In 2008, the public utility manager in Ogden City, Utah sent out a request for proposal on a system-wide changeout of its meters, absolute encoders, and radio frequency meter interface units (RF MIUs), with a goal of eliminating estimating and replacing all their meters with AMR technology to read year-round. Read the full case study to learn more.
Washington utility enhances electricity infrastructure and improves customer service.
As our society continues to embrace digital technology, it’s fair to say that the world of water utilities will be, a major beneficiary of this revolution.
I became interested in water and the Internet of Things (IoT) several years ago when I had a below groundwater leak at home that resulted in a large water bill. Since I live in the Silicon Valley, CA, the high tech capital of the world, I thought there should be a better way to track water usage so problems can be identified and solved sooner.
Any water utility that has to impose restrictions due to water scarcity appreciates the value of conservation. On the other hand, there are utilities that — knowingly or unknowingly — permit as much as 20 to 40 percent of their treated water to trickle away without collecting a cent for it. If you have experienced either extreme, but are not already using advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), what’s holding you back? Before dismissing AMI as being too costly, too technical, or too difficult to implement, consider the following cost-benefit opportunities.
The correct answer seems to be that smart meters are safe, but the question itself could prove problematic for utilities.
The manual bi-monthly collection of readings from each meter was no small challenge—or expense—for Davie County Public Utilities. Oftentimes, meters in its water system were separated by a half-mile or more, and covering the routes could take a driver and a meter reader as many as 50 days.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has been available for some time, but the majority of water utilities still don’t utilize it. There are varying obstacles that keep more from embracing the technology, from cost prohibitions to lack of expertise. Increasingly, ways around these obstacles are emerging.
To residents, municipalities, and water utility professionals, no calamity is quite like a water main break.
Municipality benefits from guaranteed savings, reduced costs, and customer service accolades
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