Modernizing a large meter program with AMI deployment

Key takeaways

A West Coast utility updated its large water meter installation standards, but it struggled to navigate the costly process of upgrading and replacing its meters in the field.
E Source worked closely with the utility and the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) installation vendor to evaluate the current condition of all meters and provide recommendations for the application and revenue recovery of outdated meters.
With a full report of E Source recommendations, the utility confidently replaced or upgraded any obsolete meters in the field and has seen an increase in revenue.

The challenge

Updating large meters to new standards can be costly. And with an AMI system deployment coming up, a West Coast utility wanted to make sure its large meters met the necessary standards to support the effort. The utility had updated its large meter installation standards, but it realized that a number of its locations wouldn’t meet the new criteria.

Many of the meters and valves were outdated and weren’t accurately capturing water flow, some meters also were no longer the appropriate size or type for the service application, and many locations didn’t have sufficient space to install bypasses and test ports. But it was a challenge for the utility to determine the best approach on its own.

The solution

Working closely with both the utility and the AMI meter installation vendor, E Source developed comprehensive field survey criteria to assess the current meter conditions. Our experts provided the utility with a full report that included final evaluation results and recommendations on how to update outdated locations up to the utility’s new standards.

The results

In a comprehensive report, E Source detailed the results of the evaluation and gave recommendations. Our experts:

Identified meter sizes and types that needed to be replaced
Suggested valves, piping, bypasses, and test ports that would work within the available lay length
Included pricing for each location

And with the utility’s approval, E Source completed the installation alongside the meter vendor and provided post-installation quality assurance and control support.

Moving forward, the utility will work with its installation vendor to complete the project. E Source also hopes to work with the utility to build a large meter test program to develop test procedures, frequency, and training for the utility’s staff.