SE Valley Times

Chandler City Council has approved an agreement with Ferguson Enterprises, LLC for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, allocating up to $14 million for its implementation.

Currently, Chandler collects approximately 87,000 monthly water meter readings using Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology. The data from these meters is used to generate monthly utility bills. The new agreement will enable the city to transition from AMR to AMI technology, which integrates smart meters with a communication network and data management system.

With the introduction of AMI, customers will have access to their daily water consumption data, receive leak detection alerts and water system notifications, and pay their monthly bills through a customer portal.

The new AMI meters will communicate with gateway collectors—small antennas strategically placed throughout the city. Approximately 48 gateway collectors will be purchased and installed, along with the replacement of around 30,000 meters that are incompatible with AMI technology. These aging meters are scheduled for replacement within the next three to four years due to their tendency to read inaccurately after 15 years of use. The new meters are expected to last 20 years.

Funding for this project includes $1.2 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA). Installation of the new equipment is set to begin in late 2024.