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224 Cha pte r T h i r tee n

PWD’s work in DMA5 demonstrates how customer consumption profiles can assist
leakage management assessments in DMAs. In PWD’s case, AMR has been useful in its
leakage assessments for DMA5; however, mobile drive-by AMR is not the most efficient
means to collect night meter readings across such a short time interval. PWD looks for-
ward to using DMA5 as a pilot area to test fixed network AMR and establish the basis
for conversion of its drive-by AMR system to a full-scale fixed network AMR system in
coming years.

13.3 Summary: Apparent Loss from Data Transfer Error
Having accurate customer water meters is only the first step in properly accounting for
water billed to customers. The water meters must be successfully read on a regular
schedule and the measured consumption data accurately transferred to the central data
management system, which is typically the customer billing system. There are numer-
ous opportunities for error to be introduced into the customer consumption data
throughout the data transfer process. Water utilities should provide analysis and inves-
tigation into samples of customer accounts in order to determine the extent and magni-
tude of apparent losses due to data transfer error. Significant advances in metering,
AMR, and a host of new capabilities developed under the label of AMI are providing
water utilities unprecedented tools to both optimize the data transfer process and
improve operations and customer service. These tools should prove to be highly cost-
effective and valuable in saving water for many North American water utilities; and
their implementation by a growing number of water utilities reflects an important trend
for the water industry in North America and worldwide.

References
1. Neptune Now newsletter. Case Study: Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Tallassee,
Ala.: Neptune Technology Group, Fall 2007.
2. Schlenger, D. “Water Utility AMR Systems Begin Transition to Advanced Information
Systems.” Tulsa, OK.: WaterWorld, PennWell Corporation, August, 2007.
3. Hughes, D. “A Piggyback Ride on AMR—Communicating More than Just a Meter
Reading”, Proceedings of the Workshop entitled The ABC’s of Apparent Loss Control and
Revenue Protection for Water Utilities, AWWA DSS: Distribution & Plant Operations
Conference, Tampa, FL, 2005.
4. Bharat, B. “Elster AMCO’s Evolution AMI Empowers Water Utilities in Conservation
Efforts.” Tulsa, Okla.: WaterWorld, PennWell Corporation, August, 2007.
5. WaterWatch water meters (2007). www.h2owatch.net/more_meters.html.
6. “Hervey Bay taps into high-tech water” Media Release February 19, 2007. [Online].
Available: www.yourwater.com.au/html/19_feb_07_amr.html. [Cited February 19,
2007.]
7. Western Resource Advocates. “Structuring Water Rates to Promote Conservation,”
2005. [Online]. Available: www.westernresourceadvocates.org/water/wateruse.php.
[Cited April 2, 2008.]
8. City of Boulder, Colorado. “Water Budgets”, 2007. [Online]. Available: www.ci.boulder.
co.us/index.php?option=com.content&task=view&id=6243&Itemid=2039. [Cited
April 2, 2008.]
9. Fanner, V. P., R. Sturm, J., Thornton, et al. “Leakage Management Technologies.”
Denver, Colo.: AwwaRF and AWWA, 2007.