Last week the Portland Water District began the immense project of replacing the 49,000 water meters in the homes of its customers.

“We just started in Westbrook last week,” said Michelle Clements, public relations manager at the water district. “It will take about two years to replace all 49,000 meters.”

In July, the Portland Water District’s board of trustees approved $9.35 million to replace the current meters with upgraded meters containing radio units allowing readers to measure water usage from a remote vehicle.

AMCO Water of Florida, will provide project management and supply 40,000 InVISION absolute encoder water meters. An additional 8,000 meters will be upgraded to the automated meter reading system.

Although some of the older meters have been replaced in the past few years, more than half of the current meters are eight years old or even older. Many of those have been in service longer than 15 years.

The Public Utilities Commission requires meters to be replaced every eight years, but gave the water district a seven-year extension while it researched the automated meter reading technology.

The major benefits of the automated system include improved customer service, safety, energy efficiency and reduction in estimated bills.

Possibly the biggest benefit will be customers having virtually no contact with meter readers, as the readers will no longer have to go on private property to read the meter.

With the new system, a meter reader will be able to drive up to the house and read the meter from a laptop computer in their vehicle. The computer can read meters within an 800-foot radius.

Currently if a meter reader can’t get to a meter due to various reasons including inclement weather, the water district estimates the bill.

“Reading will now be faster and more accurate,” said Clements.

The Portland Water District serves 11 communities in Southern Maine including, Raymond, Windham, and Standish.