The City of Asheville, N.C., has selected Mueller Systems to help it improve the efficiency and service of its water operations through the implementation of a smart metering water program.
Mueller Systems will provide Asheville with a turnkey solution, according to the company, including installation services, project management, automated meter reading (AMR) modules and water meters for 52,000 connections. Mueller Systems is part of Mueller Water Products Inc., a provider of products and services used in water distribution networks and water treatment facilities.
“With our increasing awareness of the need to better manage our priceless water resources, it is even more important that we, as a conscientious municipality, accurately account for every drop of water that is treated and distributed through our system,” said Brandon Buckner, superintendent of Meter Services for Asheville. “We believe that Mueller Systems brings the right solutions to the table to help us meet this rapidly growing need--delivering innovative strategies, an ability to learn rapidly and adapt quickly to changing situations and forward-looking vision along with a state-of-the-art product in the Hot Rod AMR.”
Mueller Systems’ AMR system aims to enable utilities to improve customer service while simultaneously increasing operational efficiencies. Mueller Hot Rod transmitters aim to enhance utilities’ ability to capture drive-by meter readings, and the open architecture of the AMR system component allows the solution to work with other brands of encoded meters that utilities may already have installed.
The Hot Rod AMR system also includes a data logging feature that allows for six months’ worth of hourly usage data stored at the meter, with graphically displayed alarms to enable utilities to quickly respond to customer questions and proactively approach customers about possible leaks or tampering. The Hot Rod AMR system also provides a seamless migration path from AMR to the Mi.Net Mueller Infrastructure Network for Utilities advanced metering infrastructure system as needs and service areas grow, according to the company. The Mi.Net System is a communications network that aims to fully automate the meter-reading-to-billing process, linking meters, distribution sites and control devices in a single data network.
“Our Hot Rod AMR system provides a high-performance solution to meet the challenge of communicating across rugged mountain terrain,” said Jim Hendricks, area manager for Mueller Systems.
The topography of Asheville makes transmission speed a particular need.
“Asheville needed an AMR system that was fast, and our two-second transmission–-the fastest in the industry--exceeded this requirement,” Hendricks added.
Source: Mueller Systems
