Agenda Item: 12(a)
Prepared By: Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager
Business: City Council Item
Department: Water and Sewer
Subject:
Title
Award of Contract to Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI), to Conduct an Investment-Grade Audit (IGA) in the Amount of $309,811 - Jeffrey E. Poteet, General Manager, Water & Sewer Department
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Water and Sewer Department (W&SD) is committed to continual improvement and efficiency in service delivery. An integral component of our annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) focuses on the upkeep and modernization of our water metering infrastructure. Currently, our department oversees approximately 11,500 water meters, which are predominantly mechanical and critical for measuring consumer water usage accurately, thus ensuring precise billing.
With a significant portion of our meters aged 10 years or older, we face challenges with accuracy due to the natural degradation of mechanical meters over time. This degradation often results in underreporting of water consumption, leading to revenue losses for the City. To address this, replacing aging meters has become a priority for ensuring continued accuracy in consumption measurement and billing.
During the Fiscal Year 2024 Water and Sewer (W&S) Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) workshop, our team outlined to the City Council the significant advantages of shifting towards an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. This modern metering solution uses fixed-base technology to collect, analyze, and transmit water usage data efficiently from treatment facilities to consumers. Our investigation into AMI, conducted in collaboration with the Finance Department over the past 10 months, suggests that AMI could significantly improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and elevate the level of service provided to our customers. AMI systems allow consumers to access their water usage data in real-time, fostering greater awareness and promoting conservation.
The adoption ...
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