In our continuing effort to maintain water system efficiency and provide better customer service to all City of Kingsland Residential, Commercial and Industrial customers, the City of Kingsland is deploying a state of the art, Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system.
The City has selected Utility Solutions of America, Inc. (USA, Inc.) as its installation contractor for this project. Beginning in late October 2016, USA, Inc. will replace approximately 3,400 meters and will retrofit 700 existing meters with Neptune E-coder R900i AMR registers operating on the 900 MHz radio frequency (RF). This is the same RF technology that is used in many other devices we use
every day including; baby monitors, remote car keys, smart phones, cellular networks, cordless telephones, AM and FM radio broadcasts, garage door openers, radio-controlled toys, television broadcasts, satellite communications, and police radios. This project will also include other work including as needed replacements of meter boxes, curb stops, backflow preventer, and allowance for supplemental work. The project area covers approximately 50% of the City's current meters to include routes 2, 5, 11, 21, & 22 (The Lakes, Harriett’s Bluff, Mariners Landing, and Laurel Island).
The AMR meter replacement project is part of our 2016 GEFA SRF Drinking Water Improvement Program. The scope of this project includes a $340,000 valve insertion project in the downtown area, $180,000 ductile iron water line replacement project on Sheffield Island Road, valve insertions on Harriett's Bluff Road, and $1,070,000 AMR water meter replacement/retro fit project for approximately half of the City's meters.
This $1.6m GEFA SRF project includes a grant of $500,000 in principle forgiveness. The remaining $1.1m will be funded by a combination of SPLOST revenue and Water Enterprise Fund revenue. The total amount paid for this project by Kingsland’s property tax payer is $0.00.
Normal upgrading to the new AMR system should not result in a disruption of your water service. There are no charges for installation of the AMR system components, or for the servicing of your existing water meter. Once this project is completed, we will be able to provide more precise and accurate meter readings. We will reduce the cost and liability exposure associated with providing manual meter readings and we will have the ability to analyze consumption data and monitor the system for non-revenue water losses. This will provide a healthier water system infrastructure and reduce customer exposure to potentially higher bills due to undetected water leaks and non-accounted for water.
For more information regarding AMR technology please see the attached links.
We appreciate your cooperation for this very important upgrade project. If you have any questions please call 912-729-5613.