SUD Elects Officers; Reviews Meter Replacement Progress

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Newly elected commissioners were sworn in, and officers for the coming year appointed at the Feb. 24 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties. Much of the meeting was devoted to assessing the meter replacement program.

Commissioners Randall Henley and Karen Singer were sworn in at the outset of the meeting. Both Henley and Singer were re-elected in January to serve another four-year term.

The board voted to continue with the same slate of officers for 2014: Cliff Huffman, president; Karen Singer, vice president; Ken Smith, secretary.

SUD is in the process of replacing all its meters to move them to automated meter reading (AMR) technology. With AMR meters, SUD will retrieve customer meter data via a radio transmitter system. SUD manager Ben Beavers said almost one-quarter of SUD’s meters were replaced as of Jan. 31. Aging meters typically give false low readings. By replacing aging meters, SUD hopes to see an increase in water sales and a decrease in unaccounted-for water loss (the difference between water produced at the plant and water registering in metered sales).

To date, SUD has not seen an increase in sales, but Beavers said most of the aging meters and largest meters are located in Sewanee, and the meters there had not yet been replaced. Similarly, unaccounted-for water loss has not decreased. Another possible source of unaccounted-for water loss is supply line leaks. To aid in detecting supply line leaks, SUD is in the process of calibrating its zone meters for AMR to more accurately register the amount of water delivered to the various zones of the district.

AMR also aids in detecting leaks on the customer side of the meter. The technology reports hourly consumption for the past 40 days, immediately alerting SUD meter readers to an irregularity. Also, a meter that has not stopped running for 24 hours alerts the system that a leak is likely. For a $100 setup cost and $10 per month fee, customers can monitor their usage via computer and check their water use remotely, such as during vacation.

A customer who receives an unusually high bill due to a water leak may apply for an adjustment. If the adjustment is approved, SUD will reduce the customer’s water bill for the month in which the leak occurred by 50 percent. For leaked water that did not enter the sewer system, SUD will reduce the customer’s sewer bill for the month in which the leak occurred to a level equal to the previous 12-month average of the customer’s sewer bill. At the customer’s request, SUD will test the customer’s meter for inaccuracy. If the meter tests accurate, the customer is charged a $50 fee.

Beavers said the February month-end reports would reflect numerous customer adjustments resulting from frozen pipe leaks in January. The next meeting of the SUD board is March 25.