St. George meter upgrade spotlights hidden water leaks

St. George is rolling out a $9.5 million smart-meter upgrade that will give 36,000 customers 15-minute water-usage data and leak alerts through EyeOnWater. Local Services Inc. says the new visibility matters as all of Washington County remains in drought and homeowners look for faster ways to find waste before bills climb.

Why it matters: - St. George residents will have much more visibility into where water is going inside and outside the home. - The upgrade could help households spot leaks earlier, before small problems turn into higher bills or property damage. - The timing matters because Washington County is still in drought, raising the stakes for every gallon used.

What happened: - The City of St. George is upgrading all 36,000 water meters through a $9.5 million expansion of its Automated Metering Infrastructure system. - The city says $4 million of the project is covered by grants, with the rest funded through water rates. - The upgraded meters send usage data every 15 minutes to a cloud-based system. - Residents can review water consumption and set alerts for unusual or continuous use through EyeOnWater. - Local Services Inc. is using the rollout to highlight how smart-meter alerts can help homeowners find hidden leaks.

The details: - Drought.gov data updated July 14 shows 138,115 Washington County residents, or 100% of the county population, are living in drought-affected areas. - January through June 2026 was Washington County’s 24th-driest year-to-date period in 132 years. - Precipitation during that period was 3.23 inches below normal. - Ron Madruga, owner of Local Services Inc., said smart-meter data can provide an earlier warning but cannot pinpoint exactly where water is going. - Madruga said homeowners should check for running toilets, irrigation-line issues, water-heater problems, appliance connections and concealed plumbing leaks. - A water alert does not automatically mean a major pipe has failed. - Homeowners are advised to confirm faucets, showers and water-using appliances are off, inspect toilets for continuous running, look at visible supply lines and water heaters, and review irrigation schedules. - Unexplained overnight flow can be especially useful to flag because households should be using little or no water at those hours. - St. George’s tiered water-rate structure gives residents another reason to investigate abnormal usage. - The city says the typical existing residential customer with a three-quarter-inch meter has a monthly excess-use threshold of 36,000 gallons. - Residential connections established after Jan. 1, 2023 have rolling monthly thresholds from 8,000 gallons in winter to 20,000 gallons in summer. - When continuing water use cannot be found, a licensed plumber can isolate sections of the system and determine whether a repair is needed. - Local Services Inc. provides plumbing services in St. George, including electronic leak detection, running-toilet repair, pipe repair, water-heater service and 24/7 emergency plumbing. - The city-owned smart meter measures water entering a property and can alert residents to unusual consumption. - Homeowners can also use the Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff, an in-home device installed on the main water line that monitors activity and can shut off the household water supply when it detects a critical leak. - Through Aug. 31, 2026, Local Services Inc. is offering $100 off professional installation of a qualifying Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff for customers in St. George and surrounding communities. - Installation depends on property compatibility, product availability and applicable service terms. - Homeowners with continuous-flow alerts, unexplained increases in use or suspected plumbing leaks can call (435) 567-7777, email localservicesco@localservicesco.com or visit LocalServicesCo.com.

Between the lines: - The smart-meter rollout is not just a utility upgrade. It also pushes more responsibility onto homeowners to interpret alerts and act quickly. - Drought conditions make leak detection more valuable because even small household losses can carry more cost and conservation impact. - Smart-meter alerts and in-home shutoff devices address different parts of the problem: one spots abnormal use, the other can stop severe leaks.

What's next: - St. George customers will continue getting meter data in 15-minute intervals as the rollout reaches all homes. - Homeowners with alerts or unexplained bills are likely to escalate to plumbing inspections or leak-detection services. - Local Services Inc. will continue promoting professional installation of the Moen Flo system through the end of August. - Residents can expect more attention on water-use habits as the city’s tiered rates and drought conditions keep pressure on conservation.

The bottom line: - The meter upgrade gives St. George homeowners better leak visibility at a time when drought makes fast detection more urgent.