Carol Stream homeowners will get new water meters over the next several years as the village rolls out a community-wide replacement program that started in October.

More than 70% of the village's mechanical water meters have been in service for over 20 years and have passed their useful life, according to a village announcement posted Thursday, Oct. 1. The Public Works Department, under Village Manager Bill Holmer, will swap them out neighborhood by neighborhood.

The new meters will support Carol Stream's shift to an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. AMI transmits usage data electronically, replacing the current process in which village staff drive through neighborhoods with a mobile device to collect readings. The Finance Department's water billing team then downloads that data to generate monthly bills.

With AMI, the village said the meters will provide more frequent consumption data to monitor system performance. A February 2026 village post on water infrastructure estimated the program would cover more than 11,000 meters. The Oct. 1 announcement did not repeat that figure.

The village originally projected a January 2026 start for the replacements. That timeline shifted to October.

What residents need to know

Replacements will happen in phases. Residents should not call to schedule an appointment until they receive an official village notice in the mail. That letter will include instructions and a QR code to pick an available time block.

Homeowners who do not get a letter during the first phase have not been skipped. The village said each neighborhood will be notified when its turn arrives.

The village said it will post frequently asked questions, preparation instructions and project updates on its Water Meter Replacement webpage.

Water Reclamation Center open house Oct. 3

Carol Stream is also hosting a Water Reclamation Center Open House on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 245 Kuhn Road. The village said it will be the last open house for two years because of construction at the facility.

No program cost has been released.

Residents with water service questions can reach Public Works at (630) 871-6260 during business hours.