The Town of High River is working hard to encourage residents who have not had new water meters installed since the flood to do so.

The town's CFO and acting CAO, Tom Maier says they're now charging these people a special rate.

"If they don't have a water meter installed, then the rate that we charge them since we can't charge them based on consumption is they'll be charged a rate ten times the flat rate for not being measured or calculated for water consumption."

 He says the town is trying to work with residents, but rates will be used as an incentive when necessary.

"We sent out some door-knockers this past week, putting it (notice) on the doors if the people weren't home. So, we're just trying to reach out to everybody, but just in case somebody says 'hey I don't want a new meter put in place', that we have a mechanism to charge them an appropriate rate that doesn't place the burden of the water system on all the other residents."

Maier says the meters need to be changed to reflect actual consumption.

"If they don't have a water meter in place, then we don't know how much water they're using. What precipitated the replacement of the meters was the flood."

He says the recording mechanisms of the older meters were not equipped to handle the 2013 flood and the new water meters are designed to withstand flood water or contamination. Installation of the meters is currently covered through the town and they're hoping to have the few dozen outstanding meters changed by the end of February.