City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality
South Africa
Western Cape
Sector
Public Sector Entity
Utilities
What is automated meter reading (AMR) and how does it work?
This is a system and process used to remotely gather water meter data without the need for personnel to physically visit each meter. The system can be configured to read many meters at exactly the same point in time, such as midnight at the end of the month.
There are several components that make up an AMR system and in order for the system to work the water meter must have a pulse output. A small radio transmitter is connected to the pulse output of a meter. The readings from several meters are then transmitted to a repeater, which is mounted on a point higher than the meter. The data from the repeater is then downloaded onto a server via GPRS and this data can then be retrieved via a website specifically designed for this purpose.
National first
The City of Cape Town will be the first municipality in the country to be using this system and
two pilot AMR projects have recently been initiated.
1. Sunset Beach – a residential area where approximately 700 meters were recently surveyed and about 80% of the meters were found to be incompatible and therefore need to be replaced with pulse meters.
2. Epping Industria – where surveying began on 13th March on about 550 meters. The meters in this area, being industrial, will be larger than the normal domestic meters and the environment for radio signals will be more difficult.
Completion of installation and commencement of testing is targeted for mid-2008
The total amount allocated to the two pilot projects is R1.434-million. This is made up of R632 614 allocated to Sunset Beach and R801 052 to Epping Industria. The pilots will be evaluated to roll this out on a priority basis throughout the city over the next few years, as the total cost could be approximately R400-million.
Why use AMR – what are the benefits?
Statistics have revealed that 15% of the City’s meters are not read every month. Due to people needing to physically read every meter, some reading errors also occur and may only be brought to light once the meter is read again. The main reasons for meters being unread relate to lack of access and difficult terrain; this results in estimated accounts based on the historical consumption pattern at that meter.
The benefits of an AMR system are that meters are continuously read and correct billing is generated as a result. This means better service delivery by the City.
Simultaneous and easy reading also enables improved water balance calculations to be undertaken per supply zone, to assist in identifying and rectifying points of water losses or wastage.
Existing meter readers will gain new skills in being inspectors of the City’s meters, gain valuable computing skills when operating the equipment and website, and can be part of maintaining the AMR infrastructure.
For more information contact:
Tshepo Modise
Tel.: +27 21 590 1478
Email: tshepo.modise@capetown.gov.za
