7F, Consider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers

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� EN HILLS MEM4RANDUM DATE: March 28, 201� TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers -' J Patrick Klaers, City Ad�nniuistrator �;��'`� . � � FROM. Terry Mau.rer, Public Werks Director � SUB,IECT: Coa�sider Purchase of New Water Meter Readers Ba _ckground The City's commercial/industrial water meters and readers were replaced in 1997/1998 and the residentiai water meters and readers were replaced in 2Q01. The �neter readers were e�pec#ed to have a 10-11 year life which is currently at its end. The batteries are starting to fail and �echnalagy has changed so much it is hard to g�t replacemex�t batteries or parts. The current system is a remote reading systern whereby a Public Works staff memb�r simply d�ves the street wiih an electronic handheld reader which remotely reads the meters. The City system has approxima#eIy 230 comrnercial/industrial meters and 2,422 residential meters. The Capital Improvemer�t Plarz (CIP} has an item starting in 2011 and running through 2014 to replace all meter readers (a copy of the CIP sheet is attached}. Staff wer�t through a review process to look at sys#ems that are compatible witk� our current meters which should have 15-20 years of life l�ft. The staff recomme�ded system is a Badger Galaxy System ihat allows remot� reading from a camputer screen. When ihe change out af ineter readers is complete, meters will be read from a computer in the Finance Department. There will no longer be a need for a Public Works staff to spend 2-3 days a month reading meters. In the 2011 CIP ti�ere is $64,000 prograrr�ed tio begin this co�version process. With $60,000, staff is recommending purchase af the Badgex Galaxy Fixed Network Collector Package which consists of an antenna lacated on the water tower, computer software and installation, technical support, ce�lu�ar backhaul (device that senc�s the meter reading frorn t�ie antenna to the computer), and 50 meter readers. In addit�on sta£f recomrr�ends purchase of enough comrnerciallindustrial meier readers to change out all of those in 2011 with City staf£ With the remaining funds staff would purchase approximately 50 residential meter readers. These rnrould be used to change out any failed meter readers and/or combine sutnp pump inspections wzt� zx�eter reader change outs. P:lAdminlCouncillAgendas & Packet Iniarmation1201 i13-28-11 Iteg�larlPacket Informationl3-28-11 Water Meter Memo.doc Page 1 of 2