A smart meter is an upgrade to a traditional utility meter that measures and records energy, gas, and water consumption. Smart meters use wireless communication technology that sends signals from the meter to the City of Mesa.

Utility Partners of America (UPA) is contracted with the City of Mesa to upgrade or exchange all current utility meters. City of Mesa staff will inspect installations for quality control and regulatory compliance.

• Your service may be interrupted for a short duration while your meter is exchanged and then quickly restored. You will receive plenty of notice so you can plan.
  
  
• You do not need to be present for most meter upgrades. You will be contacted if required.
  
  
• The goal is to replace all City of Mesa meters at a customer location as close together as possible, however it may not be possible due to supply chain challenges. 

Only staff with City of Mesa and/or UPA official badges and uniforms will be at your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read my new meter?
Visit Reading Your Smart Meter.

Do other cities and local utilities use smart meters?
Yes. City of Tempe, Town of Gilbert, City of Scottsdale, City of Chandler, SRP and APS are a few examples.

I received a postcard in the mail about meter exchange. What does this mean?  
One or all your City of Mesa utility meters will be exchanged for updated meters in the coming weeks. This does not apply to Southwest Gas and SRP meters.

How can I prepare for my meter exchange?
Please keep a clear path around the utility meter. If you have tenants, please notify them. If you have meter(s) in a backyard with pets, please secure your pet for their safety and the safety of utility staff.

If I have a gas meter, how will the exchange impact my gas service?

Residents: If the Service Specialist can perform the meter changeout while the gas remains live, they will do so without affecting service or requiring a relight. Otherwise, the gas will be shut off, and the meter will be secured. A door hanger will be left for you to call for service restoration. Service Specialists respond 24/7.

Businesses: Most businesses have a bypass system in place, which will be utilized to ensure uninterrupted service. This approach aims to minimize or eliminate disruptions to business operations. If a gas shutdown is necessary, our Service Specialists will coordinate with the business management to schedule a time that minimally impacts operations.

I received a notice that my natural gas meter would be replaced within the next 90 days. Can I schedule an appointment?
Unfortunately, due to the high number of meters that need to be replaced, we are unable to schedule appointments. If your meter requires shut-off, a door hanger will be left for you to call for service restoration. Service Specialists respond 24/7.

Will I be charged extra for the new meter(s)?  
No, there are no additional charges associated with smart meter installation.

Can I track my current utilities usage online? 
We plan to offer customers with smart meters an app and accompanying technology that will allow utility usage monitoring and alerts. Customers will be notified when the features are available.

Can I opt out of having a smart meter?
Mesa is updating the City’s utility meters as part of an infrastructure upgrade and customer service enhancement. All customers, without exception, will be upgraded over the next few years.  Customers will not see a difference in their billing process. Customer service representatives will be better able to address customer consumption questions, and customers can opt-in to receiving or setting up system notifications.

Will smart meters interfere with my other wireless devices?
No, smart meters will not interfere with other wireless devices. Meter data will be updated daily in the meter reading database. Information specific to the equipment being used in Mesa can be found at https://sensus.com/rf/.

Are smart meters safe? Have they been tested?

• Yes, Smart Meters have been thoroughly tested to meet stringent safety standards.
• A subset of meters is tested as part of the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification process. (UL is an independent, not-for-profit, product safety testing and certification organization).
• Multiple independent labs have performed meter safety tests in addition to internal safety tests.

Can smart meters cause illness?
The American Cancer Society states the possibility of smart meters being connected to an elevated risk of cancer is very unlikely. The organization explains smart meters have lower levels of radio frequency waves than cell phones. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) states there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health. To learn more visit: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/smart-meters.html