This is in response to Glenda Roybal’s letter (June 23) regarding water meters.. I understand how she feels, but I also know why the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency did what they did.
I was an engineer with the L.A. Department of Water and Power for 38 years, and I served on both the water as well as the power sides. During that time I learned a lot about how utilities operate.
The issue with your meter is actually a very simple one: labor. It costs the utilities money to have a person read meters. It cost them virtually nothing to have a “smart” meter transmit a signal to their main data system. That’s why they were going to charge you to keep your old meter.
They weren’t punishing you. They were trying to cover their costs.
Now, why they told you that a request had been put in to replace your old meter after you specifically told them not to is beyond me. I blame human error. Nobody’s perfect and (stuff) happens.
LADWP had an epic disaster several years ago when they upgraded their billing system (which, by the way, includes water, electricity and sewer charges all in one bill that they issue every two months — it’s a big bill) and put it online before it was fully tested because they were behind schedule. Thousands of customers got overbilled. It turned into a major legal mess that was finally taken to court.
Big utilities hate admitting when they are wrong. It’s embarrassing and costly.
There are no conspiracies, just a bunch of people who don’t always work together or even know what they themselves are doing. I wouldn’t worry so much about psycho billionaires trying to create a “new world order” as I would about humanity in general just keeping the lights on and the water running.
It’s amazing how civilization is maintained given who is maintaining it — mere humans.
I hope that helped.
Arthur Saginian
Santa Clarita
