From
Ron McCuller
Title
Construction contract with Itron, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $5,250,000 for the provision of a fully functioning Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) System
Presenter
Ron McCuller, Director of Public Works
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
In 2003, the City began an upgrade of its meter reading to become more efficient. This led to a "drive by" meter reading system that, as meters were changed out or new ones installed, eliminated the need for manual meter reading. This is accomplished by transmitters on the new meters that send the reading to our receiving equipment as we drive down the street.
We installed these meters in phases each year until 2009 when we stopped the change out program pending an investigation into a more advanced program that transmits radio signals back to a central computer, eliminating the need to drive by the meters (AMI system).
Approximately 2/3 of the water system was converted to the drive by automated meter reading (AMR) system allowing us to largely eliminate manual meter reading by individuals. The latter installations on this system (about 3,000) were equipped with the newer upgraded version of transmitters that could also be used with a Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system which does not require drive-by but transmit to collectors that provide readings directly to a central processor that generates customer bills.
Since we began the drive-by program, AMI systems have come to fruition with a number of vendors having systems available with benefits that far surpass the limited information obtained by either manual or drive-by meter reading. Technology has now evolved to the point where a "fixed base" receiver can now receive signals from appropriately equipped meters, eliminating the need to drive by. This new system also provides additional customer service benefits by recording hourly meter readings, hourly meter reading (allowing us to profile customer dem...
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