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Description
San Bruno City Council Meeting May 13, 2014
10b. Advanced Water Meter Project
A
B
The
existing
water
system
consists
of
11,000,
residential
meters
and
400
commercial
industrial
meters.
Residential
system
was
installed
in
1993,
with
a
20-year
life
expectancy
so
being
2014.
It's
already
exceeded
their
life
expectancy.
Phase
1
of
this
project
focuses
on
this
residential
system.
The
commercial
meters
are
planned
for
replacement
in
2016
through
17
maintenance
and
operation.
The
water
meters
are
read
by
a
labor-intensive
touch
system.
B
Readings
are
taken
every
two
months.
Staff
must
physically
turn
meters
on
and
off
for
changes
in
customer
counts.
The
system
is
deteriorating
and
accuracy
is
degrading.
We
replace
or
repair
about
250
meters
per
year,
an
advanced
water,
water
meter
system
characteristics.
It
establishes
a
communication
through
a
radio
network.
Real-Time
usage
data
is
made
available
through
the
internet
to
customers
and
the
city,
customers
and
finance
are
able
to
quickly
review
account
usage
through
the
internet.
B
The
characteristics
of
it
would
result
in
a
lot
of
labor
savings.
The
labor
to
check
meter
readings
required
for
account
switching
would
be
eliminated.
That's
estimated
at
savings
of
ninety
two
thousand
year
the
routine
bimonthly
meter
reading
would
be
eliminated.
It's
estimated
at
160,000
year
staff
resources
could
be
reallocated
toward
preventive
maintenance
activities
that
have
been
deferred,
including
water
meter,
testing,
cathodic
protection
program,
backflow
prevention
valve
exercising
and
having
rapid
response
for
repairs
of
detected
leaks.
B
Water
conservation,
the
rapid
detection
of
water
leaks,
would
reduce,
lost
water
costs
to
residents
and
the
city
unaccounted
water
costs
would
be
minimized.
Three
detection
of
low
flows,
user
awareness
would
promote
conservation
efforts,
especially
under
drought
conditions.
Different
programs
could
be
implemented
previously.
B
Undetectable
low
flows
would
reduce
unaccounted
water
by
thirty
percent,
approximately
sixteen
point,
five
million
gallons
per
year.
The
short-term
impact
would
be
that
we'd
have
the
ability
to
immediately
identify
leaks
and
but
there
would
be
the
potential
small
increase
in
water
bills
due
to
low
flow
detection.
The
existing
water
meters
work
by
mechanical
detection
and
the
ability
to
read
these
low
flows
degrades
over
time.
The
long-term
impact
is
that
we'd
have
a
more
efficient
water
system
for
the
detection
of
small
and
large
leaks.
B
We
can
quickly
address
them
rather
than
waiting
every
two
months
for
the
bills.
The
increased
system
efficiency
may
result
in
comparatively
lower
overall
water
rates.
We
purchase
water
through
the
SFPUC
and
we
also
produce
water
through
the
wells.
The
more
efficient
our
system
is,
the
less
we
have
to
purchase
and
produce
customer
benefits.
The
water
usage
awareness
would
help
development
and
implementation
of
water
conservation
programs.
Leaks
can
be
detected
rapidly.
Reducing
water
loss
future
monthly
billing
would
be
an
option
rather
than
bimonthly,
as
is
now.
B
Phase
one,
the
cost
is
5.1
million
dollars,
replacing
the
existing
water
meters,
it
only
would
be
2.2
million
upgrading
to
advanced
water
meter
system
would
be
an
incremental
2.9
million.
On
top
of
that,
there's
an
annual
operating
cost
for
radio
licensing
and
software
and
internet
portal
maintenance,
which
is
76,000
per
year.
The
cost
of
upgrade
and
meter
system
replacement
would
be
recovered
in
approximately
six
years
during
implementation.
If
we
were
to
implement
and
move
forward
with
the
advanced
meter
system,
customers
would
be
informed
and
educated
through
door
hangers
and
planned
informational
workshops.
B
This
is
just
a
snapshot
of
the
internet
interface,
where
people
could
look
at
their
their
water
usage
it's
on
an
hourly
basis.
They
could
also
run
a
report
on
how
much
they've
used
over
the
month
or
a
week
or
a
year
and
see
a
type
of
conservation
efforts,
how
it's
working
and
then
there's
also
a
library,
a
database
that
they
could
refer
to
as
well.
B
Low
flows
would
be
trickle
flows
that
are
going
through
the
meters.
Sometimes
you
have
a
leaky,
faucet
or
leaky
toilet
and
they'll
have
low
flows,
because
our
existing
meters
are
old
and
there
a
mechanical
system.
They
can't
detect
the
low
flows.
The
newer
water
meters
are
much
more
sensitive.
They
use
a
magnetic
system,
so
they
actually
can
detect
almost
all
the
low
flows.
B
D
2.9
million
to
go
to
an
advanced
form
which
also
allows
you
know
the
users
to
to
see
how
it's
I'm
wondering.
How
important
is
that
I
mean
I?
Guess
it's
a
good
service,
maybe
it's
something
that
the
city
can
have
and
and
I
liken
it
to
peach
any
smart
meter
and
how
many
people
actually
go
on
to
you
know
to
see
what
their
usage
is.
I
mean.
I
know
it's
a
nice
feature,
but
is
it
worth
three
million
dollars?
What
is
what
is
the
worth
of
this
advanced
system.
B
It
allows
us
a
lot
of
flexibility,
for
instance,
the
billing
has
to
be
since
the
meter
reading
is
so
labor-intensive
and
our
billing
has
only
done
every
two
months
through
the
smart
meters
system.
We
could
do
the
billing
monthly
because
we
were
having
actual
usage
data
coming
all
the
time.
It
also
saves
a
you
know,
just
the
labor
to
go
in
to
each
meter
to
turn
them
on
and
off
to
during
account
switches
and-
and
you
also
have
a
lot
more
data
to
implement
conservation
programs
that
is
increasingly
more
important
during
drought
conditions
as
well.
A
B
A
A
C
I
were
on
the
sub
committee
that
reviewed
this
bro,
how
many
hours,
but
we
will
have-
we
reviewed
it
quite
a
bit.
One
of
the
things
that
impressed
me
was
the
difference
in
what
the
new
type
of
meter
can
detect
the
leak
it.
I
believe
it
was
too
was
it
two
or
four
tablespoons
of
water,
because
six,
thank
you
guys,
so
it
can.
It
can
do
tat,
essex.
It
can
do
so
out
of
the
box.
It
can
detect
that
little
of
float
I
mean
it
registers
all.
C
B
C
A
E
So
going
over
some
of
the
presentation,
my
understanding
is
92,000.
Savings
is
for
something
that
has
to
go
out
to
a
unit
turn
on
and
off
the
meter
when
it
counts
change,
or
if
there
is
a
situation
with
an
account,
then
the
hundred
sixty
thousand
is
for
the
person
who
actually
reads
the
meters.
Currently
we
used
to
have
two
meter
readers.
Now
we
have
one
and
we're
saying
with
this
new
system
than
a
position
is
being
eliminated.
Is
that
what
we're
saying
we.
B
E
F
C
A
E
E
You
again
to
her
okay,
so
to
me,
there's
not
really
the
savings
in
that
respect
that
that
was
is
presented
here.
In
my
opinion,
what
I
also
want
to
know
with
this
technology-
and
we
talked
about
is
irenan
mentioned-
is
about
noticing
when
the
leak
is
occurring
faster
than
every
two
months,
which
again
can
be
quite
wasteful
and
expensive
to
the
homeowner
or
resident.
E
So
is
there
something
that
it
provides
in
the
system
that
is
monitored,
that
that
has
a
detection
and
the
city
reaches
out
to
that
person
and
say:
hey
I,
believe
you
have
a
leak,
and
now
we
don't
need
to
wait
two
months
but
we're
being
proactive,
we're
reaching
out
and
there's
a
system
in
place
who
monitors
out?
How
is
that
done.
B
E
Obviously,
the
resident
has
that
option
which
I
would
never
have
had
before
they
could
potentially
maybe
go
to
monthly,
so
they
can
better
budget
their
resources.
But
my
other
question
is:
if
we
have
somebody
who's
not
going
to
use
that
resource
or
doesn't
have
the
capability
to
do
so,
is
there
somewhere
where
the
city
then
would
be
out
to
them
to
say
we
see
a
spike
in
your
water
consumption?
Well,
you.
E
That
it
would
happen
so
the
ironic
thing
is
with
technology
and
with
a
system
that
has
gotten
old,
of
course,
and
it's
not
as
reliant
nor
accurate.
The
reality
is
and
I
think
it
needs
to
be
said,
and
has
not
been
said,
is
that
it's
very
likely
that,
with
the
new
system,
our
residents,
our
ratepayers,
would
see
an
increase.
They.
B
E
C
Just
have
one
more
question:
we
received
a
report
from
the
company
that
is
proposing
to
do
this
and
they've
had
extensive
experience
in
other
cities
as
well,
and
I
believe
they
experienced
a
five
percent
water
savings
with
the
implementation
of
this
was
not
what
it
was.
There
was
a
thank
you
so
so,
overall,
the
system
saves
5%
of
their
water,
which
is
more
than
our
recent
conservation.
Efforts
have
a
produce
with
only
two
percent.
So
that's
huge.
That's
a
lot
of
water
that
we're.
We
don't
pay
for
that.
C
E
You
I'm
sorry
and
I.
Apologize
I
had
one
on
the
new
technical
technology
that
we're
going
to
have.
Does
this
include
training,
and
is
that
going
to
be
able
to
be
handled
by
REI
our
own
IT,
or
is
that
additional
cost
to
have
somebody
on
as
far
as
a
resource
and
upgrades?
And
all
of
that
is
there
any
additional
cost
and
what's
listed
here,
training.
B
C
Know,
I'm,
sorry
and
one
more
they're
also
going
to
train
our
finance
people,
because
the
questions
often
come
to
the
finance
people
like
why's
my
bill
this
or
that
or
whatever,
and
those
people
will
also
be
trained.
We
had
a
representative
from
the
finance
department
who
came
to
the
subcommittee
meeting
and
heard
all
the
different
information,
and
she
was
quite
excited
about
learning
this
new
system
and
how
it
was,
and
she
was
very
pleased
that
everyone
would
be
trained
and
gave
it
up
dancing.
Good
question.
A
D
D
You
really
can't
explain
it's
because
the
systems
systems
old
so
I
think
again.
This
is
this
is
the
way
of
the
future.
This
is
it's
time
to
replace
it
and
I'm
very
impressed
that
it's
you
know
the
estimate
is,
it
will
pay
for
itself
in
six
years
too.
That's
that's!
That's
a
rate!
Isn't
that
isn't
that
our
right
cycle
six
years?
Thank
you.
Okay,.
G
Mr.
marriages
suit,
just
to
be
clear,
we
appreciate
your
attention
and
your
interest
in
your
guidance
tonight.
The
next
step
will
be
for
staff
to
work
on
the
development.
Neg
negotiation
and
development
of
a
sole-source
contract
with
the
vendor
will
explain
the
details
about
that
when
we
return
in
approximately
I
believe
two
to
three
months.
Is
that
correct
to
ask
for
your
action
to
award
a
contract
for
implementation
of
the
system,
so
we're
excited
to
be
moving
forward.
Thank.