Automated Meter Reading comes to the Board of Water Works
The Board of Water Works of Pueblo (the Board) will begin installation of new water meters that allow Automated Meter Reading (AMR).
Meter reading is currently done by the traditional process of meter readers looking at every meter in the system and entering the data, whereas the AMR technology sends the meter read data directly from each meter to a computer located in the Board’s offices.
“This upgrade will enhance service to our customers and increase the efficiency of our operations,” says Jerry Cantrell, Administrative Services Director. “For example, we can obtain a final read for a customer almost instantaneously without sending an employee across town to manually read the meter. Also, if a customer senses high or low consumption from their bill we can poll their meter from our central office to detect any change in usage that might indicate a problem.”
The first phase of the multi-year conversion project will see the replacement of approximately 6,000 of the system’s 39,000-plus meters. The areas to be converted to AMR in this first wave are generally in newer, outlying service areas that are difficult to cover with manual reading. The project will continue over several years and will end when all meters in Pueblo are automated.
According to Danny Golob, Meter Services Supervisor, AMR will not cost anyone their job. "The Board's Meter Readers work hard reading all of Pueblo's water meters once a month," explains Golob. "The AMR system will keep this task manageable as the Board's service area continues to grow, with meter readers still needed until the entire system is completely automated. By that time, meter readers will have changed duties, some of them maintaining the AMR system."
Each new meter includes a sealed, battery-powered data transponder that periodically sends meter data to one of sixteen data collection units located throughout the covered areas. These solar-powered collectors then send the data to the central computer for billing, customer service, and field services.
Meter replacement will be done at no cost to water customers by employees of the Board of Water Works and by employees of Mountain States Pipe and Supply, the Board’s contractor for the AMR project. These employees will wear identification badges and their vehicles will display company identification, as work on the AMR conversion takes place Monday through Friday each week between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Since a brief interruption of water service may occur at a property as its meter is being replaced, customers will be notified individually when work at their particular address is to take place. Notification will be provided both as a phone call and as an informational door hanger.
For additional information, contact Ric Esgar, Field Services Manager, at 584-0245.
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