Recently City Secretary and Communications Coordinator, Leslie Galloway, post a response to questions that have been asked about the water meters that are used citywide. Here are some of the concerns expressed by citizens and the response. {{more:Read more …}}
How reliable and accurate are the ?smart meter??
Background: In 2013, all water meters on the City of Kennedale?s system were replaced with Neptune meters and simultaneously outfitted with MTUs (Meter Transmission Units), which are separate digital transmitters that send usage data electronically to the billing office, eliminating the need to manually read meters. The meters themselves are still mechanical, like the ones they replaced.
The original MTU model that was installed in 2013 has since been recalled by the manufacturer (Aclara) because it sometimes dropped the last two digits of the usage numbers. During April, May and June of 2016, all of these MTUs were replaced (at no cost to the city or residents because it was a manufacturer?s recall). There was no change or replacement of the meters themselves.
Accuracy: Before the Neptune meters were installed in 2013, they underwent the accuracy testing that is required of all new meters by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). To pass, a meter must fall within ?1.5%, meaning your meter is considered accurate if it?s registering in the range of 98.5% to 101.5% of actual water flow.
When an aging meter is replaced by a newer model, a small increase in usage sometimes occurs because older meters often become less accurate over time due to the wear and tear of normal use.
What about the Tinley Park issue with the Neptune meters?
In researching meter accuracy, some of you may have read about Tinley Park, IL, which was one of the first water providers to adopt smart meters, and have since experienced persistent problems with overbilling and inaccuracy. This might lead residents of other cities who have moved to smart meters questioning their own readings.
There are significant differences between Kennedale?s system and that of Tinley Park. First, the meters used by Tinley Park, The Elster SE700, were first-generation solid-state meters ? meaning there are no moving parts and flow is measured digitally. On first blush, this might seem like an advantage, as they?d be seemingly less susceptible to wear. However, wear is something that?s predictable and documented. The hysteresis (electromagnetic interference) or drift that those electronic units might be experiencing now that they?re in use is not, and is not as easily monitored or predicted.
Again, Kennedale?s meters are still mechanical and are manufactured by Neptune, a trusted name in the water industry for more than fifty years. Currently, more than 30 million Neptune water meters are in use by more than 2,500 water utility systems.
Another major difference is that customers in Tinley Park are billed quarterly, which allows inaccuracies to quietly grow for weeks on end before residents receive their bills. Kennedale customers not only receive monthly statements, but they can also visit the online customer portal to view their monthly usage patterns because we have an AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) system that reports usage about once an hour. Visit kennedale.gwfathom.com to view your usage.
How can I get detail usage numbers?
If you?d like to see more detailed usage numbers (down to the hour), you can visit the Utility Billing counter in City Hall or call 817-985-2122, and Utility Billing Administrator Sarah Quiett will be happy to tell you when your home?s usage spikes throughout the day. Soon, customers will be able to access their own daily usage numbers through the portal. With this level of detail, it?s simpler to identify sprinkler system leaks, general leaks (if you never have zero usage ? even overnight), or other problems.Additionally, all City of Kennedale accounts that have a pronounced jump in usage or other abnormal readings are flagged for manual evaluation before bills are printed and mailed.
How do I read my own meter? (This answer was provided by information from Larry Ledbetter, Public Works Director)
When you open the meter box, the MTU display is blank. The display screen for the MTU works off of solar power and needs a few minutes to start. Leave the box open and go back in the house and make sure you have some water running. Then check the meter to see if it is showing water usage. Go back and turn off all water in the home and check the meter again for any change? If you are still showing water usage, you may need to check further, including all outside plumbing including sprinkler systems and outside hydrants, to determine if you have a possible leak. You can also use this method to see how much water you are use when you water the lawn.Read more @ Nextdoor.com
