How do a find and read my hourly water usage on the customer portal?
Reading your hourly and daily usage is quick and easy. These are the steps to take if you go to the usage tab and do not see the hourly and daily view options. When logged into the portal, click the usage tab.
Under the tab, you will see Meter Number and a box with the word All. Click the down arrow next to the word All. Then click on the meter number. Your hourly and daily data will post.
Likewise, you can get to your hourly and daily data from the home screen. In the monthly water graphic, click the down arrow next to the word all and follow the directions as above.
For video instructions click here.
What is MyH2O?
MyH2O is a City of Fort Worth program that brings advanced technology to the water utility and its customers. Fort Worth is embracing these new tools for their efficiencies and business innovations.
The implementation phase of the program for most customers is complete, and customers can now enjoy the benefits. All customers received water meters equipped with a digital-read display and radio transmitter. The meter lids hold the radio transmission unit, which sends water usage data via a secure fixed wireless network to the utility. This eliminates the need for crews to read water meters, resulting in reduced billing errors.
The program also improves customer communication. MyH2O’s online portal includes portal for obtaining water use information and making payments.
How will this benefit me?
Customers can better understand and manage their water use to control their water costs through the customer portal.
Through the portal, customers can receive alerts when continuous flow is measured, indicating a possible leak, one of the most common causes for a high bill. We encourage you to fix these leaks. You would be surprised at the costs added to your bill by a constantly running toilet.
Customers can see their previous days’ water use on an hourly basis, as well. Customers can check to make sure their irrigation systems are operating during prescribed hours on the days allowed by ordinance. If a customer has their irrigation system set to run early in the morning, they will be able to check to make sure that is happening.
Being on the portal will show you how long and how often your systems is on and if it is on during your prescribed watering days and times. Information from the portal can be particularly useful when an irrigation system resets after a power interruption.
Controlling irrigation use is one of the best ways to conserve water and reduce bills. Please see Save Fort Worth Water for lawn watering tips.
What are the benefits for the utility?
The utility benefits from having more information on when and where water use is occurring. This data will improve operational models of water flow, help evaluate design criteria for pipelines and help find areas where costly water loss may be occurring.
MyH2O provides the utility the ability to protect water quality by monitoring and responding quickly when a backflow assembly fails, which is when water on a customer’s property flows back into the public water system. This water can contain contaminants that would put the public water supply at risk.
Are there other benefits?
Through the portal, customers can receive alerts when a certain water volume amount, set by them, is reached. This alert can help customers control water costs.
As functionality is added, customers can open and close accounts online and decide how they want to receive alerts from the utility. The alerts could be about water quality issues, when new bills are available, when educational programs are offered or when their water will be off because of a main break or leak repair.
Is my privacy safe?
Yes, your privacy is safe. MyH2O uses the most secure technology available. Only water use data is sent through a secure frequency. No personal information is collected or transmitted by the water meter.
The radio frequency is weaker than a cordless phone and will not interfere with other electronic devices in your home or business. It will not interfere with your data network.
Who do I call if I have questions, concerns or notice a problem?
For any reason, please call us at 817-392-4477.
What meters are being used?
Fort Worth selected Sensus metering solutions that are compatible with the FlexNet communication network.
Most residential customers will have Sensus SRII positive displacement meters installed. Commercial and industrial customers will receive different types and models of meters installed that are matched to expected water capacity needs and usage patterns.
The metering and communications network selection was completed following an extensive vetting process. All meters are individually tested for accuracy. All meters meet industry standards established by the American Water Works Association.
Will I be able to access the shut off valve in the meter box?
The meters are the property of the utility and should not be touched by customers.
Fort Worth’s plumbing code has always required a private shutoff separate from the meter box be installed when the home was built. Customers should use this shut off if there is a need to turn off the water to their property.
If a customer does not know the location of their cutoff valve, the utility strongly urges you to have a plumber locate it or install a shutoff valve.
Customers can call the utility to have water turned off. In an emergency, the utility can approve emergency access to the homeowner or its plumber. Even with the new meters and antennas, customers can open the box lid and access the valve.
Customers doing so should be careful not to damage the meter or the antenna. Customers will be charged for any damage.
I’m concerned about radiofrequency emission. Is my water meter safe?
Yes, your meter is safe. The radio signal from the smart point on the meter falls well below the threshold set by the Federal Communications Commission for health and safety standards.
Worldwide experts have weighed in on potential risks with artificial electromagnetic fields caused by wireless devices. The World Health Organization has published more than 25,000 articles – none of which concludes there are any negative health consequences from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields. The RF associated with Fort Worth’s MyH2O system certainly qualify as low level electromagnetic fields – given that the technology selection employs low voltage, battery powered transmitters that operate four to six times a day for fractions of a second each time. Furthermore, the meters are located 30 feet or more from a home and risk from RF exposure drops rapidly with distance, according to Texas’ Public Utility Commission.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, the FCC and the PUC, among others, have all concluded that RF from remote read meters does not cause a health concern.
According the PUC, typical everyday devices such as cordless phone base stations and microwave ovens, located much closer to the user, cause significantly greater exposure for longer periods than remote read meters.