One challenge facing many rural and regional water systems is how to get meter reading out of the customers’—and sometimes even the systems’—hands. Early in development of rural systems having customers read their own meters monthly and send the amount to the office was a low cost and seemingly effective method of obtaining the readings and seemed good enough. Under this approach, the rural system usually attempted to send someone out yearly just to verify the usage level. They also used a combination of remote readouts and direct read meters which could add to the confusion when the remote didn’t match the meter. Though we all may experience some nostalgia for the good old days, the truth is many systems are learning that the process was not good enough.

Under the initial self-reading approach, systems had limited ability of quickly catching water loss, identifying leaks or verifying the meter readings without an actual visit to the locations. Problems related to these items could go unnoticed for months, increasing
costs for the system, creating potential inconvenience for its customers, and resulting in disputes over correct water use. Today, more and more systems are adopting or investigating various types of automated meter reading, or AMR for short. Some are
finding they are profiting from the new technology. However, each individual system needs to look closely to determine if implementing AMR now is in their best interests.

There are many reasons to consider automated meter reading. With the implementation of AMR, meter readers no longer have to enter patrons’ properties or businesses on a monthly basis to obtain readings. AMR can improve water meter reading accuracy by removal of the meter to remote issues, help eliminate patrons’ use of estimated bills, reduce meter reading cost, and allow systems to provide timely and accurate responses to billing questions. Many systems feel AMR will pay for itself in reduced meter reading
and decreased water loss costs, with no charge to existing customers and no rate increase to cover the cost.

AMR can consist of a number of various methods. They include radio transmission, use of existing phone lines, use of existing power lines, internet, and other means. Several of the types require some coordination with other utilities in the area. Also, with the changing
face of technology, impacts on certain approaches are sudden and possibly unforeseen. For instance, the increased use of cellular phone has, in some cases, resulted in consumers no longer having active phone lines to their location. This has created an issue with the use of readings generated by phone lines. Increased changes will be likely in the future.

One of the more popular AMR systems uses miniature radio transmitters attached to the water meter as the means of providing the use information. The system is then able to collect the readings from handheld radio receivers, from moving vehicles, or through the
use of a tower based radio network. The transmitters on the meters are basically dormant until activated by a signal from the collection unit. The more common approach uses a handheld device or truck-mounted transmitter/receiver in combination with a micro-processer based computer system to actively poll the meters as the unit is brought within range. The device then records the reading transmitted by the meter and stores the reading. At the end of the day, the meter reader unloads the information collected to the billing system for the generation of the bills. The system can also be coordinated with a GIS system to allow verification of the meter reading obtained which can avoid return trips. A single employee in a computer-equipped van driving the service area without having to stop at each site and physically read the meter can do the work of many door-to-door meter readers in a fraction of the time.

Systems report multiple benefits to the implementation of AMR: customers are more satisfied, meter reading and the resulting billing accuracy is increased, and water use data is more current. Systems feel these items can allow the system to profit from improved operations data, increased revenue, and reduced operator/reader costs. Also, they find access problems are reduced, and employees enjoy improved safety. Leaks and water theft can be more quickly identified by the comparison of master system meters with actual metered use. The readily available accurate information allows the ready analysis of the readings which can help improve distribution system planning.

As with application of any new technology or system there are up-front capital costs necessary to implement the use AMR. Those costs include the need for existing meters to be replaced or, depending on age, fitted with the necessary transmitters. Handheld or mobile reading units are needed unless the data is transmitted directly to the office. Readers may require a docking port to download data, and systems may have to update their billing software. Also needed is software purchased for the interface with the reading system and of course training for the staff involved. Still, systems report the savings can be considerable.

One water district which recently installed a radio-read system went from two people reading meters for a week every month to one person spending about six hours. This savings alone is substantial. Even more than the obvious short-term labor savings are the long-term savings that are related to the ability of the district to have accurate water use data and the resulting ability to accurately track water loss. The district cited in the example has reduced their water loss or unaccounted for water on average from 16 to 9 percent. This decrease is attributed to the replacement of meters and the more accurate readings of the new system. For districts which purchase water wholesale this can have a dramatic financial impact.

Applicability and savings aren’t uniform and due to the initial investment and the need for technological improvements, some smaller systems may not see a break-even point without increased user charges or rate increases. As always when looking to implement
a new process or technology, systems should carefully weigh the benefits and costs of implementing AMR prior to doing so. Such analysis can lead to the best choice for their individual circumstances.