Hi-Tech Water Metering System Installed to Save Hot Springs Customers Money
By: Josh Berry
Updated: October 19, 2012
A state of the art water metering system has been put in place to save money.
It's a 10 million dollar project in Hot Springs that's now complete.
The city says it's saving it's water customer's money. Not everyone was for it initially, in fact some still don't like it claiming it's costing them more. That's only because it's accurate compared to a previously slow metering system.
It's overall purpose: conservation.
"We use a lot of water," said homeowner Donner Fincher as she cleaned dishes.
As a leader of a local youth group at her church in Hot Springs, it's understandable when Fincher's dishes pile up.
She has a lot of church kids running in and out of her house which means a lot of toilet flushes and running faucets every day. It all racks up the monthly payments.
"Our water bills always high."
To make sure they're getting their money's worth and nothing slides under the table, the Fincher's have one of nearly 34,000 transmitters attached to their aging water meter.
"If you go to your sink and get a glass of water, we can tell ya you got a glass of water," said City of Hot Springs Engineering Department Senior Project Manager, Larry Merriman.
The city has installed put in place a program called "Advanced Metering Infrastructure."
Merriman says the next step for the city is on-line monitoring for customers, and being able to budget their usage. Customers can receive email, phone or text alerts when they go over their planned usage.
Merriman expects the city to have the 2 low-interest loans for the project paid off in 7-10 years.
It ultimately just sends information to the Hot Springs Billing Department, but it has quite a few other benefits including personnel, leak detection, unauthorized use and water theft prevention.
"And all that ultimately does save money," Merriman said. "But I would like to think that we as a community are actually approaching it as much as a conservation method as anything."
The system can take information down to some very impressive levels.
Looking at the graphs it's clear when someone takes a shower, and how often they flush their toilet.
At its very core however, the Advanced Metering Infrastructure system is designed to help households like the Fincher's save and conserve.
"I'm so glad we have a program like that," Fincher said. "It's great to know that we haw something where we can watch what we're using and cut back."
Because when times are tough, water can become just as precious as the Youth Group kids running through the house.
It's a 10 million dollar project in Hot Springs that's now complete.
The city says it's saving it's water customer's money. Not everyone was for it initially, in fact some still don't like it claiming it's costing them more. That's only because it's accurate compared to a previously slow metering system.
It's overall purpose: conservation.
"We use a lot of water," said homeowner Donner Fincher as she cleaned dishes.
As a leader of a local youth group at her church in Hot Springs, it's understandable when Fincher's dishes pile up.
She has a lot of church kids running in and out of her house which means a lot of toilet flushes and running faucets every day. It all racks up the monthly payments.
"Our water bills always high."
To make sure they're getting their money's worth and nothing slides under the table, the Fincher's have one of nearly 34,000 transmitters attached to their aging water meter.
"If you go to your sink and get a glass of water, we can tell ya you got a glass of water," said City of Hot Springs Engineering Department Senior Project Manager, Larry Merriman.
The city has installed put in place a program called "Advanced Metering Infrastructure."
Merriman says the next step for the city is on-line monitoring for customers, and being able to budget their usage. Customers can receive email, phone or text alerts when they go over their planned usage.
Merriman expects the city to have the 2 low-interest loans for the project paid off in 7-10 years.
It ultimately just sends information to the Hot Springs Billing Department, but it has quite a few other benefits including personnel, leak detection, unauthorized use and water theft prevention.
"And all that ultimately does save money," Merriman said. "But I would like to think that we as a community are actually approaching it as much as a conservation method as anything."
The system can take information down to some very impressive levels.
Looking at the graphs it's clear when someone takes a shower, and how often they flush their toilet.
At its very core however, the Advanced Metering Infrastructure system is designed to help households like the Fincher's save and conserve.
"I'm so glad we have a program like that," Fincher said. "It's great to know that we haw something where we can watch what we're using and cut back."
Because when times are tough, water can become just as precious as the Youth Group kids running through the house.
