Sue Pastor and Jim Powell: Smart meters a watershed moment for local democracy
When the city of Madison approved the $14 million purchase of “smart” meters for the Water Utility’s Project H2O, the 67,000-meter sale was great news for Itron’s Marcel Regnier, who boasted about it at a national water business conference in June. He declared Itron was “committed to increased profitability” due to a shorter “replacement cycle and more and more battery-operated devices.” In other words, planned obsolescence will lead to expanding profits.
Great news for Itron is not necessarily good for Madison. This project, which was never subject to cost-benefit analysis by the city, may be a boondoggle and it points to a serious omission in the city’s exercise of financial stewardship.
The project illustrates how our local democracy is ailing and explodes the myth that we have “hyper” democratic practices. Madison’s smart meter contract was approved in the midst of years of national controversies, litigation and public service commission reviews in at least 14 other states. Elsewhere, malfunctions and billing problems have led to a moratorium on new installation, and citizens winning an opt-out policy after the fact are requesting removal. Locally, these problems, health risks and opt-outs were never discussed (talk about lack of due diligence).
A transparent approach would have involved openness about the controversy and all of the risks, including the financial. A democratic approach would have involved citizens in deciding whether to adopt smart meters and assessing the risks.
Instead, concerned citizens have gotten the cold shoulder from officials since December, when they began raising concerns with the mayor, alders and Water Utility. Meter installation is proceeding on the north side, in spite of dozens of citizens’ requests at City Council and Water Utility Board meetings to suspend the project until an opt-out and water meter access ordinance was worked out. In spite of this not being done, more than 100 customers already opted out.
That official cold shoulder led to the July 5 citizen petition to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission by 33 Madison residents, whose ranks are expanding as others contact the PSC to complain. These two actions — joining the petition and opting out — may be the most viable expressions of local democracy at this time.
Meanwhile, alders have expressed support for the project by jumping on the public relations bandwagon, touting how they are the first to get smart meters. Their nonchalance contrasts sharply with citizen concerns that go unanswered. A substantial scientific literature suggests there are biological effects and that risks have not been fully evaluated. The city’s lack of concern is disturbing, as is its apparent ease at using industry reports to make claims of health safety.
Water Utility Board meetings have lasted for hours because of citizen testimony about the wide range of smart meter concerns. In response, officials are dismissive and their lack of engagement is baffling. Perhaps they hoped that all the meters would be installed before anyone knew about the problems.
Claims that smart meters lead to water conservation should be scrutinized closely when the Water Utility proposes its next rate increase this fall. Fairness of charging residential customers but not industry for higher use is an issue, as are privacy, security, risks to health and the lack of a transparent process to which officials are accountable.
Sue Pastor participated in the East Side Water Supply Project Citizens Advisory Panel and continues as a member of the Well 15 CAP. Jim Powell is an organizer for the Midwest Environmental Justice Organization, former Northside Planning Council facilitator and co-founder of the Grassroots Leadership College.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/sue-pastor-and-jim-powell-smart-meters-a-watershed-moment/article_62b233c6-e640-11e1-9f40-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz24hyTnUDS
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