Hawkesbury Moves Forward With $2.5-Million Water Meter Replacement Program

Hawkesbury is preparing to replace approximately 2,500 residential and commercial water meters as part of a major modernization of the Town’s water infrastructure.

At its March 9, 2026 meeting, Town Council considered a recommendation to award the Phase 2 water meter replacement contract to Neptune Technology Group. The project is within the $2.5-million budget already approved by Council for 2026.

For residents and businesses, the project should eventually mean newer meters, more accurate water consumption measurements and technology capable of detecting issues such as leaks or meter tampering.

Why Are Hawkesbury’s Water Meters Being Replaced?

The reason is straightforward: according to the Town’s report, Hawkesbury’s existing water meters have reached the end of their useful life.

The project represents Phase 2 of the Town’s Water Meter Replacement Program and calls for the supply and installation of approximately 2,500 Neptune T-10 meters for residential and commercial properties.

The new equipment will also include ProCoder registers and R900 RF transmission units.

The objective is not simply to replace old equipment with newer versions. The Town says the project is intended to improve the accuracy of water consumption readings, reduce operating costs and improve customer service.

“Water meters might not be the most visible municipal infrastructure, but accurate information matters. If we can better understand how much water is being used and identify problems sooner, we can manage the system more efficiently.” — Simon Guindon

Technology That Can Help Detect Leaks

One of the more interesting features of the new system is the additional information it can provide.

According to the municipal report, when paired with RF transmitters, the T-10 meters can provide leak and tamper detection in addition to improved measurement accuracy.

For residents, early detection of unusual water consumption could potentially help identify problems before they become larger ones.

The equipment is also compatible with AMI technology, giving Hawkesbury a foundation for possible future upgrades to more advanced meter-reading systems.

The report does not state that Hawkesbury is immediately implementing a full AMI system. Instead, the new meters provide the Town with infrastructure capable of supporting future AMR/AMI upgrades.

A $2.5-Million Turnkey Project

Neptune is being asked to provide the project as a turnkey service.

In addition to supplying and installing the meters, the company would handle data management, project management, communications with water users and post-installation support.

This is particularly important for a project involving approximately 2,500 installations across residential and commercial properties.

The Town did not use a traditional competitive tender for this contract. Instead, the report states that a direct negotiation process was used under Section 8.8 of Hawkesbury’s procurement policy.

The recommendation notes that Neptune had previously presented the Water Meter Replacement Program to Council on December 8, 2025. Town staff also consulted neighbouring municipalities that had worked with Neptune and reported receiving positive feedback.

“With a $2.5-million project, residents deserve to understand not only what we’re buying, but why a particular procurement approach was chosen. Transparency around major contracts is an important part of maintaining public confidence.” — Simon Guindon

What Will Residents Need to Do?

The report confirms that communications with users are included in Neptune’s turnkey service, which is important because access will be required to replace meters at individual properties.

However, the document presented to Council does not provide an installation schedule or specific instructions for homeowners and businesses.

Those details will therefore be important to watch for as the program moves into implementation.

Residents should expect the Town or project team to provide information regarding appointments, access requirements and the installation process before work begins at individual properties.

Why Accurate Metering Matters

Water meters play an important role in how a municipality manages its drinking water system.

Accurate consumption data can help the Town understand demand, identify unusual usage and make better long-term decisions about water infrastructure.

Hawkesbury’s decision also comes at a time when long-term infrastructure planning is increasingly important. Replacing equipment before failures become widespread can help municipalities avoid more complicated problems later.

“This is the kind of infrastructure investment where we should be looking at the long-term return. If we’re replacing 2,500 meters, the goal should be a system that gives Hawkesbury better information, better service and technology we can build on in the future.” — Simon Guindon

What You Need to Know

• Hawkesbury plans to replace approximately 2,500 residential and commercial water meters.
• The contract recommendation is within the $2.5-million budget approved for 2026.
• The project would be delivered by Neptune Technology Group as a turnkey service.
• The new meters offer improved accuracy and, with RF technology, can assist with leak and tamper detection.
• The equipment is compatible with future AMR/AMI upgrades, although the report does not say a full AMI system is being implemented immediately.

What Comes Next?

Replacing 2,500 water meters will be a significant undertaking, and residents will eventually need clear information about when and how installations will take place.

The March 2026 report establishes the purpose, technology and budget for the project. The next thing to watch will be the implementation plan — particularly the installation schedule and communications with property owners.

For Hawkesbury, the project represents an opportunity to replace aging equipment while building a more accurate and technologically capable water management system for the future.