Project overview
Customer:
City of Umatilla, FL
Products:
- Neptune® R900® Gateway v4 data collector
- Neptune® 360™ software
Challenge:
The City of Umatilla, Florida, needed to migrate from an automatic meter reading (AMR) system to an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) across seven different installation sites, with all seven locations featuring different constraints.
Solution:
Ferguson Waterworks put together a team that completed the migration without disrupting the customer’s daily operation. Not only did we build a plan to install all locations with minimal disruptions to the city, but we were also able to request a project extension due to a 65-day FAA approval process delay.
Product advantages:
- Fixed network reading requires no reprogramming endpoints.
- E-CODER® equipment meters provide daily leak, reverse flow and other alerts.
- The R900 Gateway maintains compatibility with existing deployed R900s.
- The customer can get a reading whenever they need it with on-demand read capability.
Project scope
The City of Umatilla had seven site locations, each with unique constraints, which required a migration from an AMR system to AMI. Site visits and evaluations were necessary to determine the correct migration strategy for that location while minimizing disruptions to the city.
As an example of one of these unique constraints, one location required the installation of a solar panel and a collector on a light pole at a county park, which required approval from the county to drive a 15,000-pound boom lift on the property.
The county approved the request on the condition that we did not drive on the sports fields and damage irrigation lines or create divots. To meet these conditions, we suggested two options.
Option one used the shortest distance, but we would need to remove a small fence to drive the lift to the light pole. The second option was a longer route that required driving a third of a mile in a lift that operates at a maximum of 3 miles per hour, continuously placing 100-pound mats in front of tires until we reach the location. In that instance, we chose option one.
Method
Ferguson Waterworks put together a team that managed all aspects of the project from start to finish. We coordinated between five different teams on the project: the subcontractor, Neptune, the Ferguson sales team, the Ferguson project management team and the City of Umatilla.
We conducted site surveys at all seven site locations in Umatilla and coordinated team meetings to review each location and create action items unique to each site.
Regular meetings with project stakeholders apprised them of updates as we coordinated and scheduled each install of the Neptune R900 v4 Gateway data collector. One site also required the installation of a solar panel.
The solution: Ferguson Waterworks
Not only did we build a bulletproof plan to install all locations with minimal disruptions to the city, but we were also able to request a project extension due to a 65-day FAA approval process delay.
In the end, Ferguson Waterworks was able to facilitate the migration from an AMR to an AMI system without the need for special reprogramming endpoints.
To explore how we can help your city with innovative solutions, visit ferguson.com/waterworks.