To help improve customer service, water conservation and operational efficiency, the City of Weatherford, OK, recently replaced 5500 water meters and implemented an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system provided by Cleveland, N.C.-based Mueller Systems. As a result of the project, the city has automated the process of determining how much water each customer uses -- for any period of time -- allowing it to more accurately bill customers for their water usage.
The AMI system has eliminated the need for the city to manually collect water meter readings each month, as workers receive readings on scheduled monthly intervals in their office. Meters in the AMI network "alert" the department of abnormally high water usage and potential leaks as they occur. The city can also send signals through the network to receive "on-demand" readings from meters while on the phone with customers to address billing related inquiries.
The system also provides the city's customers with on-demand access to their household water usage through a web-based consumer portal that allows them to monitor their water consumption, compare current usage to previous periods, configure individual alerts, and set budget and water conservation goals.
"Our Water Department has been receiving lots of positive feedback as a result of the project," said Brown. "Customers are now able to monitor their household water usage and better understand how their consumption affects their bill. Access to this kind of helpful information along with improved meter accuracy has also led to far fewer complaints from customers about their water usage, which has provided significant relief to call center staff as well."
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