Meter readers may soon be going the way of the milk man.
First Southern California Edison began changing its electrical meters to “smart” meters, which can be remotely read and controlled. Now water districts across Orange County are piloting technology that lets workers download water-use data just by driving through a neighborhood or by sending the data wirelessly to fixed towers.
A handful of Orange County’s 30 water districts or city-run water departments have embraced the most advanced technology, saying that it provides more accurate data and cuts down on staff time.