With professional consultant support, the Department of Public Utilities studied the options available to replace aged and obsolete water/sewer and power meter equipment. As a result, the replacement of the city’s aged meter equipment began in 2023 with advanced metering infrastructure. Columbus’ Enhanced Meter Project (EMP) will take about two years to change out Columbus and contracting suburban community customers’ meters.

Many utilities across the U.S. have been upgrading their metering systems for the past several years and are finding numerous operational and cost savings benefits, along with many customer benefits.

 Frequently asked questions:

Frequently Asked Questions

The Department of Public Utilities has approximately 300,000 water meters and 17,000 electric meters, serving more than 1.2 million people. These meters are aging, and parts are becoming obsolete. The decision to upgrade to more modern advanced metering infrastructure was made, as many cities have done. The department is partnering with Sensus and VEPO Metering (VEPO) to replace or retrofit all water and power meters over the next few years, known as the Enhanced Meter Project (EMP). 

By upgrading to what is known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), the project will enhance customer service, resulting in improved efficiency and meter accuracy. Benefits will include alert notifications customers can set up on a future portal, like for high consumption. These features will provide customers with a better understanding of consumption patterns and inefficiencies, allowing them the ability to adjust habits to reduce utility bills. Earlier leak detection will be possible for water customers and immediate outage notification to the city for power customers will help provide outage restoration more quickly in the future.

Eventually, this is another benefit. The upgraded system will allow monthly billing to be more easily implemented at a future date.

There will be no additional cost to Columbus utility customers. The cost of meter replacement was planned and is built into the water, sewer, and power rates. 

Water meters: Meters started being changed out in 2023 and will continue over a few years, area by area. Customers will be notified when it is time to schedule an installation appointment. Contractors will carry city-issued identification. Appointment notifications will be distributed to consumers for installation.

Power meters: Meters will be changed out over a few years, expected to begin in 2025, area by area, and customers will be notified of the short outage period when the meter will be replaced. Contractors will carry city-issued identification. Door hangers will be left to notify customers when the power meter installation is complete.

No, appointments are needed only for water meter replacement. Electric meters are located outside of your home, so no appointment is necessary. If you are an AEP customer, no electric meter replacement by the city will be done; this project will affect only city electric customers. 

For the safety of the personnel exchanging the meters, please keep pets indoors and away from the Technicians during the time frame your meter is scheduled to be replaced. Please ensure the path to the meter and the area around the meter is clear. There may be a short interruption in electric service when the meters are exchanged so we recommend that you unplug sensitive electronic equipment or use a surge protector to prevent the possibility of damage to your equipment or appliances.

If you happen to have a water leak following a new water meter installation or loss of power following an electric meter replacement, or any other concern, please call the EMP 24-hour emergency number at 844-903-1207.

An opt-out option was not possible, mainly because existing meter equipment is becoming obsolete, in favor of advanced meters. 

Yes, but only consumption-related data for billing and operational purposes. The goal is to replace metering equipment for reliability and accuracy of reading, operational efficiency, and provide customer service enhancement features. No personally identifiable or account information is transmitted by the meter. 

Accurate reading is one of the benefits of AMI technology because it eliminates the possibility of human error when collecting meter readings. One way you can be sure that your billing statement is accurate is to read your billing statement carefully to see if your usage for that month is typical for your home or business and check it against your meter. 

No, the microwatts are a fraction of the amount emitted by a cell phone, laptop, or Wi-Fi, which most households have. 

There may be occasions when a technician will need access to the meter for maintenance, but access to the meter for routine readings will no longer be necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

With professional consultant support, the Department of Public Utilities studied the options available to replace aged and obsolete water/sewer and power meter equipment. As a result, replacement of the city’s aged meter equipment will begin in January 2023 with advanced metering infrastructure. Columbus’ Enhanced Meter Project (EMP) will take about three years to change out Columbus and contracting suburban community customers’ meters.

Many utilities across the U.S. have been upgrading their metering systems the past several years and are finding numerous operational and cost savings benefits, along with many customer benefits. Frequently asked questions:

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities has approximately 300,000 water meters and 17,000 electric meters. These meters are aging and becoming obsolete. As many cities have done, the City of Columbus decided to upgrade to more modern and advanced metering infrastructure to mitigate the risk of inaccurate billing. The department is partnering with Sensus and Utility Metering Solutions on the Enhanced Meter Project (EMP) to replace, upgrade, or retrofit all water and power meters over the next few years.
By upgrading to what is known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), the project enhances customer service, resulting in improved efficiency and meter accuracy. Benefits include alert notifications that customers can set up on a future portal, such as high consumption and leak alerts. These features provide customers with a better understanding of consumption patterns and inefficiencies, allowing them to adjust their habits and prevent high utility bills. Earlier leak detection is possible for water customers, and immediate outage notifications to the city is enabled for power customers to improve electricity restoration in the future.
The upgraded system will allow monthly billing to be more easily implemented at a future date.
The cost of meter replacements was planned for and built into the water, sewer, and power rates. There will be no additional cost to Columbus utility customers.

Water meters are being changed out on an area-by-area basis, beginning in 2023, with completion expected in 2027. Customers are notified by mail about work beginning in each area*. An appointment will be required for water replacement to schedule the work and ensure the installer can gain access into the property as the water meter is typically located in the basement.


Power meters are being changed out on an area-by-area basis, beginning in 2023, with completion expected in 2027. Electric meter replacements do not require an appointment, but power customers are notified of the short outage period when the meter will be replaced. Door hangers are left to notify customers when the power meter installation is complete.

Appointment confirmation is sent to residents to allow them to prepare and expect the installer. To assist residents in the identification of the contractor’s installation crew on site, the meter installer will carry city-issued identification.
Yes. Water meter replacements require an appointment to be scheduled as the water meter is usually located inside the house. The installer requires clear access to the area surrounding the meter. To book online, visit columbusemp.org and click “Schedule Appointment.” To book by phone, call 833-232-3202 (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
No. Electric meters are located outside of the home and therefore will not require appointments to be replaced. This project will affect city power customers only. AEP customers will not have their electric meters replaced by the city.

Please keep pets indoors and away from the installers during the timeframe your meter is scheduled to be replaced, and please ensure the path to the meter and area around the meter is clear.
For water meter replacement appointments, an adult (18+) must be present to provide access to the installer. It is also important to note that, since water service may be interrupted for a short period of time; water appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers should not be used until the water is turned back on.
For electric meter replacements, there may be a short interruption in electric service when the meters are exchanged. Therefore, sensitive electronic equipment should be unplugged, or a surge protector should be used to prevent the possibility of damage.

Participation in the program is mandatory because existing meter equipment is becoming obsolete. The upgrade of water meters is authorized in accordance with the Columbus City Code Section 1101.03. Customers who do not book an appointment may be subject to penalties, which may include the termination of water service.
Only consumption-related data is collected for billing and operational purposes, and no personally identifiable or account information is transmitted by the meter. The goal is to replace metering equipment for reliability, accuracy of reading, operational efficiency, and improved customer service.
AMI technology increases the accuracy of the equipment and eliminates the possibility of human error when collecting meter readings. One way to validate the accuracy of your billing statement is to read it carefully to see if your usage for that month is typical for your home or business and validate it against the consumption on your physical meter.
Yes. All meters currently installed in homes and businesses are part of an aging meter reading system that is reaching the end of its lifecycle and due for replacement.
Access to the meter for routine readings will no longer be necessary. There may be occasions when a technician will require access to the meter for maintenance.
Once the technician gains access to the water meter inside your home, the work will take between 30 and 90 minutes, and your water service may be temporarily interrupted. Please ensure an adult (18+) is present during the appointment and the area around the meter is clear of obstructions.
Residents are notified by mail. They receive a timeline during which the contractor will be replacing meters in their corresponding area and are prompted to schedule their water meter replacement appointments online or by phone.
The water meter must be connected through a wire to the new reading device installed on the outside of the property. This work is authorized under Columbus City Code, and your meter upgrade cannot occur without it. The meter in the basement is connected to the transmitter attached to the outside of the home through a wire, similar to an internet cable or telephone line.
No, the radio frequency waves emitted by these devices are a fraction of the amount generated by a cell phone and other common household appliances.
Inspections are a part of the contract for the Enhanced Meter Project to ensure that Utility Metering Solutions is completing the upgrades according to contract standards. The inspections will be carried out by the Department of Public Utilities or representatives from Anser Advisory, a firm under contract to the Department of Public Utilities.
Not every upgraded meter will be inspected. Throughout the project, only a percentage of the completed meter replacements will be randomly inspected to ensure project standards are being consistently fulfilled by the contractor.
Within one week after your installation is complete, an Anser Advisory inspector may knock on your door and request to do an inspection.
Anser Advisory inspectors will carry both a City of Columbus and Anser ID badge with their photo and name clearly displayed. They will also wear branded uniforms and have a company logo on their vehicle.
The inspector will visually inspect the newly upgraded water and/or electric meter and the transmitter installed on the outside of the property to validate that the work completed meets the project’s standards. Inspectors will require approximately 15 minutes to complete their work. Should any concerns be identified, the inspector will advise the resident and notify the City of Columbus and Utility Metering Solutions. If necessary, Utility Metering Solutions will book a follow-up appointment with the customer to resolve concerns and ensure the contractual standards are met.
A second appointment will be required only if there are any issues preventing the work from being completed during the initial site visit or if a fault in the system is detected.