Arlington Water Utilities Teams Up With YES! Communities on Water Meter Replacement Project
By Alana Earle, Arlington Water Utilities
Posted on February 11, 2020, February 11, 2020

Overall, 762-meter changeouts were completed throughout the three Arlington YES! Communities locations. This will help both the residents and Arlington Water Utilities save money by gaining the most accurate meter readings, therefore ensuring leaks and water waste is caught early. Arlington Water supervisors estimate that the meter replacements will save 16 hours of labor for Arlington Water Utilities meter crews each month. 

YES! Communities has partnered with Arlington Water Utilities on the installation of remote-read meters for its three managed Arlington communities.

Remote-read meters are part of Arlington’s advanced metering infrastructure. Readings are transmitted electronically from the meters, which allows each household to keep better track of how much water is being used.

The individual water meters and accompanying meter boxes inside the YES! Communities locations are part of the private infrastructure of the managed community. Arlington Water Utilities meter readers visit YES! Communities properties, Arlington Lakeside, South Arlington Estates, and The Oaks at Arlington, to take individual home readings and bill customers.

In late 2019, YES! Communities contacted Arlington Water Utilities about their desire to begin meter replacements in their communities that would enable residents to join the city’s remote read network. Arlington Water Utilities provided the remote-read meters and meter boxes. Under the partnership, YES! Communities handled the installation.

Overall, 762-meter changeouts were completed throughout the three Arlington YES! Communities locations. This will help both the residents and Arlington Water Utilities save money by gaining the most accurate meter readings, therefore ensuring leaks and water waste is caught early. Arlington Water supervisors estimate that the meter replacements will save 16 hours of labor for Arlington Water Utilities meter crews each month.

“Their residents are now able to gain control of their water usage by using all that our AMI system has to offer. They can set alerts to control their consumption or bill amount. They will also receive alerts if the meter notes constant consumption,” said Adam Stark, Arlington Water Utilities field operations sector manager.

Additionally, the leasing offices at each location will be better able to see how much water is being used by the community for irrigation.

Remotely read meters are the most recent way that Arlington Water Utilities is helping its residents better understand their water usage. Arlington Water Utilities recently surpassed the 70,000 mark in number of remotely read meters installed, putting the City about two-thirds through its Advanced Metering Infrastructure, or AMI, replacement program.

The new remotely read meters are the same style and accuracy used in the water industry for years. The change is that the new meters are remotely read. Instead of a meter reader visiting meter locations, the AMI system transmits readings throughout the day over a secure radio network. The City plans to install about 9,000 additional meters annually until the project is complete. Residents with remote-read meters can view their daily water usage and sign up for high usage alerts by visiting www.arlingtontx.gov/KnowYourH2O.

Vanessa Jasinski, YES! Communities vice president of marketing and media relations, said the meter installations are part of an effort to pass along cost savings to residents and help reduce water waste.

For more information about how Arlington Water Utilities is putting technology to work, visit www.arlingtontx.gov/water and get tips for being more water efficient at www.SaveArlingtonWater.com.

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