New Advanced Meter Infrastructure to be installed in Murfreesboro which will replace all water meters

Nov 12, 2015 at 07:18 pm by bryan


The Murfreesboro Water & Sewer Department (MWSD) is currently in the process of upgrading all water meters to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of accurate meter readings.

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The meter replacement program, known as Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI), utilizes radio frequency technology developed by Itron, a world-leading technology services company dedicated to the resourceful use of energy and water.

The city-wide installation process will occur in cycles over a 18-month period and customers will be notified prior to the outdoor meters being installed.

"The City of Murfreesboro looks forward to benefiting from Itron's smart water solution, which will help enhance customer service with early leak notification and make water management more efficient through remote, rather than manual meter reading," said Darren Gore, director of Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department.

Among some of the AMI benefits:

  • The radio-frequency (RF) transmitter device automatically sends a meter reading once an hour for real-time reading and data collection.
  • The meter reading information will be delivered into the MWSD Customer Information System (CIS) for customer service and billing accuracy.
  • The new, more accurate meter may detect small leaks that the previous meter missed.
  • Customers will be able to catch potential leaks through an online customer portal.

"Itron's smart water solution will give the City of Murfreesboro the tools it needs to more efficiently operate its system. With detailed data and analytics, the utility will have more visibility into its system to improve reliability and enhance service," said Paula Billingham, Itron executive. "We are pleased to partner with our distributor United Systems and Software to deliver this solution to MWSD. Together, we will help MWSD better manage their water resources."

US Bronco, a remote meter reading installation service contractor, is partnering with ITron and United Systems to install the new wireless meters. Meter Installation technicians will have a photo identification badge and service vehicles clearly identified with the US Bronco logo as contractors for MWSD. Affected customers will receive a post card approximately one to two weeks prior to installation, notifying them that installers will be working in their neighborhood.

Since typical water meters are located outside, homeowners affected by the installation will only notice a small sign placed near the new meter. Homeowners with plants or lawn ornaments on or near the meter lid, should be prepared to remove any obstruction that would prevent installers from replacing the old meter. The replacement process typically takes about 15 minutes. Water service may have to be turned off for about 10 minutes during installation.

"Customers do not need to be home for the new meters to be installed," said MWSD Meter Reader Manager Randy McCullough. "Prior to beginning installation, the US Bronco technician will knock on the customer's door to notify you that the work is about to begin and that water service may be temporarily interrupted during installation."

Once installed, the new water meters have electronic digital registers that wirelessly send a precise water usage meter reading signal to the fixed, low radio-frequency (RF) transmitter device. The new technology reduces human error of manually read water meters. The radio frequency does not interfere with other licensed frequencies used by radio, television, mobile and cordless phones, nor is the signal a health hazard. The device meets all FCC requirements.

The current billing system will not change but the new meters will be more transparent and will more accurately measure water usage. For a residential-sized water meter (5/8") the old meter approximately 94 percent accurate and the new meter 100 percent accurate. With the new meter, the typical customer could see a monthly increase on their water and sewer bill of approximately $3.40.

For more information about the AMI program, visit www.murfreesborotn.gov/mwsd/ami.

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