By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The full installation of the new automated water meter reading system is
not complete, but the City of Great Bend has already experienced success
stories with the meters that have been updated. Zenner USA is installing
antennas to existing water meters throughout town to switch Great Bend over to the
Automated Meter Infrastructure (AMI).
Great Bend Public Works Director Jason Cauley said the water department is
already making use of the $2.46 million project.
"As a new meter gets put in, it is already talking back to the billing office," said Cauley. "It's already implemented in some respects. As we go along, more and more meters read back to the billing office."
The contractor is set to begin work for Billing Cycle 4, so residents should
expect to see workers between Washington Street and McKinley, from 18th
Street to the north edge of the city limits. A small area from Harrison Street
to McKinley and Broadway to 18th will also be included with the next
install.
The new technology will provide more accurate meter reads, by digitally sending
the reading to the water department’s billing office, eliminating the need for
a staff member to walk around town gathering the readings.
"We already have run into situations where we received email notification from the system saying that a customer has a leak or very high usage," said Cauley. "We were able to catch it relatively instantaneously, take care of the issue and notify the owner."
There are approximately 6,500 commercial and residential water meters in the
city’s service area.