AMI Reluctance And The Risk Of Doing Nothing

Advanced meter infrastructure (AMI) systems bring cutting-edge technology to the water industry. AMI delivers advanced capabilities, namely the power to collect frequent, accurate water usage data. This data, in turn, helps automate billing and leak detection. As utilities learn to use data as an asset, the advantages compound. Utilities that have transitioned to AMI benefit from increased revenue, reduced risk, improved customer relations, and widespread efficiencies across operations.

Despite the overwhelming evidence and positive perception of AMI, there remains a large chunk of utilities across the US that have yet to initiate the transition. Over and over, in conversations with utilities, we find that AMI-reluctance stems from the following issues: financial apprehension, operational apprehension, disinformation and disinterest. It’s not surprising that these concerns exist, given that AMI is still a relatively new solution in a traditional industry. However, considering the overwhelming evidence in favor of it, AMI- reluctance, itself, is a risk. Considering all that water systems have to gain by transitioning to AMI, we think it’s time to lay out the truth about AMI.