XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: psperson@old.netcom.invalid   
      
   On Mon, 27 Oct 2025 23:05:45 GMT, scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal)   
   wrote:   
      
   >Your Name  writes:   
   >>On 2025-10-27 15:36:44 +0000, Paul S Person said:   
   >   
   >>>    
   >>> This is unlikely to happen with water meters -- at least here --   
   >>> because they are mostly buried in the ground and getting a wireless   
   >>> signal out might be difficult.   
   >>   
   >>Most water meters here are in boxes* in the garden (for houses anyway).    
   >>The boxes have an easily removeable lid so the meter reader can quickly    
   >>access them to read the dial numbers. Technically it should be    
   >>relatively easy to either have a cellular / wi-fi meter that can    
   >>connect.   
   >   
   >Technically, such radio device would require power, something that is not   
   >generally present at the water company valve box.   
      
   Locally, another problem might be that work on the plumbing from the   
   meter to the house is the homeowner's responsibility. That, combined   
   with the problem you note, might require the homeowner (or landlord)   
   to pay for this, and I don't think that would go over very well.   
      
   And I somehow don't think wiring the entire water distribution piping   
   (the part the utility is responsible for) to enable this would be   
   tolerable either, as it would surely be reflected in the bill. For a   
   very long time.   
      
   But who can say what might be possible. Perhaps a tapping code using   
   the pipes would work ...   
   --    
   "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,   
   Who evil spoke of everyone but God,   
   Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)