San Marcos Residents Can Switch to Manual Readers

By Mysela Alvarez
News Reporter

San Marcos City Council passed the AMI Opt-Out Policy in April allowing residents to switch their automated readers back to manual readers like ones used in the past. San Marcos Utility Billing Manager Earnest Cavazos said the policy was enacted after several residents expressed concern.

“Some people feel uncomfortable,” Cavazos said. “They feel like the radio frequencies have an issue with that. So what’s basically is going to change is that instead of us capturing the reads and importing them into our system in an automated fashion, we will be dispatching meter readers to go out and read the meters and then capturing that read and bringing it back for us to put in the computer system.”

In order to change your meter, residents must meet certain criteria to qualify for the opt-out program. Anyone interested must submit a request form, which can be found online or at either utility customer service locations located at 630 E. Hopkins or 1040 Highway 123.