Chandler residents are set for an upgrade in the way they manage and monitor their water usage as the Chandler City Council recently entered into an agreement with Ferguson Enterprises, LLC. The move will implement a state-of-the-art Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, which comes with a price tag that will not exceed $14 million. According to a statement from the city, this initiative is poised to transform the current metering system, which gathers approximately 87,000 monthly water meter reads through an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology.
The shift from AMR to AMI means residents can soon expect the ability to track their daily water consumption with finesse, receive timely alerts regarding leaks, and enjoy the convenience of paying their bills through a user-friendly customer portal. The city will replace roughly 30,000 incompatible meters, and install approximately 48 gateway collectors to facilitate this newfound connectivity. Although meters are typically replaced annually due to aging, these particular meters are already on the docket for replacement within the next few years – a proactive step to avoid the higher likelihood of inaccurate readings from meters over 15 years old.
Financially, the project is receiving a substantial boost, which includes $1.2 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA). These funds will aid in the project's goal for more precise billing and reduce the incidence of equipment failure. The newly installed meters are estimated to have a 20-year lifespan, promising a longer period of accurate metering and utility reliability.
Residents eager for the advanced capabilities of the AMI system will not have long to wait; Installation is on the calendar to commence in late 2024. For more details on the project, or to follow the roll-out schedule, the City of Chandler encourages citizens to visit the official website. Accurate water metering is not just a matter of efficiency but also a critical component of conservation and responsible resource management, a sentiment echoed by city officials in their recent communications.
