In an effort to improve customer service for water customers and maximize the efficiency of its water system, the City of Fairfield, Ohio, has partnered with Ferguson Waterworks to replace all of the city's 13,500 water meters.
After a two-year vetting process, the city decided to partner with Ferguson in February 2022. In May, customers will receive a letter from the installation contractor, Professional Meters Inc. This letter includes a toll-free number, web address link, and instructions on scheduling an appointment where they can be present during the meter change-out process. The new meters are being installed at no charge to the customer, with an estimated completion date of November 2023.
Ferguson's advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system by Master Meter works no longer requires a manual read by utility workers, allowing more time for maintenance and faster response times to emergencies. Once the AMI project is completed city-wide, water customers can monitor their own water usage in real-time using a simple smartphone application.
"Upgrading to smart water meters takes our customer service capabilities to a new level," said Adam Sackenheim, Public Utilities director. "Because the City of Fairfield expects to see continued growing demand for water service through the next decade, we need to provide customers with more informative and timely information. With the Master Meter system, water usage can be more closely monitored, increasing our efficiency, including the ability to quickly identify and address customer issues such as high water usage and leaks."
