BRONSON – The City of Bronson is planning on replacing all the residential water meters in the city over the course of two years.

During Monday's meeting Bronson City Manager Brandon Mersman shared with the City Council that the current water meters in use have now reached the end of their useful life span, which is approximately ten years. The same meters and their replacement parts are not available anymore, and Mersman says several meters have stopped working, which means the City has had to estimate bills for those meters. Mersman says the total cost to replace the meters will be just over $276,000.

On Monday, the City Council agreed to buy half of the meters at a price of $160,862.96. The cost of the meters at this time, according to Mersman, is due to it including all of the larger meters that are needed and all of the licensing and startup costs. Mersman says buying the rest of the meters will cost Bronson $115,659.50. The plan is to purchase the other half of the needed residential meters during the next budget year, or when Bronson receives its payment from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Presently there is $100,000 budgeted in the City's capital improvement fund for the current and the next budget year. The ARPA funds would allow for Bronson to be able to pay for the meters and not use the capital improvement funds. Mersman says there will be a yearly cost of $1,935.84 for the remote read subscription. That comes out to seven cents per meter, per month.

The new meters are going to be installed first, along with service lines during the Compton/Ruggles Street project.