Agenda Packets - 1995/06/05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COTT OF 110,06 � REQUEST FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION STAFF REPORT - AGENDA SESSION DATE June 5, 1995 Agenda Section: 9. Report Number: 9 5- 1 '3 h 5 W S Report Date: - - g �, DISPOSITION Item Description: Continued Discussion of the Water Meter Changeout Proposal Administrator's Review/Recommendation: - No comments to supplement this report - Comments attached. Explanation/Summary (attach supplement s ets as , cessary.) ,SUMMARY; After realizing at the May council work session, that a total residential meter changeout would not be a lucrative as earlier reports had proposed, Council directed staff to conduct testing of larger meters, and consider alternative financing of this project. Staff, accompanied by consultants from Waterpro and Sensus, have continued to test water meters within the City. As was anticipated, the larger meters, which account for more revenue lost or earned, were less accurate than the residential meters. The worst two (2) inch meter was approximately eighty (80) percent accurate overall. Most meters had relatively poor accuracy at low to medium flow, which accounts for the majority of water consumed. Barring a very lengthy and detailed staff report, I will summarize staff's findings and recommendations. If the City were to changeout the entire City, revenues would increase approximately $25,000 in the first year. The City would now have created a new benchmark for water earnings and meter accuracy (100 0). While our cash intake would increase from past years, it would remain somewhat constant after the first year. And while this increase is not enough revenue to pay off the system changeout in ten (10) or fifteen (15) years, it is additional revenue that is due the City. Sensus has prepared a forecasted revenue report for the next twenty (20) years, anticipating a four (4) percent increase for operational expense. It is anticipated that the City would continue to loose accuracy in it's existing meters, thereby loosing revenue. The current system of reading meters has been somewhat adequate for the City in the past. The City assumes that it's residents read the water meters accurately and are responsible to pay for the amount of service they receive. Once a year we have hired part time readers to verify the earlier readings and inspect the meter to ensure it's integrity. This procedure is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. In light of the reported violence throughout the nation, readers and residents are somewhat reluctant to enter and allow entrance to their homes by a stranger. Numerous meter readers have commented that they cannot gain access to the meters, because residents will not let them in the house, or fail to respond to prescheduled appointments. The initiation of an Automatic Meter Readingg (AMR) system would solve these situations. RECOMMENDATION;