Project Background 

 

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an integrated system of customer water meters, communication networks, and data management systems that provides real-time water use information to the City and its residents. AMI is a fully integrated set of projects, solutions, and systems that enable water utilities to do the following items: 

 

• Remotely and continuously monitor and diagnose meter operation issues. 
• Capture hourly water meter reads at all connections 
• Pre-emptively prioritize and manage maintenance issues. 
• Remotely control and optimize all aspects of the distribution systems using data-driven insights. 
• Implement a Network Infrastructure for future Smart Water Utility Applications 
• Improve Customer Support by providing information and tools to make informed choices about their behaviors and usage pattern, as well as leak notifications. Engaging our customers on a much deeper level of service. 

 

AMI has become a regularly adopted solution for improving operational efficiencies and managing many common City government business challenges. These challenges include aging infrastructure, system operational management, integrity, customer service, and sustainability objectives. 

 

The City’s 41,000 water customers are currently billed using a third-party contractor to read each water meter monthly manually. AMI systems utilize technology to communicate remotely with and read the water meters. The AMI system components include an Endpoint, the technology installed on the water meter to allow for the remote reading. The Communication Network collects data from all the endpoints to deliver to a Head End System, which is comprised of database servers that manage the system and store the data. Lastly, the Head End System is integrated into the City’s ERP applications to access and utilize the data for billing.  

 

The City has been progressing through a phased approach to implementing AMI, including completing the business case, developing the design and requirements, procurement, and vendor selection. The implementation and deployment phase began with the City Council’s approval of the contract with Aclara Technologies, LLC, on January 17, 2023. The contract with Aclara Technologies, Inc. for hardware, services, and installation of the AMI technology totaled $9,214,347.98. During the Council presentation of the contract, Staff identified that the remaining CIP CWA2210 funding of $3,044,727 will be used to secure the customer portal and the meter registers for those meters that are not getting replaced. 

 

Customer Portal

  

A key tool to the success of AMI is the customer portal. The customer portal gives the City the ability to change how we engage with our water customers, as well as empower the customers to track their water usage and make informed choices about their behaviors.   

 

The AMI system will collect hourly water meter reads at each connection to the City’s water system. These reads will be captured and securely delivered to the City’s head end system, where it will be utilized to monitor and diagnose meter operation issues, prioritize and manage maintenance issues, and bill customers for their water use. It will improve the billing process through reduced billing adjustments and more accurate metering. The data will also be used to improve customer support by providing the usage information back to the customer through a new customer portal. 

 

The customer portal will allow each homeowner and business with a water account the ability to access their water usage. It will help utility customers better track and manage their water use, as well as identify leaks. It will integrate with the existing Paymentus platform to allow customers to pay their water bills online.  

  

City Staff evaluated customer portals as part of the RFP proposals for the AMI system. Because the customer portals are independent of the AMI system, City staff followed up with full interviews of the top three vendors WaterSmart, AquaHawk, and SilverBlaze, in September 2022. Products were evaluated on various criteria, including the availability and functionality of a mobile app, the capability to use the City’s branding, the integration capabilities with Paymentus and Tyler systems, the ability to communicate with various customer groups and geographic locations for general communication as well as emergency notifications, the customer engagement tools including leak detection and water use comparison, and the history and experience of the portal company. Using these criteria, Staff recommended WaterSmart for the City’s new customer portal. 

 

Project Funding

 

The pricing, terms and conditions are supported by the Houston- Galveston Area Council (HGAC) BuyBoard cooperative purchasing contract No. WM09-02 with HydroPro Solutions, LLC. Cooperative Agreements are with governmental purchasing organizations. These agreements leverage the purchasing potential of governmental entities. All contracts are competitively bid, and contracts are awarded in compliance with state procurement laws and regulations. 

 

During the Council presentation of the Aclara contract on January 17, 2023, Staff identified the available remaining funding in CIP CWA2210 as $3,044,727. The available funding will be used to secure the customer portal and the meter registers for those meters that are not getting replaced; the contracts are within the budget available.   

 

The total cost for year one of the WaterSmart Customer Portal is $114,901.60. This includes initial fees associated with setting up the portal, customization, and integration with the City’s billing program of $25,500.10. These initial fees also include training for City staff. The annual fees for continued Software as a Service total $89,401.60 based on the number of customers.   

 

Recommendation 

 

The Engineering and Public Works Departments recommend City Council authorize a services contract with HydroPro Solutions, LLC through the HGAC BuyBoard cooperative purchasing agreement No. WM09-02 for the WaterSmart Customer Portal for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Improvements, CIP CWA2210, in the amount of $114,901.60. Additionally, recommend the approval of the WaterSmart Software as an annual Service fee in the amount of $89,401.60 from the Utilities Operating budget. The contract will automatically renew for 4 additional one-year terms for a total contract amount of $488,924.55.