Naperville eying technology for water meter readings

The days of manually reading water meters in Naperville appear to be ending.

The city is considering automated technologies to more efficiently generate monthly readings for the 45,000 meters in its in-house utility, saying the in-person method is becoming obsolete.

Officials say the automated technologies can provide real-time use data to customers; decrease the number of estimated reads; help the environment and infrastructure; and increase safety by taking meter-readers' vehicles off the road.

"Communities are absolutely stepping away from (manual) meter-reading," Deputy City Manager Marcie Schatz said. "The world is changing. People are wanting more access to data and conservation opportunities."

Customers will help the city pay for whichever reading system the city council chooses with rate increases beginning in 2020 or 2021, Finance Director Rachel Mayer said. Increases are projected to be between $1.25 and $2.80 a month in the first year for the average customer, who now pays $75.70.

The amount of the increase will depend on the type of system the city picks.

Some systems use data receivers on vehicles that can be driven past each meter to read use and send it to the city. Others use telecommunications networks to automatically gather and transmit readings. Some systems even can connect with the Elster network, on which the city's electric smart meters transmit their data, said Brian Groth, deputy director of the electric utility.

Staff members have requested proposals, due next year, from companies that can implement automated systems. Schatz said the city will evaluate the cost of each as well as how well it will work with existing technologies for billing and related processes.

So far, the city has hired consultant West Monroe Partners to analyze the automated systems and methods of paying for them. Each system was compared against the non-technological option of hiring eight more full-time meter readers to create a staff of nine to conduct the work the old-fashioned way.

The analysis found the automated systems would cost between $6.5 million and $9.8 million up front, but would save between $3 million and $4.4 million throughout a 20-year expected life span.

"The technology is a cheaper option long-term than doing it in-house with additional personnel," said Darrell Blenniss, water utility director.

The analysis suggested the city pay for the work one of three ways: borrowing from a fund in the water utility set up to pay for improvements to the Springbrook Water Reclamation Center that must be complete by 2030; borrowing from an outside lender; or increasing rates enough to pay for the technology all at once.

Decisions about which system to use and how to pay for it will be made by the council, likely sometime in 2020.

When the switch to an automated reading system occurs, it will not require the same implementation process as the transition did for electric in 2012, when the city installed smart meters, Schatz said.

Blenniss said the installation will be "less intrusive." It will involve placing a device shaped like a hockey puck on the side of each house or building, with wires connecting it to the water meter. The meters already in use are compatible with the automated technologies the city is considering, he said.

If water customers object to the use of automated technology for privacy or other reasons, they will be able to opt out and continue to have their meter read manually. Groth said about 200 have opted out on the electric side since smart meters were implemented.