New smart utility network has modernized the City's infrastructure
The rehabilitation and replacement of aging water infrastructure is consistently ranked among the most pressing issues facing the water sector according to the American Water Works Association.
Facing their own challenges with aging infrastructure, the City of North Battleford in Saskatchewan, Canada, decided to upgrade their utility’s water system by installing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). The decision has paid off.
“We needed to modernize our technology for the 21st century. At one point we tried to estimate our water losses, and our old metering system was so inaccurate that our calculations showed that we were charging for more water than what we were producing at the plants,” said Stewart Schafer, director of operations at the City of North Battleford. “Transitioning to AMI has allowed us to generate timely and accurate meter readings to serve our customers more efficiently.”
Real-time data leads to proactive leak detection
North Battleford leveraged the real-time data delivered by Xylem’s smart water meters, and Sensus FlexNet® communication network, to improve their operational efficiency. This upgrade allowed the City to implement proactive leak detection through continuous consumption alerts to immediately notify their customers.
Jeff Blanchard, assistant director of operations, provided two examples of how customers immediately benefitted from North Battleford’s upgraded utility network. First, a local store had installed new low-flow fixtures, but a faulty sensor caused one of the fixtures to leak 1.7m³ of water per hour. The new AMI water meters quickly detected the excessive water usage and allowed the customer to rectify the problem. In the second example, an elderly homeowner was unaware a flapper valve had not sealed properly in her basement toilet causing a continuous water flow for 24 hours. Upon notification, the homeowner took action to stop the leak. Both instances highlight how the city’s proactive approach to consumption monitoring and customer notification saved the customers money and helped conserve valuable resources.
“We’ve achieved remarkable results through proactive leak notifications. We can now alert our customers of leaks in 24-hours that would have previously gone for months,” said Blanchard.
System visibility and control
North Battleford’s smart utility network includes the ally® residential water meter that enables staff to remotely turn on or off water services or reduce flow to minimize lost revenue. This is helpful with the high turnover of seasonal tenants in rental properties. Landlords can now be proactively notified of potential water issues and the automatic shutoff can save them from high water bills at vacant properties.
Smart utility network reduces operational costs
Utility operations have become more efficient with the ally residential water meter in remotely managed services. The City Waterworks staff has reduced the manual curbside shutoffs or reconnects and is now more focused on other valuable work. Since implementation, the City’s cost savings are approximately $125,000 CAD in staff time, reduced fleet and fuel costs and smaller carbon footprint.
“As an operations professional, I see the main benefit for us is the system’s instant feedback and how granular we can get with the data,” said Blanchard. “This detailed information has allowed us to decrease accounting errors and quickly identify customers with continuous consumption.”