City’s new programs aim to curb residents’ water bills

STERLING HEIGHTS — A new online program called WaterSmart can give residents more knowledge and control over their “liquid” assets.

According to Sterling Heights city officials, residents may enroll in a new web portal called WaterSmart by a company called VertexOne that features ways to pay their monthly water bill or track home water usage. Residents may view the portal via a smartphone app or a desktop computer. The software was recognized by the World Economic Forum for innovation. The cost the city paid for the portal was not known at press time.

During an April 4 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Vanderpool called the amenity “new and exciting,” and particularly useful for monitoring unusual spikes of activity.

Vanderpool said the site gives quick feedback on daily, weekly or monthly usage. According to officials, the portal also measures a household’s water consumption compared to its past usage, or compared to a general community average.

“This is incredibly useful for any individuals who think they might have a leak of some sort,” he said. “In the past, without this program, you had to wait three months, and if you had a spike in your water bill, you could surmise that you might have a leak.”

Officials said the app comes with water conservation tips. It can emit emergency notifications via phone alert or email for leaks, outages and boil advisories.

Besides the new portal, the city is offering another choice to residents regarding their water bills. Officials took time to encourage residents to pay their water bills automatically and electronically. Vanderpool said paying with a credit card, or with a checking or savings account can be an easier and greener option. Paperless billing information is sent to email instead.

In addition, residents who sign up for both automatic and paperless billing will get a bonus: a $5 per month, or $60 per year, credit off their bills, officials said.

Vanderpool praised the new water service features as unique.

“I’m not aware of other communities that have developed this sort of program, so Sterling Heights is, I believe, on the leading edge with this,” he said. Ferndale has had the service for several years.

At the end of his announcement, Vanderpool also compared the city’s current monthly cost of water compared to other Macomb County communities.

Vanderpool referred to a chart of average residential monthly water and sewer bills in Macomb County communities during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

He said that while Fraser’s monthly cost is $146, Sterling Heights is at $68. The chart also showed that Warren residents pay $69 per month, Shelby Township residents pay $83 per month, and Utica residents pay $111 per month.

“Thankfully, Sterling Heights is down at the bottom where we want to be at $68 per month when you look at all these comparable communities, and with the $5 credit, that lowers the bill even a little more,” he said.

In a statement, Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor praised the WaterSmart system as an example of a “world-class” service.

“Water is a precious resource, and we all have a responsibility to use it wisely. We hope WaterSmart will inspire our residents to not only save money by catching leaks early but also take action to manage their water use to create a sustainable future for our community and our planet.”

Sign up for WaterSmart for free by visiting sterlingheightsmi.watersmart.com. Learn how to sign up for paper-free and automatic payments by visiting sterling-heights.net/waterbill.

Water billing questions may also be answered by calling the city at (586) 446-2320.