All homeowners were expected to have the new smart water meter installed by Dec. 9 last year (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

meter matters

P.A. council rejects homeowner’s smart meter exemption request

Mar 4, 2020 | 2:03 PM

Prince Albert city council’s executive committee has rejected a request from a resident to be exempt from having a new smart water meter installed in her home.

The resident — who has so far not had the new device installed despite the passing of the Dec. 9 deadline — claims the device would negatively impact her health and said SaskPower and SaskEnergy agreed not to install new meters in her home for that reason.

However, after hearing a report on the matter Monday from the city’s director of finance, Cheryl Tkachuk, council voted overwhelmingly not to offer the resident an exemption. That report included health information and financial implications for the city.

The science

“Radio frequency exposure levels [from the smart water meter] are similar to AM or FM radio broadcast signals and are lower than a microwave and a TV remote,” Tkachuk said during Monday’s council meeting.

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She explained the radiation levels from the device were at the lowest end of the spectrum, were non-ionizing, and considered harmless.

She added the World Health Organization was “very clear that there is no health risk from radio-frequency communication devices.”

The total energy exposure from the device would be 12 to 30 minutes a year, Tkachuk said.

In her report she acknowledged some people remained skeptical about the devices for several reasons.

“It’s very difficult for science to compete with people’s anecdotes about health problems and the negative effect that smart meters cause,“ she said. “However, there will always be individuals or groups that will ramp up health concerns, and some may also believe in concerns about government surveillance.”

It was noted at Monday’s council meeting that a request had previously been made for the resident to provide medical documentation showing why an exemption was necessary. That information was not provided, and Tkachuk said it would be difficult for the city to establish if the citizen has any negative health effects as she currently does not have smart meters in her home.

One councillor of the majority who voted against the request for exemption, Coun. Evert Botha was happy to learn the contents of Tkachuk’s report.

“I was sure that we were on the bottom scale of the [radiation] density,” he said. “On the scale of devices we’re surrounded by on a daily basis… this is one that is hardly noticeable.”

Financial implications

Tkachuk’s report also highlighted the financial burden facing the city should they exempt people from getting the smart meter. Based on their contract with Iconix, a cost of $432 would still need to be paid even if the device were not installed, and it would cost $75 – $100 a month to keep maintaining and reading old manual meters.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princeabertnow