Gastonia’s new utility meter rollout is underway. What customers should expect
Gastonia’s replacement of older water and electric meters is underway, beginning a 12-month rollout with practical implications for City of Gastonia and Two Rivers Utilities customers.
The project replaces the older Automated Meter Reading, or AMR, system with Advanced Metering Infrastructure, known as AMI. The city says AMI is designed to provide more detailed usage information, improve outage and maintenance response, and make utility billing more accurate.
Who is affected
The work applies to customers receiving City of Gastonia or Two Rivers Utilities water or electric service. Two Rivers Utilities serves Gastonia and several surrounding communities, but this article focuses on the rollout’s effect on customers connected to the Gastonia utility system.
Gastonia’s AMI guidance says implementation is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and continue for the next 12 months. As of August 5, 2026, the city had not published exact installation times for each neighborhood. Customers are expected to receive notice before and after their meters are replaced.
What will happen at the property
Utility Service Co., Inc. is the prime contractor, and Keystone Utilities is the installation subcontractor. The city says contracted technicians will not need to enter a residence or business.
A brief interruption of water or electric service may occur while a meter is being changed. Customers should be prepared for a short disruption, but they should not assume a particular neighborhood will be served on a specific date until the city issues a notice.
Watch for payment scams
Technicians will not ask customers for money. The city says customers will not need to pay for the new meters. Residents and business owners should be cautious if anyone claiming to be part of the replacement work demands payment or says money is required to complete the installation.
Customers with questions about an installation or a problem after the work can call Gastonia utility customer service at 704-866-6714.
What could change on the bill
The city says installing AMI will not change a customer’s utility rate. That is separate from how much usage appears on a bill.
Because the new meters are intended to measure usage more precisely, some customers may see an increase in recorded water usage if older equipment was undercounting consumption. Gastonia does not say that every customer’s bill will increase. The city’s explanation is that improved readings may make previously unrecorded usage visible, while more detailed information could help customers monitor consumption and identify possible leaks.
Why Gastonia is making the change
The city says the existing AMR hardware and software are approaching the end of their useful life and are becoming more difficult to support and maintain. AMI is intended to improve billing accuracy, provide more detailed water and electric usage information, and help the city track service interruptions and respond to maintenance problems.
The city’s FY 2026 adopted budget says the AMI project has begun and expects all electric meters to be converted by late 2026 or early 2027. That is an overall electric-conversion forecast, not a neighborhood installation schedule.
For now, customers should watch for city notifications, plan for a possible brief service interruption during a meter changeout, and remember that legitimate meter technicians will not request payment.
Sources
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