What Happens in North Las Vegas Stays in North Las Vegas Or, AMR Installation - The City of North Las Vegas Experience

摘要

The City of North Las Vegas is located in southern Nevada just north of the City of Las Vegas. The City was incorporated in 1946 and currently has a population of approximately 200,000. The City's Utilities Department was created in 2004; however, the City has provided water and sewer utility services since 1947. The City also provides water services to parts of the City of Las Vegas and Clark County, which are located next to the City limits. With the addition of these water customers, the Utilities Department provides water to a population over 280,000. Over 92% of the water customers are single-family residential accounts. North Las Vegas is currently the second fastest growing City over 100,000 population in the United States.Automated Meter Reading (AMR) is an important development in the water business for many reasons. AMR can improve customer service and change staffing. AMR relies upon computer and radio technology, which is ever changing and improving. In 1996-1997 North Las Vegas agreed to install a Unix AMR system. The City spent approximately $1,000,000 on this first attempt. The Unix system and the company providing the system failed completely. From that experience, the Utilities Department learned: 1) that a complex system needs to be completely researched, 2) the company providing the system needs to be researched, 3) the research must evaluate the available products that meet the needs of the City, 4) the project needs to be planned with an established budget, and 5) field-testing of the selected systems is needed prior to proceeding. In 2000, the Utilities Department field-tested fifteen Ramar AMR meters. In 2002, the Utilities Department field-tested twenty Neptune and twenty Invensys AMR meters. During this field-testing, the Utilities Department determined that the Invensys AMR Multi-Jet meter best met the needs of the City. In 2003, the Utilities Department researched four AMR reading systems including Invensys (Sensus), Datamatic, Ramar and Master. We identified 20 evaluation factors and weighted each factor's importance to us. We evaluated each factor based upon factory information. We determined that the Sensus meter AMR drive-by system best met our needs - see chart 1. During the field-test and the system evaluation we also determined that we needed to change to the Sensus 5/8 by 3/4 inch Multi-Jet meter body as the standard to be used by the City for its single-family residential accounts. Due to the growth of six thousand or more customers per year, we needed to standardize the meter and begin buying a meter compatible with the AMR system we were choosing. Once the change to the AMR system was approved, then the Utilities Department would only be required the purchase the electronic register and a radio for our newly constructed single-family residential units. Due to the City's rapid growth, this change potentially saved the City thousands of dollars.