historical facts about the city of barrie · automated meter system and in-house billing gives us...
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Historical Facts About the City of Barrie
1850 – Town of Barrie is incorporated, population: 800
1897 – Town of Barrie and Village of Allandale amalgamate, population: 6,000
1950 – Population: 12,830
1959 – Incorporation of the City of Barrie, population: 20,280
1970 – Population: 26,700
Barrie’s Water is supplied by 14 ground wells
For the next 30 years the population growth was estimated at 3330 per year, the
population grew to over 100,000 in year 2000
2010 – Population 135,000
2011 Barrie is planning on switching over part of the City’s water customers to
surface water, being supplied by it’s new 90 mega liter Surface Water Treatment.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
The City of Barrie prides itself on not only being Ontario’s premier waterfront community, but also
delivering great value to the tap. Barrie’s Water Operations Branch works diligently to ensure full access
to a safe and reliable water supply.
Through a network of approximately 600 kilometers of water main. The city’s drinking water is monitored
and tested based on more than 100 parameters at a frequency and scope set out by the Province.
Community safety is at the forefront when it comes to managing the city’s water. From consumption to
making sure that water is reaching all 42,500 customers and 3,450 fire hydrants in the city.
Water production is in excess of 16,000,000 m3.
5 Year Water Consumption & Water Billing Statistics5 Year Water Consumption & Water Billing Statistics
20062006 20072007 20082008 200920092010 2010
(Averaged Oct(Averaged Oct--Dec)Dec)
Water Consumption-m3 9,355,767 9,705,308 8,865,677 8,684.821 8,322,034
Water Billing $9,503,715 $10,323,337 $9,552,764 $10,382,453 $11,221,368
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
In 2003 the City of Barrie Water Branch started looking at AMR
systems.
We tested 3 different manufactures of AMR systems.
Since 1988 the City of Barrie started switching it’s meter population to
“Rockwell Meters” (Sensus).
Three different reasons why we went to Rockwell was price and the
meters were manufactured in Barrie.
By 2003 the majority of the City’s meters were Sensus(Rockwell).
At the time we elected the Sensus Drive-by system.
Also at the time we could see that the technology was changing very
quickly, so it was decided to limit the number of installs until we were
convinced which way we wanted to go.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Overview of AMI/AMR Program.Overview of AMI/AMR Program.
In 2004-2005 the City of Barrie started working with Barrie Hydro
and The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury to see if
there was any changes of a working partnership with Barrie Hydro
who was billing water for both Municipalities.
Since the Province had mandated Hydro Companies the switch
over to Smart Meters by Jan 2011, The City of Barrie started
looking a lot more seriously at Smart Metering as well.
In June of 2009 the City formed a committee to look at the meter
reading and billing practices and see if we were getting the best
bang for our buck.
The committee was made up of 6 members from different
departments. Their mandate was to look at everything and report
back within 30 days.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
This does not include surrounding Municipalities and is based onBarrie’s yearly growth rate of 1.5%.
** As compared to status quo.
FORECASTED TOTAL AMI FOR RESIDENTIAL AND ICI COMBINEDFORECASTED TOTAL AMI FOR RESIDENTIAL AND ICI COMBINED
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
**44,500 45,168 45,845 46,533 47,231 47,939 48,658 49,388 50,129 50,881 51,644
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Flex Net™ is the industry's only solution for utilities that demand
unmatched customer service and pinpoint-accurate reads.
Only FlexNet delivers Primary-Use licensing by the FCC, which
guarantees an uncluttered, crystal clear path for transmissions and that
paves the way for an industry-leading two watts of power, making the
FlexNet system the only mass-deployed utility system to enjoy the
highest level of protection, power and productivity in North America.
FlexNet Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution is offered
exclusively from Sensus. It empowers electricity, gas, water or
combination utilities with a proven means to increase meter reading
efficiency, reduce overhead costs and enhance customer service
simply, reliably, and with unlimited flexibility.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Sensus FlexNet Solution
Sensus Radio Read Meter Transceiver Unit (MXU)
Model 510R is a non-pit set radio signal device which
permits off site meter reading via radio signals.
The MXU interfaces with any compatible absolute
encoder-equipped utility meter with a Sensus Radio
Read interrogator device.
The Sensus MXU eliminates a number of meter reading
problems such as lockouts, curbside reading estimates,
estimated bills and errors associated with manual meter
reading methods.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
OptionOption Water Water ConservationConservation
Customer Customer Focused Focused SolutionSolution
Local Local Jobs and Jobs and ServicesServices
Short Term vs Short Term vs Long Term Long Term
SolutionSolution
1. PowerStream meter reads, bills & collects.
No No No Short Term
2. Third Party manually reads, bills & collects
No No No Short Term
3. Third Party manually reads, COB bills & collects.
NoSome
ImprovementYes Short Term
4. COB uses AMI readings, Third Party bills & collects.
YesSome
ImprovementNo Long Term
5. COB uses AMI readings, bills & collects.
Yes Yes Yes Long Term
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
OptionsOptions Total Total DollarsDollars Savings**Savings**
1. PowerStream meter reads, bills & collects. $26.0 Million $0
2. Third Party manually reads, bills & collects. $15.8 Million $10.2 Million
3. Third Party manually reads, COB bills & collects.
$13.0 Million $13.0 Million
4. COB uses AMI readings, third party bills & collects.
$19.3 Million $6.7 Million
5. COB uses AMI readings, bills & collects. $12.9 Million $13.1 Million
Includes capital costs, full amortization within 10 years, operating costs.
** As compared to status quo.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
OptionsOptions Total DollarsTotal Dollars Savings**Savings**
1. PowerStream meter reads, bills & collects.
$98 Million $0
3. Third Party manually reads, COB bills and collects.
$27 Million $71 Million
5. COB uses AMI readings, bills & collects.
$20 Million $78 Million
Includes capital costs, full amortization within 20 years, operating costs.
** As compared to status quo.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
We can solve spikes in consumption sooner, before customers see
bills.
Less carbon footprint because vehicles aren’t needed on the road to
read meters.
Water consumption usage will assist consumers in determining a
water conservation strategy that would best suit their needs thereby
increasing the success of a conservation program.
The only way to perform an accurate water balance in the system is
with automated metering. The City would have the ability to accurately
evaluate the difference between water production and water
consumption.
Water loss is more accurately determined with automated meter
reading, theft of water will be identified whereas it is currently
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Positioning the City with Smart Metering ahead of potential proposed
regulation and manual meter reading will become obsolete.
Automated meter system and in-house billing gives us more options
for different kinds of rate structures, billing frequencies, time of use,
liters, m3, surcharges and sundry billing.
Manual meter reading does not allow for efficient and accurate water
system monitoring.
Reporting to management and the Province would be more accurate
and timely.
The entire package better serves our customers.
Proposed legislation similar to the requirement for electrical meters,
could potentially happen within the next few years.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Short Term vs. Long Term Solution Short Term vs. Long Term Solution ContinuedContinued
We would be ready to meet those new requirements.
Manual meter reading is becoming an obsolete way to gather water
consumption data.
Our recommendations provide staff with the ability to provide good
customer service, efficiently and effectively.
Reporting to management and the Province will be more accurate,
with real time data.
We can better serve our customers and the Corporation.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
This system creates the ability to identify and resolve This system creates the ability to identify and resolve
water leaks sooner with potential savings to our water leaks sooner with potential savings to our
customers estimated at $100,000 per year.customers estimated at $100,000 per year.
AMR is the only way to identify residential backflow AMR is the only way to identify residential backflow
incidences, protects public and our water system.incidences, protects public and our water system.
Stopped and tampered meters are identified in hours Stopped and tampered meters are identified in hours
instead of days or months.instead of days or months.
Customers can access their consumption data online Customers can access their consumption data online
with a dashboard feature.with a dashboard feature.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Customer Focused Solution ContinuedCustomer Focused Solution Continued
No inconvenience to the customer for access issues, No inconvenience to the customer for access issues,
e.g. snow, locked gates or unleashed dogs.e.g. snow, locked gates or unleashed dogs.
When we can resolve leaks sooner, we can reduce the When we can resolve leaks sooner, we can reduce the
cost to the customer which can range from $200 to cost to the customer which can range from $200 to
$1,200 in potential charges.$1,200 in potential charges.
Identifying backflow incidents can be done by the AMR Identifying backflow incidents can be done by the AMR
system which is a critical component of protecting our system which is a critical component of protecting our
water.water.
Manual meter reading cannot identify or provide any of Manual meter reading cannot identify or provide any of
these items in less than 45 days.these items in less than 45 days.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation-Feb 2011
Software and hardware investigated is able to
accommodate current requirements and future growth.
E-billing, e-payments, customer consumption, online
inquiry and advanced reporting would be possible.
In-house billing allows for the flexibility with billing options
frequency, timing, application of rates, sundry billing.
Gives us complete control and ownership of our data.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Billing, Collections and Customer Billing, Collections and Customer Service ContinuedService Continued
We can provide better customer service, one stop shop
for the customer for less cost.
There is billing software on the market that can provide
the type of system we need to better serve our
customers with features of online access, e-commerce
and improved reporting.
A new billing system will provide us with the flexibility to
make changes, adapt quickly and inexpensively.
Our customers will desire to see their water
consumption online starting in 2011 as they start to see
their electricity consumption, they will want to see water
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation-Feb 2011
Reduce water meter reading costs – Yes.
Reduce billing costs – Yes.
Without compromising services or service
levels – Yes.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
AMI solution
The City of Barrie issued a RFI (twice) and Sensus was the
chosen manufacturer.
Some of the factors why Sensus was chosen over others:
1) Ease of installation, 100% of Barrie residential meters are
Sensus so there is no need to enter a customers home.
This feature also cuts the cost of the project almost in half.
2) Two way communication to and from the MXU’s.
3) Licensed frequency (City of Barrie was experiencing
many problems with unlicensed frequency interfering with
your communications system).
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
AMI solution
Fast installation time, Water Operations was
given 5 months to complete 42,500 installations
which normally would take 2 -3 years to
complete.
Price, Sensus may not have been the cheapest
for actual Frequency Integrators, however, the
overall system was the City of Barrie’s choice.
The number of end units installed and systems
working throughout North America was
impressive.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
This is a portion of the screen that staff and customers would see, monitoring
the consumption of a particular water meter.
Staff can click on any particular bar representing one day, drilling down to a similar table showing the consumption by hour.
Also on the screen that we cannot show here, are sections that alert staff to
stopped meters, tampered meters and consumption outside certain parameters.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Prompt resolution of issues is very important because there will be a lot of different elements that inter-relate. If one is stopped then it affects all the others.
Maintaining a relationship with PowerStream in any format, we are already seeing this since the project was approved(for example, restricted access to screens, adjustments, lien listings).
Project Co-ordination – there are aspects of this project that create touch points between Finance and Operations (billing software, CityWorks, policies, procedures and legal agreements) we need to pay particular attention to these as the project moves through the different stages.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Communications Requirements Communications Requirements Continued:Continued:
Effective communications is absolutely critical to
our customers. Our intentions are to roll out
clear and concise information that is timely and
accurate, using every medium we can (website,
inserts, city page) throughout the project to all
key stakeholders:
Council, the Corporation
Finance Department
Operations
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation-Feb2011
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Potential Risks Potential Risks
Required to minimize or eliminate some of these
risks are:
Strong, ongoing support from Executive Management Teams.
A clear project plan that helps maintain focus.
Use of an Advisory Committee to mitigate potential road blocks or
problems.
Effective on-going communication between team members and
departments. This helps to quickly identify where the project may
be delayed, stalled or encounter potential problems.
Avoid conflicting priorities – other projects currently in place or to
come could take away valuable resources.
Data integrity – more confidence with customer data being
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation-Feb 2011
Start Up Risk to Avoid
Give yourself enough time to get your radio licenses from the
Federal Government. We where told 2 -6 weeks to obtain in
fact it took 4 months.
Investigate the programming devices you will be using, you
don’t have to use a Sensus unit. They are pricey (Budget).
Ensure if possible to negotiate an exit agreement with your
current contractor.
Be prepared for some extensive training for your AMI person.
Should you have a contractor doing the installs ensure they
are working behind the present meter readers.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation- Feb 2011
Start Up Risk to Avoid
Ensure that you have sorted out with other departments
areas of responsibility.
This is a must: Have staff in place and up to speed as
much as possible before the project starts.
City of Barrie Water AMI/AMR Presentation-Feb 2011