After closing, if you’re a Chicago resident and bought a single family home with an UNFINISHED BASEMENT and a non-metered water, considersigning up for the Water MeterSave program as it’s a great way to reduce your water bill. MeterSave is a program offered by the City of Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) to non-metered Chicago homeowners to voluntarily install meters to help them save water and save money. Water charges in non-metered homes are tied to factors such as building size, lot-size and the number of plumbing fixtures. However, metered homes are billed according to actual water usage. This means that with minimal effort, participating homeowners could save money on their water bills. Because customers with metered homes pay only for the water they use, they can save money while at the same time helping to protect Lake Michigan and save water. A client of mine who purchased a single family home in the city recently had this done and his water bill is now 1/4 of what it had been before.
Homeowners participating in MeterSave will receive a 7-year guarantee that the home water bill will be no higher than it would have if the meter had not been installed.
Upon installation of the meter, and while supplies last, homeowners will be eligible for the following additional incentives:
- A rain barrel, or
- An outdoor water conservation kit
- A hose timer
- Rain guage
- Water restricting hose nozzle
- Moisture sensor
- An indoor water conservation kit, or
- Low flow shower head
- A shower timer
- Toilet flapper
- Leak Detection Tablets
- Toilet tank bank–a toilet tank water displacement pouch
- 4-quart fill cycle diverter that helps save water after flushing the toilet
- Swivel low-flow kitchen aerator
- Two bathroon sink aerators
- Teflon tape
- Water Conservation wheel
And here’s an op-ed piece from a current water save participant: Click here to reach the article
PLEASE NOTE: CLIENTS HAVE REPORTED THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA IF YOU HAVE A FINISHED BASEMENT UNLESS YOUR WATER METER SHUT OFF IS IN AN UNFINISHED UTILITY ROOM. Apparently the city has to rip out some drywall/flooring in order to install the water meter reader if it’s located behind drywall and they don’t pay to have these items fixed. So if your basement and utility rooms are finished, this doesn’t sound like a good program. However, if you have an unfinished basement or your water meter shut off is in an unfinished utility room it is worth looking into. If you decide to go forward, when the technician comes out to your home ask him to do a thorough evaluation first before you sign anything to make sure you understand if any walls will need to be cut into to install the meter reader.
