter or meter reading device, please follow the instructions you received for appointment booking. There is no fee for booking and we will not request credit card information or ask for payment by e-transfer, bitcoin or kiosk payments.

Preparing for your appointment

To help ensure a smooth and safe meter replacement appointment, please:

Check that your water shutoff valve is working before your appointment. Your water will need to be shut off for about 30 minutes while our technicians work.
Have an adult (18+) present at the property during the scheduled time.
Clear the path to and the area around your water meter so there is room for our technicians to work.
Keep pets safely away from the work area for the entire appointment.
Provide our technicians with 10 feet of space to complete the work safely and efficiently. If your meter is in a crawl space or needs to be accessed by going through it, please call our Water Customer Service team at 780-412-3850 so they can schedule technicians appropriately for the space.
Let us know in advance if you need to reschedule so you aren't charged for a missed appointment if no one is there when we arrive.

Answers to frequently asked questions

About advanced water meters

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an automated meter reading technology that is an industry standard for many utility providers. Advanced water meters gather and send water use data automatically, which means EPCOR does not need to visit your property to read the meter. They use a low-frequency radio signal, like the one used by our power meters, to ensure this data is sent securely.

Advanced water meters are the standard across North America. This technology helps us improve billing, helps with early leak detection and gives our customers better insights into their water use.

Yes, you won't pay any fees for replacing your current water meter with an advanced water meter.

Advanced water meters are our standard water meter in Edmonton. If you prefer not to have an advanced meter, a $25 fee will be added to your bill each month for manual readings. To opt-out of having an advanced meter, you'll need to email EPCOR with the details under Opting out of an AMI device.

Opting out of an AMI device

If you would like to opt out of having an advanced water meter, you need to email wateroptout@epcor.com and include:

full name as identified on your EPCOR bill
contact name as listed on your EPCOR bill
phone number
address (service location where the water meter is located)
EPCOR account number
reason for opting out

Starting Sept. 1, 2025, a $25 monthly fee will be added if you choose to opt-out to cover the cost of manual meter readings. This fee amount is reviewed each year and may change. The next review for this fee will take place in 2026, with changes taking effect on April 1, 2026.

If you choose to not have an advanced water meter, we will need to install a non-standard meter that uses a wire touchpad connected to the outside of your property. If there is an existing wire or conduit, we will reuse it to connect the new meter to the touchpad. If not, we’ll need to drill a hole in the exterior wall to connect the touchpad to the meter.

We will need easy access to the touchpad installed on the exterior of your home each month to read your meter.

Yes, starting Sept. 1, 2025, customers who request a non-standard meter will be charged a $25 monthly fee to cover the cost of manually reading the meter each month.

We charge a monthly non-response fee when a customer does not respond to requests to:

install, test, maintain, repair or upgrade your existing water meter;
retire and replace an existing meter; or
install a new water meter at a location that does not currently have one.

If you’re unsure why this fee appeared on your bill, please call our Customer Care team at 310-4300.

If you decide to switch to an advanced water meter, we’ll install it at no cost to you. If you make this change before Dec. 31, 2025, we’ll stop charging the $25 monthly manual reading fee and reimburse any manual reading fees you’ve paid since Sept.1, 2025, once the installation of the advanced water meter is complete. To book your appointment, call our Water Customer Service team at 780-412-3850.

Note: It may take up to 30 days to remove the monthly meter reading fee from your bill after installation.

If you would like to remove an advanced water meter, you need to email wateroptout@epcor.com and include:

full name as identified on your EPCOR bill
contact name as listed on your EPCOR bill
phone number
address (service location where the water meter is located)
EPCOR account number
reason for opting out

Water meter installation

The water meter is usually found in the basement, near the main water shut-off valve. This shut-off valve is located where your water service line comes into your home. If you have trouble locating the water meter, you may want to check your furnace room, utility room or near your hot water tank.

We will contact you when it’s time to replace your water meter. You can make an appointment by calling our Water Customer Service team at 780-412-3850.

When you receive a call stating it’s time to replace your water meter, please schedule your appointment as soon as possible.

Water meters typically last about 20 years. Like any mechanical device, they eventually need to be replaced. We follow a replacement schedule based on the age of the meter, so your meter may need to be replaced before other meters in your area. If you have questions or want to learn more, call our Customer Care team at 310-4300.

No, there is no charge to replace your current water meter with an advanced water meter. Before your appointment, please make sure your water pipes are in good condition and the meter is easy to access. If the area around your meter needs work or your plumbing fixtures need repair to replace the water meter, you may need to cover those costs.

For more details, refer to section 8.1(b) of the EPCOR Water Services Bylaw or call us at 310-4300.

Before work begins, our technician will inspect the plumbing to make sure it’s safe to work on. If your pipes aren’t in good condition, our technician may recommend upgrading your service line to meet current standards. Any costs associated with this would be your responsibility.

Before the appointment, please check that your water shutoff valve is working. We will need to turn off your water while we complete the installation.

Please make sure there is a clear walking path to the meter area and our technician has 10 feet of space while they work.

A crawl space is a low clearance area, usually less than four feet high, found under floors or roofs. Sometimes water meters are in crawl spaces, or our technician may need to pass through one to reach your water meter.

If your water meter is in a crawl space or if our technician needs to go through a crawl space to access the meter, please let us know when you book your appointment. This helps us prepare properly and ensures safety protocols are in place to keep our technicians safe.

Yes. Since water meters are located indoors, our technician needs to enter your home or business to do the installation. Before work starts, our technician will explain what needs to be done and will make sure you are comfortable with the process.

All technicians carry an EPCOR ID card. If you are unsure of the technician’s identity, please call EPCOR at 780-412-3850.

All technicians are certified and trained for the work they complete using EPCOR guidelines.

Data, safety and privacy

Yes, the advanced water meters we use have been safely installed across North America for more than 25 years. They meet all safety standards set by Health Canada and the World Health Organization for radio frequency. According to Health Canada, smart meter signals have no known short- or long-term health effects.

Your privacy matters to us. The meter doesn’t store personal details like your name, address or account number—only your water usage and unique transmitter ID.

Yes, it is secure. To keep your data safe, it’s encrypted before it is sent to EPCOR. Our devices use the same secure system as our power meters, which uses encryption technology used by Canadian financial institutions.

We're currently installing advanced water meters across Edmonton. Once installations are complete and we’ve finalized how the data will be shared, you’ll be able to view your water usage and make informed decisions about how you use water at your home or business.

Advanced water meters are active for less than one minute per day. They use low-power radio frequency (RF) signals between 902-928MHz to send water usage to EPCOR.

This technology is like what is in everyday devices like baby monitors, Wi-Fi routers, cordless phones and garage door openers. The signal strength is much lower than what these devices emit and is well within safety standards.

Diagram comparing radio frequency emission levels

Health Canada sets the RF Exposure Guidelines called "Limits of Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Energy, commonly known as Safety Code 6.

You can view the following Health Canada documents for information on Radio Frequency (RF) energy.

Advanced water meters