(4/24) At the April 13 Town meeting, the Walkersville Public Works introduced the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project to update the town’s water meter reading process. The transformation will be to a communication network that allows the town to read meters electronically. The motion to implement the new system passed 3-0.
The initial fee for this system, including installation, equipment, the customer portal subscription, the initial annual fee, and training, will cost the town $138,861. According to Public Works Director Joseph Birch, some of this could be covered under the American Rescue Funds. After the first year, the system will cost $28,000 per year. This includes upkeep and the continued customer portal subscription.
Because the new system is electronic, Public Works employees can read the water meters from Town Hall. Saving time on reading water meters saves the town money but also allows the department to be available to help customers, especially in an emergency.
Commissioner Michael Bailey pointed out that changing to this system would save the Town $37,800 per year in employee pay, which more than covers the yearly costs of the system.
The new system will allow real time billing information through a portal that can be accessed by the town and customers, which will further cut down on employee time. Since customers can check their water bills at any time, there will be no need for employees to provide estimates themselves. It could also allow Public Works to transfer to a quarterly reading cycle.
The portal is expected to make it easier for residents to monitor their water usage, even sending them updates via email about their usage and bills. Not only will customers receive an alert at customizable points when their usage is high, but the portal will also notify the Public Works department if usage is constant for 24 hours. This allows the department to send an employee to the residents’ home to identify and address the issue early on.
Since residents will be able to access their billing information in real time, monitoring their daily usage could "empower them to conserve resources and potentially save money," Birch said. Customers also have access to additional information regarding their water bill, allowing for fewer disputes and billing errors.
Residents will have access to the portal once they have the new wireless meter installed, already ordered, and waiting to be installed by the Public Works Department. Regardless of the residents’ equipment, the Town will be able to monitor residents’ usage for high usage. Birch assured the commissioners that the Public Works Department will still be able to read meters in the field, if need be, after switching to the electronic system.
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