Blog

Resources for water utility managers. Strategy, technology, and real talk about customer portals.

Modernization

Consumer Confidence Report Rule 2027: What Changes and How to Reach Residents

The Consumer Confidence Report rule 2027 changes: twice-a-year CCRs at 10,000+ people, email delivery, a plain summary, and a plan to actually reach residents.

Oct 8, 2026·7 min read
Comparisons

Cityworks Alternative for Small Water Utilities: An Honest Look

Looking for a Cityworks alternative? An honest look at where Cityworks fits, where it strains small water utilities, and what to compare before you renew.

Oct 8, 2026·7 min read
Modernization

Cityworks Cost: What Water Utilities Actually Pay in 2026

What does Cityworks cost? License, implementation, and Esri figures from public municipal contracts, and how to estimate Cityworks pricing for your utility.

Oct 8, 2026·7 min read
Modernization

Water Meter and AMI Grants: How to Fund a Resident Portal in the Same Project

Water meter and AMI grants can cover more than hardware. How to fund a resident portal through WaterSMART and the DWSRF, with sample grant language to adapt.

Oct 8, 2026·7 min read
Modernization

Work Order Software for Water Utilities: A Buyer's Checklist

A buyer's checklist for work order software for water utilities: mobile in the truck, maps without Esri, unlimited users, clear pricing, and a fast go-live.

Oct 8, 2026·7 min read
Comparisons

The 5 Best Customer Engagement Platforms for Water Utilities in 2026

Your CIS portal and meter vendor app aren't enough. Here are 5 dedicated platforms that fill the gap — ranked for mid-market utilities.

Aug 28, 2026·9 min read
Modernization

How to Modernize Your Water Utility's Customer Experience Without Replacing Your Billing System

Tyler, Harris, CivicPlus — your CIS works for billing. It doesn't work for customer engagement. Here's the overlay approach.

Aug 14, 2026·7 min read
Comparisons

EyeOnWater vs. Fluvio: Breaking Free from AMI Vendor Lock-In

EyeOnWater comes free with Badger meters. But 'free' has a cost — vendor lock-in, no billing data, no AI, and half your residents left out.

Jul 31, 2026·7 min read
Water Data

Giving Residents Access to Their Water Usage Data: A Complete Guide

Your AMI vendor shows a usage chart. Your billing system shows a dollar amount. Residents need both in one place. Here's how.

Jul 17, 2026·8 min read
AI & Customer Service

How Water Utilities Are Using AI to Transform Customer Service

Your CIS vendor doesn't have AI. Your meter vendor doesn't have AI. Here's how utilities are using it anyway — and what it's changing.

Jul 3, 2026·8 min read
Water Data

Water Leak Alerts That Actually Reach Residents: A Setup Guide

Your AMI detects leaks. Your meter vendor's app flags them passively. Here's how to build alerts that actually reach residents before the next bill.

Jun 19, 2026·7 min read
Comparisons

WaterSmart vs. Fluvio: Which Customer Portal Fits Your Utility?

Most utilities aren't choosing between WaterSmart and Fluvio — they're comparing Fluvio to the portal they already have. Here's when each makes sense.

Jun 5, 2026·8 min read
Water Data

Your AMI Investment Is Wasted If Residents Can't See Their Data

You spent millions on smart meters. Your AMI vendor gave you an app. Residents still can't explain their own bill. Here's the missing layer.

May 22, 2026·7 min read
Analytics & NRW

How AMI + SCADA Integration Finally Lets You Measure Non-Revenue Water in Real Time

Monthly NRW reports are an autopsy, not a diagnosis. Here's how production data from SCADA combined with billed consumption from AMI gives you daily NRW visibility — and lets you find leaks before they show up on a P&L.

May 11, 2026·9 min read
Adoption

Why Your Water Utility Portal Stalls at 8% Adoption (and How to Actually Drive Sign-Ups)

Most utility portals plateau under 15% adoption after a full year. The portal isn't the problem — the launch is. Here's the SMS, email, and QR playbook that gets residents signed in.

May 11, 2026·8 min read
AI & Customer Service

AI Call Centers for Water Utilities: What's Real and What's Hype

Your CIS vendor doesn't offer it. Your meter vendor doesn't offer it. An AI call center is the biggest gap in utility customer service — here's how it works.

May 8, 2026·9 min read
AI & Customer Service

How to Reduce Call Volume at Your Water Utility by 60%

Your billing portal and meter vendor app aren't reducing calls. Here's what actually works — self-service portals and AI call centers.

Apr 24, 2026·7 min read
Customer Portal

Why Your Billing System's Customer Portal Isn't a Customer Portal

Tyler, Harris, CivicPlus, Muni-Link — they all have 'portals.' Here's what they're missing and what your residents actually need.

Apr 10, 2026·8 min read
Customer Portal

Why Your Meter Vendor's App Shouldn't Be Your Customer Portal

EyeOnWater, Neptune 360, Sensus Analytics — your AMI vendor built an app to sell meters, not to serve your residents. Here's why that matters.

Apr 10, 2026·8 min read
Customer Portal

Why Your Water Utility's Customer Portal Isn't Good Enough

Your billing system has a portal. Your meter vendor has an app. Neither one is serving your residents. Here's what's missing.

Apr 10, 2026·10 min read

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