ADMINISTRATION - Jon Haukaas, Director of Public Works
Title
APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT WATER METERS
Schedule of Actions
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City Council |
August 2, 2018 |
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Background
A review of the existing inventory of residential meters throughout the city reveal that a high percentage are well beyond their useful life and should be replaced to maintain accuracy of how much water is used as well has the amount that the city is charging residents through their utility bills.
The meters the city has been using since the beginning of the metering program are a brass bodied ‘positive displacement’ meter. An internal turbine spins turning a register counting the amount used. These moving parts wear over time and historically begin to lose accuracy after approximately 10 years or 1 million gallons of use.
We have identified nearly 2000 residential meters that are in excess of 2 million gallons used and an additional 6000 residential meters between 1 million and 2 million gallons used. It is time to replace these meters to fairly and accurately bill our customers. We have a very efficient opportunity to incorporate this with our AMI communication upgrade project as the contractor visits each site.
Sensus is our selected water meter supplier with Core & Main being their local representative. Sensus has developed a newer meter that uses magnetic technology to measure water flow. There are no moving parts and therefore they are able to guarantee accuracy of use for a period of 20 years regardless of volume of flow. The new iPERL Water Meters are a direct replacement for the older meters in our system and work with the FlexNet Advanced Metering Infrastructure system we use.
The price for the older brass body positive displacement meters we have in service right now are approximately $155 each. The normal price for the newer iPERL meters is $125 each. Due to the large volume of meters proposed, we have negotiated a discounted price of only $115 each. The price to purchase 8000 meters is therefore $920,000.00
Sufficient funds exist in the Water Enterprise Fund reserve for this purchase. Additional future expenses will be included in our upcoming bonding.
Recommendation
By motion, adopt the Resolution
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Blaine desires to replace aging meters at the end of their life that may no longer be recording accurately; and
WHEREAS, the City has a contract to purchase the new meters directly from the manufacturer’s distributor, and
WHEREAS, this will allow us to replace a significant portion of our end of life meters, and
WHEREAS, the installation of the communication modules will be conducted under separate contract anticipated to begin in August 2018, and
WHEREAS, sufficient funding exists in the Water enterprise Fund reserve for this purchase.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Blaine authorize the Mayor and City Manager to purchase replacement meters for a Meter Replacement Project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that, where allowed, the City intends and reasonably expects to reimburse itself for the payment of this contract out of the proceeds of a borrowing (general obligation water revenue bonds) to be made by the City after the date of payment of the expenditures.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 2nd day of August, 2018.