Several Tulsa homeowners have raised concerns after noticing that their water bills remained identical for months, prompting an investigation that revealed defective ultrasonic water meters. According to Fox23, one resident, Sharon Kus, said her mother, Martha, was charged $215 for eight months of water service before learning the meter had been broken since March.
After three visits to City Hall, Martha was finally told the meter was faulty, but the city has not yet replaced it. Her husband, Jimmi Kus, relayed that a city employee confirmed the defect was identified in March 2026. The Kusk family, like many others, is now questioning how many additional customers may be affected.
KTUL reported that the City of Tulsa announced on October 6 that Meter Works, a city‑contracted service provider, will begin replacing more than 600 residential and small‑commercial water meters because of a manufacturer defect. The defective meters belong to an initial group of approximately 9,200 Neptune ultrasonic meters that were recently installed across Tulsa properties. The city plans to replace the entire fleet later in 2026.
The city has placed accounts with defective meters on a “standard estimated billing” system, which calculates usage based on historical consumption. Fox23 noted a concern that those historical figures may have been generated by the faulty automatic readers, potentially leading to inaccurate estimates.
Residents who have been switched to estimated billing are urged to monitor their statements closely. Sharon Kus asked whether customers will be reimbursed for overcharges incurred while the meters were malfunctioning. The city has not yet provided a timeline for individual replacements or any repayment policy.
City officials have not disclosed how many of the 9,200 meters have already been replaced, but the October 6 announcement indicates that the replacement effort will continue throughout the remainder of the year. The city encourages anyone who suspects a meter issue to contact the Tulsa Water Department for verification.
What’s next: Meter Works will start the first wave of replacements this month, with additional installations scheduled through the end of 2026. Affected customers will receive notices from the city outlining the replacement schedule and any billing adjustments. Residents should continue to review their water statements and report any discrepancies to the Tulsa Water Department.
