Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Water Management (DWM) today announced that the MeterSave program is on track to install 15,000 free water meters in homes across Chicago. This is the fifth consecutive year that the popular program has met its annual goal. On average, MeterSave customers are saving 30 percent on their water bills for a single family home and 43 percent for a two-flat.

"Chicago is fortunate to have a natural resource like Lake Michigan as our front-yard," said Mayor Emanuel. "At a time when the federal government has forgotten the importance of these types of natural resources, programs like the City's MeterSave continue working to save taxpayer dollars while protecting the region's supply of freshwater."

Every day, approximately 5.4 million customers, or 42 percent of the Illinois population, depends on DWM for their water making system efficiency and conservation a priority. Chicago’s MeterSave program, which installs residential water meters free of charge, is designed to promote water conservation.

Any resident current on their water bills who owns a single family home or two-flat qualifies for the program. More than 117,000 new meters have been installed since the program began in 2009.

“This program has been so successful because people are seeing considerable savings,” said Randy Conner, DWM Commissioner. “With completely free installation and a seven-year guarantee that bills will be no higher than they would be without a meter, there is no downside to participating.”

Non-metered customers pay a flat fee for water every six months. Metered customers pay only for the water they actually use. This amount tends to be well below the estimate calculated by the non-metered payment formula.

The program also offers indoor or outdoor water conservation kits as incentives for signing up. For more information, Chicago residents can call 3-1-1 or visit www.metersave.org.

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