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STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: 4/2/2024 <br /> CONSENT <br /> <br /> <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: Marty Powers, Public Works Director <br />AGENDA ITEM: Advanced Metering Infrastructure Antenna Installation <br />REVIEWED BY: Clark Schroeder Interim City Administrator <br /> Clarissa Hadler, Finance Director <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: Currently Public Works Staff uses a truck mounted receiver and drives by each utility <br />customer’s property to collect water usage data from all water meters. This occurs when doing quarterly <br />reading of all utility customers, as well as every time there is a change of ownership (move in or move <br />outs), and when issues arise (failing batteries, meter tampering, suspected leaks, etc.). The City’s Utility <br />Department then downloads the readings to create bills, set up accounts, trouble shoot issues, or when <br />dealing with discrepancies, etc. <br />Public Works has been updating water meters over the last 7 years, working towards the goal of having <br />all city water meters updated so water usage data can be collected automatically through an AMI <br />(Advanced Metering Infrastructure) system. With a lack of snow this season, and the availability of water <br />meters improving, Public Works has been able to complete the meter change out program ahead of <br />schedule and is now ready to install the AMI antennas. Having the capability of reading meters from the <br />Utility Office at any time will not only eliminate the need for staff to drive the city to collect readings, but <br />will quickly inform the utility department when leaks are occurring, property owners are not abiding by <br />irrigation restrictions, when meters fail, or if they are tampered with. Having immediate remote access to <br />this water data will not only reduce public works staff time for collecting meter reads, but more <br />importantly will help staff and residents reduce water loss and improve water conservation. Having this <br />data could also assist staff if the need to change irrigation zone boundaries is considered. <br />At this time three antennas are being proposed on water towers 2, 3 & 4. Tower 1 on Langley Ave is in <br />the planning stages to be decommissioned in 2025 and will not receive an AMI antenna. Should a fourth <br />antenna be needed to communicate with the north east corner of the city, staff we continue to look to add <br />a monopole for communication leases and the AMI system in that area as initially planned. <br />ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City Council approve the purchase and installation of the three <br />AMI antennas, implementation, training and setup fees to assist in collecting water usage as outlined in the <br />2026 Capital Improvement Plan? <br /> <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: Proceeding with this purchase will benefit the city and its citizens <br />by having on-demand water data. The improved efficiencies will reduce Public Works staff time, fuel and <br />will free up a vehicle when routinely collecting water data. This purchase will also aid the City in its water <br />conservation efforts. <br /> <br />FISCAL IMPACT: Purchase and installation of the three AMI antennas, set up, training and the first <br />annual fee subscription for the system would be funded from the utility enterprise account and shall not