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� <br />EN HILLS <br />MEMORANDUM <br />DATE: July 11, 2011 <br />T4; Honorab�e Mayor and Cxty Counc�imenrabexs <br />Patxack Klaers, City Adzninisfrafor ��,s� <br />C�nd,� <br />FROM: Ter Maurer Public Works Director � <br />rY � !�'" � <br />SUBJECT: Cons�der Puxchase o#' New Water Mete�r Readexs <br />Back�round <br />Back an March 28, 2011, this item was before the City Council. A copy of that agenda <br />itern along with the meeting minutes is attached. At the March meeting the item was <br />tabled for additiona.t information. I must apologize as this was due ta me not fully <br />uz�dexstanding the issues az�d expiaining them. inconrectiy. <br />The City's commercial/industrial water �neters and readers were replaced in 1997/1998 <br />and the residential water meters and readers were replaced in 2041. They were replaced <br />with Badger water meters and Trace readers. The meters were expected to have a 20-30 <br />year life az�.d are still functioning well. T�e readers were expected to have a 10-11 year <br />life which is currently at its end. The Trace reader is no longer produced having been <br />disconiinued in 2005. New Trace readers are not available and replacement parts are <br />very difficult to Iocate. As ihe original batteries begin to fail, replacernent batteries can <br />be found but replacement batteries have had a severely shortened life and many of the <br />actuai readers have started to fail. The Ciiy nas 230 commerciallindustrial meters and <br />2,422 residential meters. Currently there are 20 corr�zxaercial/industrial zneters a�nd 8 <br />residential meters that are read manually due io failed readers. That number is expected <br />to continue to grow. <br />The curr�nt systern is remote reading, meaning a Public Works staff inember si�nply <br />drives the streei with an electronic read�r which remotely reads the meters. Once the <br />meters are read a disc of informatian is provided �o ihe Finan.ce Depart:�x�ent for bxlling <br />putposes. <br />One otl�er issue that has come to staff's attention since the March �neeting is ihe FCC has <br />changed their rules regarding systems in the Trace operatin� frequency. Attached is a <br />City Council Meeting <br />P:1AdminlCouncillAgendas & Packet I�formation120 1 117-1 1-i l RegularlPacket InFormationl7-11-11 WaterMetarReaders.doc <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />