AMR Case Study: Madison Suburban Utility District
The main objectives of implementing an RMR system, according to Kevin Hickerson, Madison Suburban's Distribution Manager who managed the AMR pilot, were to reduce worker compensation claims, improve meter reader safety, reduce overall operating costs, and re-deploy existing meter reading personnel to projects more directly related to meeting their customers' needs.
AMR too expensive in past
Like other water utilities, Madison Suburban had explored automatic meter reading (AMR) in the past but had felt that until now, technology was not reliable or cost-effective enough to justify an AMR system. Hickerson explains, "product cost was the main reason we decided to pilot test an automated reading system at this time. Until now, AMR technology has been too expensive to even consider. With the advances in technology, some AMR systems have suddenly moved into the forefront as being reliable and cost effective for utilities of all sizes."
Quik Facts about MSUD
After a careful review of available technologies, Hickerson determined that radio frequency (RF) was best-suited for his service environment, which included primarily pit-set meters housed in brick or pre-fabricated concrete pits with cast iron lids.
After evaluating several RF-based AMR solutions, Hickerson chose RAMAR Technology's 900 Series remote meter-reading system. The RAMAR system includes RAMAR's meter interface unit (MIU), TransPondIT, and their hand-held receiver, HandTrackIT. In their pilot implementation, Madison attached TransPondITs to Schlumberger and Sensus Technologies water meters. The TransPondIT collects meter reading and tamper information from the meter and then transmits that information to the HandTrackIT, which attaches to most popular hand-held computers. For his installation, Hickerson chose Datamatic's RoadRunner hand-held computer and route management software that allows for a combination of manual and radio reads on the same route.
RAMAR's Open Systems Approach
Hickerson explains why he chose the RAMAR system, "RAMAR offered a compact unit that was easy to install and reasonably priced. The product was versatile enough to work with the majority of meters in our system. This was a concern when we started looking for an AMR solution because we use several meter brands in our system."
Hickerson chose one of his more difficult routes to evaluate the RAMAR system. The chosen route includes meter pits that are submerged on a regular basis, fenced-in yards, hilly terrain and dangerous blind spots. Hickerson says, "we felt this route offered a good variety of situations that might be encountered in other meter routes throughout our system."
AMR System Components
Meters: Schlumberger ARB V
Sensus SR II
AMR: RAMAR 900 Series
Handheld Computer: Datamatic RoadRunner
After installing the system in December 1998, Madison has read the 240 meters on a monthly basis and has achieved a reading rate ranging from 98-100%.
"Our original goal was to do a pilot test to last approximately six months, evaluate a product and the process, and then decide if an AMR system would be cost-effective and beneficial to our utility. Having done this, we are preparing to systematically implement AMR into our system on a route by route basis."
When asked to summarize his experience with RAMAR and Madison's AMR pilot, Hickerson says, "RAMAR has provided our district the ability to completely automate our system by providing technology that is affordable, flexible and easy to install. We are completely satisfied with all aspects of the entire process."
In the past AMR systems were expensive. The cost per point for the technology in many cases would exceed $100 per point before installation. Additionally, since most AMR systems would not work with existing meters, hand-held computers, and billing systems, these components would also need to be changed, adding significant costs to implementation. However, RAMAR's products easily interface with a variety of popular software and hardware platforms; thus utilities' prior investments in meters, hand-held computers and route management systems are protected. RAMAR's independence from other system components means that the RAMAR solution is cost-effective for utilities of all sizes.
For more information about the Madison Suburban Utility District installation or other RAMAR installations, please call AT RAMAR, LLC at 1-888-98-RAMAR.