02-08-2012 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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from it's meter replacement wehsite that have numerous links to various studies and information on radio waves. Much of the information deals with cell phones but the same science can be applied to the radios used by the fixed- network system. In fact, cell phones are much more powerful than the radios and transmit far more frequently. The radios used in the Galaxy fixed - network system transmit readings four times a day for a total of less than one second. At all other times the radio is off and not transmitting. It does not act like a wireless network. Wireless networks are always transmitting radio waves. Cell phones are transmitting radio waves while they are being used. Microwaves are transmitting radio waves while in use. Radio and television stations are transmitting radio waves constantly. The Galaxy radio transmitters operate at 457 MHz, which falls near the middle of the power spectrum. This means that the transmitters are no more powerful and, in some case, less powerful than other radio wave - emitting devices. The fact that they only transmit for about one second per day makes then much less of a contributor of radio waves than all of the other products. The City of St. Paul chose a drive -by radio read system. Those radios transmit about every three -to -six seconds so that a car driving by to collect readings can get a reading from each meter. The fixed- network system does not need to transmit that often. Another important distinction needs to be made between the Galaxy fixed- network meters and the electricity smart meters referenced in the links provided by Ms. Lathrop. The electricity smart meters are a mesh network system, meaning they use each other to transmit the signal to the base station. The frequencies transmit often, like the drive-by system used by St. Paul and bounce from one to another to make their way to the station. That increases the exposure to many times that of the Galaxy system the City has installed. The smart meters used in northern California meet all requirements of the FCC and the transmission levels are well below the threshold the FCC has set as dangerous. The Galaxy system transmits directly to the data collector and does not use other radios to make it's way to the data collector. Therefore, the intensity remains that same and is not increased when combined with other transmitters' radio waves. The Galaxy system also falls well below the FCCs threshold for dangerous radio waves. hi summary, staff believes the radio transmitters are safe and has not seen any conclusive evidence to show that they are dangerous to humans. They transmit Icss frequently than most other radio devices and have similar power. Radio waves are all around us and constantly transmitting. There is very little chance anyone can completely escape them. The addition of these radio transmitters to more easily read the water meters in the City does not appear to be a significant problem to humans. While staff respects the right of each citizen to make his or her own choice regarding whether or not to have a radio transmitter installed in his or her home, staff believes there is no reason to believe the radios are harmful to anyone's health. Therefore, staff recommends the City Council keep the opt out policy in place as was passed in November 2011. 2