Pasco renews meter-reading contract

PASCO, Wash-- At Monday night's city council meeting, the City of Pasco approved a new 5-year contract with Columbia Meter Reading (CMR) to continue reading water meters at homes and businesses throughout the city.

Public Works officials say there are plans in the works to replace the more than 21,000 current meters with updated devices that don't need to be read manually.

"That project is going to take a little while to develop an implementation plan for how best to install all of those meter that are read automatically," said Steve Worley, Public Works Director.

Pasco has contracted with CMR for 19 years, and Worley says the company provides accurate readings and "exceptional" service to the city and its customers.

Extending the contract for another five years will give the city time to establish a plan for how to swap out the meters, and then implement that plan.

"Part of the implementation of that project is delayed because of COVID-19," Worley told council members at Monday night's meeting. "We do need to phase it i, we have to figure out which parts of the city we want to do it in to make it easier."

The city's Professional Services Contract with CMR includes an annual 1% increase in compensation.