Ricky Wells, one of Thorsby's meter readers, prepares to install a new Badger Meter Recordall® Disc Series meter and register, which includes a transmitter, so he can conveniently gather meter data as he drives by.
"I've been putting Badger Meter water meters into our system for probably 15 years, so we can convert a lot of them over without changing the whole meter out," he said.
The design of the meters was another consideration. Jackson said the nutating disc design resulted in less clogged meters.
"When we do have a clog, which is very seldom, we can pull down the meter in the system, clean it out, put it back together and move on," he said.
According to Thorsby Mayor Dearl Hilyer, these water infrastructure upgrades are being made possible, in part, thanks to initial state funding of $4,000, appropriated by State Representative Kurt Wallace.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to upgrade our systems with technology that will help us reduce operating costs, while enhancing customer service and safety," said Mayor Hilyer. He added that funds from the Town of Thorsby will also be used to finance the improvements. "It's an investment in our infrastructure that will provide many benefits for years to come."
About the Author: John Fillinger is marketing manager (Meter Reading Solutions) at Badger Meter and has more than 18 years of experience in the water utility industry. An expert in meter reading technologies, he speaks regularly about the benefits of AMR systems for utilities' overall system performance. He is an active member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Automatic Meter Reading Association (AMRA). He can be reached at [email protected].
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