Arden Hills, MN – City expanding power to monitor citizens in their homes.

Problem 1: PRIVACY CONCERNS: The new ‘smart’ water meter updates water usage every 4 seconds. Then it sends water usage every hour to the city.

Where is our privacy? If you stop using water for the night at 10pm the city will know because they will get signals during the night of no water usage. If the city gets a signal at 2am saying you used 1.5 gallons, then the city knows you just flushed your toilet. The government does not need to know when we flush our toilet (each flush uses the same amount of water in your home). They will even use the information to prosecute you if you water your lawn on the wrong days.

Where is our privacy? After a few weeks usage patterns will emerge. The city will see water not being used specific times of day and on specific days of the week giving the city (and anyone else) information regarding when we are gone for work/school. We cannot trust government officials with this data OR even the company that sends the signal to the city. Worse yet, the Freedom of Information act allows this data to be given to anyone who asks, including prospective burglars and pedophiles who can figure out when we are home and when we are gone making it a prime database for criminals.

The Fourth Amendment protects the right to be left alone from interference by the government. Reporting water usage every 4 seconds, every hour, even every day is too often. Can you accept that?

Smart meter story 1 of 2:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/watching-out-for-governments-other-purposes
WND EXCLUSIVE WATCHING OUT FOR GOVERNMENT’S ‘OTHER PURPOSES’

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Problem 2: HEALTH CONCERNS: The new ‘smart’ water meter’s signal is STRONGER than a cell phone or cordless telephone (DECT 6.0) systems

We all know about the health studies of people who are on cell phones too much. Cell phones should not be near your head hours a day, 7 days a week because the signal is not be good for you – the same goes for cordless phones (DECT 6.0).

Well, these new water meters will be right in your home, only a few feet from infants, kids, and adults, sending an even stronger signal 24/7 using the 450-470 MHz band making it a major health concern. Can you accept that?

Smart meter story 2 of 2:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/health-hazards-linked-to-utility-meters/
WND EXCLUSIVE HEALTH HAZARDS LINKED TO UTILITY METERS ‘Smart’ units blamed for sleep troubles, stress, headaches, heart problems

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Could you cell phone be killing you?
http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/is-your-beloved-cell-phone-killing-you/

01/03/2013 national news story:
http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/now-radio-waves-coming-from-your-faucet/ Or click here

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CITY RESPONSE:

The city has said
“The City Council certainly does have the ability to place a surcharge on properties that refuse to allow the new reader system to be installed”.

The City Council’s response is
“While it monitors water use, I’m sure there is no intent for invasion of privacy.”

They want us to TRUST THEM. Do we really want them to have that much knowledge and do we trust all government employees? I certainly don’t.

Please contact the Arden Hills City:
Arden Hills City website http://www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us/
Main Arden Hills city person to contact: terry.maurer@ci.arden-hills.mn.us Public Works Director 651.792.7847
City email: cityhall@ci.arden-hills.mn.us

Arden Hills city Phone: 651.792.7800
Arden Hills city Fax: 651.634.5137

Equipment from: http://www.badgermeter.com/ Galaxy meters from Badger meter company.

(My name is Steve Cook and my email is manager@ardenhills.org and my telephone is 1-651-321-3131) Anyone that can help, especially an attorney would be appreciated.