Moss Point Moves Toward Accurate Water Billing and Leak Detection

Moss Point’s New Water Meter System: Accuracy, Accountability, and Fairness

In his latest episode of The River City Chat, Mayor Billy Knight Sr. shared major updates on the City of Moss Point’s water meter system upgrade. The project, first identified as a priority when he took office, aims to resolve years of estimated billing and water loss that have cost the city approximately $300,000 annually.

Mayor Knight explained, “We came into office knowing that we had a water meter problem back in 2013 when over 5,000 water meters were installed. I am being told that within a year’s time, they were not working.”

Since that time, the City has been forced to estimate many water bills rather than measure exact usage. That issue is now being corrected through a new, fully monitored, data-driven system scheduled to go live in December 2025.

How the New System Works

Nearly 5,000 meters have already been installed, and the new system is providing real-time data. “We know right now how much water is running through the system,” said Mayor Knight. “We know right now how much water each one of you are using. We are finding that there are a lot of businesses and homes that are having leaks around the house somewhere.”

He clarified that these leaks are not on the city’s side. “That rumor has it on your property — it’s not on our side,” he said. “From that point to the street is on us. There’s not a leak in there. The leak is somewhere coming from your side.”

The City can now detect unusual usage that suggests a leak and will notify property owners directly. “We’re going to send you a certified letter letting you know that you have a leak in your house, or you’re using more water than you should be using,” the Mayor explained. “When you get that certified letter, we ask that you return that card saying that you received the letter so that we know that you got it. If you don’t turn the card in, we’re going to have someone come to your house and knock on your door, because we really want you to know that you have this major leak before we start billing you.”

He also cautioned that once the new system goes live, actual usage will be reflected in every bill. “If you don’t correct this problem by the first of December, you’re going to get a bill that you’re not going to believe is correct — but we’re going to be able to show you that it is correct.”

What Residents Should Do

If you receive a certified notice, you will be asked to confirm receipt and contact a licensed plumber to inspect your property. Leaks located between the meter and your home are the property owner’s responsibility, while any issue from the meter to the street will be handled by the City.

Mayor Knight said, “Return that card to us and then you should get busy in finding a plumber that would help you find where the leak is, because we do not want to send you a bill that you do not deserve. That’s what we’re trying to avoid now.”

Those who fail to respond may receive a follow-up visit to ensure they are aware of the situation before the December billing cycle begins.

Looking Ahead

When fully launched, Moss Point’s new system will allow residents and City officials to view detailed data on water usage by the month, week, day, or even hour. “We’ve got a real good system here that we’re going to be able to monitor real closely,” said Mayor Knight. “We’ll be able to show you on the screen what kind of usage you have — by the month, by the week, by the day, by the hour.”

The Mayor emphasized that this upgrade reflects the administration’s commitment to efficiency, fairness, and responsible management of city resources. “We don’t want you to pay no more and no less than you should be paying,” he said. “We want everybody to pay their fair share. No more, no less.”

He added that this fulfills a key promise made at the start of his administration. “This is one of the promises that we made when we came into this office — that we would get a good water system in place, and we are about to do that. Let’s work together on this, Moss Point, so we can start off right.”