The primary goal of public or privately owned utilities has always been to cost-effectively and efficiently deliver electricity, gas, and water to consumers. However, utilities today cope with added pressures. They are being asked to do more with less, contending with smaller workforces and less capital expenditures while at the same time trying to prevent assets from becoming obsolete. By Aclara
The City of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, had been using a drive-by Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system to read all of its meters since 2010, but according to Rob Stark, utility supervisor for the City of Coeur d’Alene Water Department, it wasn’t realizing the full benefits with its existing system.
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.
On the morning of December 12, 2017, about 30 homes in the Shelby Park neighborhood of Lousiville, KY, were without water, and others were experiencing low water pressure after a massive water main break at the intersection of Clay and Oak streets. More than 20 million gallons of water flooded the neighborhood, covering a three-block area.
A water pipeline extension recently completed for the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is the largest high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe project of its type ever done in North America according to the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI). The $149 million, Regional Carrizo Project undertaken to provide water to 60,000 homes by late 2013, was named Project of the Year for PPI's Municipal and Industrial Division. PPI is the major trade association representing all segments of the plastic pipe industry.
The city of Yakima services approximately 19,000 accounts within 27 square miles in the Yakima Valley. Frequent droughts, above average water loss and inaccurate meters prompted the city to search for a vendor who could provide a turnkey solution complete with a quality product line. The selected vendor also needed to have an endpoint that could withstand the extreme conditions experienced inside their meter pits including high humidity and varying temperatures.
This article is in support of the Imagine a Day Without Water campaign — a national online movement to raise awareness about the value of water and water infrastructure.
Numerous considerations are in play for utility officials when choosing a data communication system. It is a substantial investment, with the eyes of regulatory agencies and customers watching intently.
Like several of its counterparts in Florida, Pasco County is a name frequently repeated in the news when it comes to growth.
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