HomeMy WebLinkAbout2B, Water Meter Reader Installation Update EN HILLS
Request for Council Action
2B
Prepared By: Terry Maurer,Public Works Director Work Session Date: September 17, 2012
Water Meter Reader Installation Update
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Budgeted Amount: Actual Amount: Funding Source:
N/A N/A N/A
Recommendation:
Staff requests Council give direction on how to proceed with the remaining properties that need to have a
new water meter reader installed.
Supporting Documents:
1. Memorandum dated September 17, 2012, from Terry Maurer, Public Works Director.
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EN HILLS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: September 17, 2012
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
Patrick Klaers, City Administrator
FROM: Terry Maurer, Public Works Director \
SUBJECT: Water Meter Reader Installation Update
Background
Thus far the water meter reader replacement project has been an overwhelming success.
Midwest Testing, the contractor hired to do the installs, started July 11 to and continued
for three weeks. City staff then sent out a second letter to those property owners who had
not responded and Midwest Testing came back to town for about two more weeks in late
August.
The program started with a total of 2,685 meter readers to be changed; of this number
2,444 are residential meters. At this time we have 14 commercial/industrial installs that
we are waiting for the correct parts. There are also 14 vacant properties that we are
continuing to track down owners through realty companies and/or local maintenance
companies to try to gain access to make the install. There have been no property owners
that have refused access for the install. In addition to these, there are about 58 residential
(approximately 2% of total meters) properties that have not responded to the two
mailings, door knocks and door hangers. It should be noted that the second mailing told
property owners that the old technology was no longer usable and without the new reader
installed future water bills would be estimated.
There are a few options the City could pursue to try to get these last 2% installed. These
include the following:
1. Following our City Ordinance, a third letter could be sent by certified mail stating
that if a new water meter reader is not installed by a certain date the property's
water would be shut off until the reader is installed. This would be the most
direct way to ensure maximum compliance.
City Council Meeting
C:\Users\sonja.klingberg\Desktop\9-17-12WaterMete ReaderUpdate.doc
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2. A third letter could be sent indicating a surcharge would be added to the quarterly
water bill starting the 4t' quarter of 2012 and will continue until a new reader is
installed. If this course is chosen, staff would suggest a $100 surcharge as a way
to get the attention of the property owner.
3. A third option could be to do nothing but continue with estimated quarterly water
bills until there is an event at each property that would allow for the install to
occur. This could be a complaint about the estimated bill, sale of the property or
other problem with the water service or meter at each of the last few properties.
It should be noted, that in addition to the meter reader installs, Midwest Testing reviewed
all of the commercial/industrial meters and rendered an opinion about whether the right
type of meter was being used. This resulted in about 10 Turbo meters being changed out
for Compound meters that read much smaller amounts of water. For instance, some of
the Turbo meters removed only started reading at 7-20 gallons per minute while the new
compound meters installed will read as low as one-quarter gallon per minute. This
should increase the amount of water usage billed to these properties. In addition, 259 old
residential plastic water meters were found to be still in use and were replaced with new
meters that are more reliable.
Council Action Requested
Give staff direction on how to proceed with the remaining properties that need to have a
new water meter reader installed.
City Council Meeting
P:\Admin\Council\Agendas&Packet Information\2012\09-17-12 Wk Sess\Packet\9-17-12WaterMete ReaderUpdate.doc
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