FINANCIAL ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Present the Financial Advisory Board with a background on the status of the Water Utility Automated Meter Infrastructure Business Case
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DEPARTMENT: Finance Department
SUBMITTED BY: Rachel Mayer, Finance Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
In June 2018, the City received notification from Alexander Contract Services expressing a desire to terminate their contract with the City for water meter reading services. The City is currently working with Alexander to maintain manual reading services for the duration of the agreement, which is valid through August 2021. Additionally, the City is exploring alternatives for future meter reading operations.
On Dec. 4, 2018, City Council awarded a contract to West Monroe Partners, LLC to complete a Water Utility Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Business Case analysis to examine options and feasibility of implementing alternatives to manual water meter reading.
During the business case analysis, West Monroe Partners evaluated four technology options in comparison to a baseline manual meter reading scenario, which would be managed within the City. Options included:
1. Leveraging the City's current Elster AMI system used to read electric meters
2. Installing a low-site point to multi-point AMI network, which would require approximately 35 to 40 collectors mounted on objects such as street lights
3. Installing a high-site point to multi point AMI network, which would require approximately six base stations mounted on objects such as water towers
4. Using a mobile radio AMR system, which would involve meter reads being collected via a motor vehicle-mounted mobile radio system
Several key assumptions were made in analyzing the various options. Perimeters for estimated costs were built around a 20-year period, which mirrored an assumed 20-year battery life for the AMI endpoints.
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