The Town of Okotoks' new portal, linked to the new water meters has pre-launched.

As part of the updated water meters residents have received, customers now have access to an online Water Meter Portal to monitor usage.

Melanie Heemeryck, Communications Specialist, Town of Okotoks, says since utility bills are directly linked to usage the portal can help customers save money.

"Anyone who has received the new meters or who has been upgraded with this new technology can now have access to the sign in portal through the Town's website. It's a great tool for citizens to be able to see their water usage, and patterns. For citizens who have gone out of town for a period of time, they can detect water leaks and other abnormalities in water usage."

The portal can be used on a range of devices from computers, to tablets, and smart phones.

Heemeryck says the portal will include municipal messaging, and the watering schedule for quick reference, as well as some interesting features for users.

"You'll be able to see different readings, hourly readings, to daily, to monthly usage. You can see patterns and you can see on watering days how much water you're using, just to help calculate. If you have a certain amount you want to spend on water for your household, you can monitor and set daily alerts when you have exceeded your daily allotment."

Heemeryck shares this is just the pre-launch for any citizen who would like a sneak peek, however more messaging will be sent out with utility bills during the official launch in January.

"They can go to Okotoks.ca/watermeter and they'll be able to click on the link for a preview, register for an account, and get on the portal."