TORONTO, April 23, 2026 – The City of Toronto says that about 470,000 water meter transmission units (MTUs) across the city are being replaced in phases after their batteries failed earlier than expected. When these devices stop working, the system may temporarily be unable to automatically read actual water usage data for homes and businesses. Some accounts will first receive estimated bills based on historical usage, and once transmission is restored, later bills may include retroactive adjustments. For Chinese homeowners and small businesses in the Greater Toronto Area, the more urgent step right now is to confirm whether the bill they received is marked as estimated or actual.
The city announced the replacement plan in March of this year, with work beginning in April and expected to continue through 2028. According to the city, the water meter itself can usually still record water use normally, but when the transmission unit fails, the system switches to billing based on historical consumption. Once actual readings are received again, adjusted bills are generally issued within four to six weeks.
The impact of this issue on households and small businesses is often less about the technology itself and more about bill handling. If an account shows estimated billing for several periods and later returns to actual readings, the amount due may rise all at once. For properties where water costs are shared by tenants, subtenants, or multiple family members, it may also become easier for disputes to arise over who is responsible for the charges.
The city’s current response options are fairly clear. Residents and businesses can review their recent bills to check whether the reading type is listed as estimated or actual. If they suspect a billing problem, they can call 311 and select the service related to Estimated Water Bill, or call 416-392-2489 from outside the city to ask Toronto to review the account record. If a clearly high bill has already been issued, or if there is a dispute over how the matter is being handled, customers can also request a further complaint review by senior management at Toronto Water.
For accounts still waiting for replacement devices, the city says the work is being carried out by contractor Neptune, and residents can check the city’s website for replacement schedules in their area. Households that are already in the estimated billing stage can also submit actual meter readings on their own to reduce the pressure of a large one-time adjustment later.
It is important to note that replacing the transmission unit does not mean previously issued bills will automatically be cancelled, and receiving an estimated bill does not mean there will not be a later adjustment. If unpaid balances are left unresolved for too long, outstanding water charges may still be transferred to the property tax account. For families and businesses in areas such as Scarborough and North York, where there are many Chinese homeowners, the more practical approach is not to wait until the amount accumulates and then ask questions, but to check the billing type now and keep copies of meter readings, call records, and complaint reference numbers so that a review can be requested early if needed.
If a property is under parents’ names, or if a business has recently received several bills with little change in usage, it is also worth confirming as soon as possible whether the account has entered the estimated billing stage, and keeping records of each inquiry and complaint in case a retroactive bill arrives later and is difficult to verify. (LJI by Yuanyuan)
