Back in 2020, Valdosta happily announced installation of new water meters, including a video of them installing the meters in the ground, with a steel cover. They were supposed to last a long time.

Valdosta drinking water meter sole-source issue 2020-01-31, 25,000 meters replaced again in October 2025

Unfortunately, those meters were not designed for hot subtropical summers. That steel cover kept the heat in, and the meters failed in little more than five years. There was no upgrade, because the sole-source vendor went bankrupt.

So in 2025 the City of Valdosta had to buy a whole new set of 25,000 meters, which were not in its budget, and required changing customer billing.

This story is about drinking water. In a later post, we will discuss how the sole-source issue is also relevant to Valdosta’s sewer system, and other sewer systems.

Metro 17, Valdosta, January 31, 2020, New Water Meters,

The City of Valdosta is excited to announce that customers will soon start to see new smart utility meters installed around Valdosta! The city has researched these new meters for the last two years. The new meters will replacing our current aging system and will last much longer!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=641386333299411

The Valdosta Utilities Director at the time, Daryl Muse, said in the video that they were changing out all 25,000 water meters in the city.

Daryl Muse, Utilities Director, 2020-01-31 –Valdosta Utilities

He noted the then-new system would allow Valdosta water customers to see their usage, and even to set limits for themselves.

Water Meter readout, 2020-01-31 –Valdosta Utilities

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Valdosta web page, undated but presumably January 2020, accessed December 30, 2025, New Utility Smart Meters,

By selecting a cellular AMI network from SET, the City of Valdosta avoids the cost and hassle of building and maintaining a proprietary wireless network. Taking advantage of the newest AT&T 5G network technology, SET provides a highly reliable system with broad coverage and long battery life. Also, the costs of the entire system are paid upfront which allows the City to avoid ongoing expenses related to the operation of the smart water network.

Water Meter in the ground, 2020-01-31 –Valdosta Utilities

The vendor was apparently IBT AMI Solutions. AMI is Advanced Metering Infrastructure.

How AMI Works, 2025-09-18, –U.S. EPA

These meters cost about $9 million, mostly paid for from SPLOST (Special Location Option Sales Tax), with apparently $1 million coming from a Georgia state GEFA loan (Georgia Environental Finance Authority). See Smart Water Network Launch FAQ

Unfortunately, they did not last much longer. According to a usually reliable source, hot summers melted the meters in the ground. Apparently the system worked well in northern climes where the weather issue was freezing in the winter, but did not adapt well to a subtropical climate.

Closing Water Meter cover, 2020-01-31 –Valdosta Utilities

There was no upgrade: the vendor went out of business. And they were the sole source for that type of meter.

So in 2025 Valdosta had to install a whole new set of meters, which were not in their budget. And which has led to quite a bit of confusion. Valdosta Today, October 19, 2025, Valdosta provides update on city’s utility billing transition,

During this upgrade, the City transitioned to a new meter management system designed to improve reading precision and provide enhanced tools for future customer service. However, the data from the new meters did not automatically convert into the city’s existing billing platform. As a result, some utility bills have been delayed while our staff works carefully to reconcile and ensure all account information is correct before issuing statements.

“Our priority is transparency and accuracy,” said Interim Finance Director Darquita Williams. “We want to assure our residents that no late fees will be applied while we finalize the conversion process. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we make these improvements that will benefit customers long-term.”

Customers may notice a temporary delay in receiving their next utility bill, but balances will accurately reflect usage once data reconciliation is complete. City staff are available to answer questions or review accounts for anyone seeking clarification.

The City of Valdosta understands that any delay in billing can cause uncertainty, and we are working diligently to complete the system transition as quickly and accurately as possible.

For updates or questions, please contact the Utilities Customer Service Division at (229) 259-3510 or visit www.valdostacity.com/utilities.

The current Valdosta Utilities Director, Jason Barnes, now has to oversee fixing a problem that originated two Utilities Directors back.

Once again, this is a story about drinking water meters. But a later post will discuss how sole-source vendors are also a problem for sewer systems.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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