Chatham-Kent residents can look forward to more accurate water bill readings and may even save a few bucks once the Public Utilities Commission implements its new automated meter reading system across the municipality.
Chatham-Kent PUC General Manager Tim Sunderland says on Monday, the commission passed the 100% approval for the full implementation of the AMR/AMI system, which is an automated meter reading system, in Chatham-Kent. The company selected for the nearly $10-million project is Neptune Technology Group Canada.
He says there are currently 36,000 water meters in Chatham-Kent that will be looked at when the PUC launches the water meter replacement program in February.
"Currently we have manual reads, which means someone has to walk up to the house and put a reader against the adapter on the side of the house to read the meter. We're moving to a system where a person can drive through that neighbourhood in a car and it automically downloads the readings into the computer in the car," says Sunderland.
Sunderland says the new system will help the PUC save in reading costs.
"Instead of somebody walking the neighbourhood, we'll be able to drive the neighbourhood and pick up thousands of readings at a time. The meter reading costs should be reduced for the PUC," says Sunderland.
He says the automated readers will also provide more accurate readings for home owners, which could even result in savings.
"At this time we do quaterly reads, then we do two estimates, then we do another quarterly read. Moving to this system, we'll be able to get in monthly reads and that allows us more accuracy every month on everybody's bill. It also allows us to give them a current read instead of a computer estimate," says Sunderland.
Sunderland says the program will ensure all meters within the municipality are up-to-date with the new technology.
"If your meter is 15 years or older, your meter will get replaced with the new technology. If your meter is under 15 years and is able to take the new radio that we're putting on the meters, then we'll keep the meter in place and put the radio on. If the meter is not adaptable to the new radio system, then that meter will be replaced as well," he explains.
The entire project is expected to be completed in 2019.
Sunderland says there will be advertisement campaign leading up to the launch of the water replacement program so that residents will be fully aware of the areas being worked on. He recommends home owners stay tuned to PUC's website and Facebook page for updates.