Water Meter Replacement, Mexia, Texas

To increase overall efficiency at the Bistone Municipal Water Supply District (Bistone), Bistone attained a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan and hired KSA to install an automatic meter reading (AMR) system. Before design began, we reviewed the production records from the water treatment plant flow meters as well as bills and billing calculations. The automation associated with this type of equipment will lighten the workload of existing staff and increase the quality of the data collected for more accurate billing and analytics.

The existing meter system calls for each service connection to be manually read and recorded – a lengthy and arduous process that left ample room for human error. Not only will the new metering system be quicker and more accurate, it will also include other cost-saving accessories like leak, backflow, and tamper detection that can reduce water loss and help to identify occurrences of water theft. While both retail and wholesale meters will be replaced or upgraded, wholesale meters will also be placed on the existing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system; which is an innovative way to inexpensively facilitate the smooth integration of the new metering system. Water well, raw water, and production meters at both of Bistone’s water treatment plants will be replaced or upgraded and placed on the SCADA system as well. The real-time reporting the AMR system provides will allow for optimal facility management and immediate detection of water leaks. It’s estimated that water loss will be reduced by a minimum of 5%. The system will also provide instantaneous meter data collection to better match production needs with system demands.
 
To facilitate constructability, we worked with our in-house geographic information system (GIS) specialists to locate easements and existing meters, which is likely to improve communication during the construction phase. We also learned how to overcome proprietary communication signals by integrating our data into a third-party application. The project is expected to reduce plant loses and labor, improve billing, and increase revenue.