Water Meters

Metering will help to ensure our water supplies are safe and sustainable for the future and will help Mission work towards the goals set out in the Regional Water Efficiency Plan. 

Metering is a sensible way to manage our water supply, which is why most Canadian municipalities already have metering programs. 

All single detached homes that are currently not metered and are on city water. Applications must be submitted by the property owner. 

There is no cost to the homeowner. The meter and its installation will be 100% funded by the City of Mission water and sewer utility.

1. Control your water costs.

A family of four with moderate water use could save approximately $230 a year on water and sewer costs (based on 220 litres use per person, per day). Use the meter cost calculator [XLSX/22KB] to determine what your savings might be.

2. Save water. Water metering helps your household use water wisely by enabling you to track your consumption, helping you identify wasteful leaks in places like toilets or service lines. 
3. Protect our water supplies. Reducing your water use can help ensure the local watersheds support not only our needs, but the ecosystems that thrive in them, especially during summer droughts.

When deciding whether to participate in this program, it’s important to consider your water use and how many people are in your home. Use the meter cost calculator [XLSX/22KB] to determine if this program is right for you. See below for examples of cost savings based on different households:

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Mission’s water utility division can only install a limited number of meters each year. In 2025, approximately 150 to 200 meters can be installed based on budget. To be eligible, you must be the property owner and receive water services from the City of Mission. Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, for the capacity to accept a water meter in accordance with the City of Mission Bylaws and Standards. If your application is not successful this year, you will be placed on a waitlist and contacted as future meters are made available based on budget. 

You will receive an email once your application is received. Within a month, you will receive a second email to tell you if your application was accepted. If your application is not initially accepted, you will be placed on a waitlist for the following years. 

The city will be launching a customer portal in the future which will allow you to see your water usage to the nearest litre, every hour. This will help you monitor your water usage and help you detect any leaks. 

Based on your use, your water and sewer bill may go down or up once you have a meter. Check out the 2025 water rates. Under a metered rate, water and sewer charges will be based on how many cubic meters you use (1 cubic meter =1,000 litres). You can use the meter cost calculator [XLSX/22KB] to estimate how much you might save once you convert to metered rates.

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Unmetered homes with suites currently pay an additional utility amount. As a result, for homes with suites, the savings could be significant. 

Homeowners with suites can use the meter cost calculator [XLSX/22KB] to estimate the potential savings they could see.

Properties that have a water meter installed will no longer be billed the flat rate charge; those property owners will be billed according to the meter.

Utility bills are sent out quarterly and are billed separately from property tax. For more information, visit Utility Bills | City of Mission

To allow participants time to adjust to metered rates, the program includes a first year price guarantee. If your bill with a meter is higher than it would have been with the current flat rate charge, you can fill out a first year price guarantee form to apply for a credit.

Once you install a meter, you cannot go back to the flat rate, so it is important to understand what your charges in the future will likely be. The meter cost calculator [XLSX/22KB]can help you with this.

One of the many advantages of meters is that they can help you find leaks that needlessly waste water and can cause significant property damage. If you detect a leak within 180 days of going on a metered rate, you may receive a one-time bill credit for the costs of the lost water. Average consumption of similar property types is used in determining the value of the adjustment. This will not affect your one-time leak adjustment through the utility bill review process.  Residents can request a utility bill review if they see an increase in their bill by completing the information in this form. Staff will review consumption and if a leak is found, there will be a one-time leak adjustment. For homes switching to a metered rate, the same process applies if a leak is found within 180 days. This will not affect the one-time leak adjustment. 

Meters will be installed by professionals who are committed to making the process as convenient for you as possible. You will be contacted by a contractor or the City of Mission Public Works Department to set up an install date. Only one visit should be necessary. 

The meter box usually goes in your lawn or garden near the curb. Landscaping will be professionally restored following completion of the work. City of Mission staff will inspect and commission the meter once it is installed.

Some homes in Mission already have a meter box installed near the property line when watermain replacements were being done and the process for installing a meter will be simple and fast. For homes that do not have a meter box already, the meter box will be installed near the property line where the water service enters the property. 

The meter box usually goes in your lawn or garden. Landscaping will be professionally restored following completion of the work. 

The metering program comes from the City of Mission water utility rates. Homes on wells are not paying for this program. 

“Smart meters” will be used for all new installations. This enables the City water utility to collect meter data remotely using radio and cellular technology. The method of collection is called Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Mission uses Sensus-brand meters.

There are many ways to save water (and save money). For example, you can invest in high efficiency toilets and clothes washers or reduce how much water you use outdoors on lawns and gardens. Go to ourwatermatters.ca for more information on how to conserve.

No, there will not be a noticeable difference in your water pressure after the water meter is installed. 

Please email watermeters@mission.ca

• AMI provides early leak identification and notification to residents of potential costly issues like water leaks, abnormally high-water consumption, and bylaw infractions like water restrictions. 
• Improves operational efficiency
• Reduces carbon emissions compared to drive-by systems
• Improves water conservation 
• Improves customer service

One of the goals of the AMI program is to reduce the number of times we need to access your meter box, and City staff do not need to come by regularly to read it. However, they may still need to access it from time to time to service the meter or check the connection.

The battery has a life expectancy of 20 years based on hourly readings.

Water consumption is measured every hour and data is transmitted daily. However, an on demand read is possible at any point in time.

Smart water meters allow residents to review their water consumption in a timely manner and assist with conservation efforts. Resident can get information about their “real time” water consumption by contacting watermeters@mission.ca

No, your new meter does not require any maintenance by the homeowner.

By implementing AMI, Mission can help the region defer costly infrastructure upgrades, lower the impact on local watersheds, provide fair and equitable billing, improve operational efficiencies, identify leaks and high consumption, and improve customer service. 

The data is only used for Mission’s customer billing and network monitoring. The AMI system collects hourly water usage information via secure, encrypted hardware and software. The data is secure, protected and safeguarded by the City’s customer privacy practices.

Industry Canada requires that all portable radio-communication devices sold in Canada comply with regulatory Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits. Transmitters used by water meters fall within the guidelines established by Health Canada on the safe levels of exposure to radio waves. Meter transmitter output power is 0.1 watts, which is approximately 1/3 of a cell phone output.