The Silver Creek Water Corporation in southern Indiana manages millions of gallons of water, over hilly terrain, for 20,000 people. Over several decades, the utility has deployed technology from Xylem’s Sensus brand to remotely manage meters, prevent water loss and save costs. These smart digital solutions enable the utility to detect issues before customers are even aware of them.
THE CHALLENGE
The corporation’s transition from manual meter reading to automated meter reading (AMR) began in 2001 while navigating a growing customer base and high employee turnover.
Aaron Orman, Meter Specialist, Silver Creek Water Corporation explains that if the utility was still dependent on manual meter readings, a high rate of water loss could have continued.
In one example, there was a high-use alert of 700 gallons per hour at a movie theater shut down during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Silver Creek’s staff worked with the theater’s manager to find the source of the problem – water leaking unnoticed into an underground storm sewer in the parking lot.
THE SOLUTION
As technology improved, Silver Creek wanted to keep up and upgraded the system again in 2015 by deploying the FlexNet® communication network in conjunction with iPERL® residential water meters and Sensus Analytics. The solution allows Silver Creek to manage and monitor meters remotely for enhanced operational efficiency and improved customer service.
The water provider chose to install ally® water meters in every pressure zone for enhanced emergency preparedness. Silver Creek will receive an early warning with any sudden drop in pressure within their distribution network. The reliable data helps pinpoint potential service issues and justify compliance for boil orders.
RESULTS
Silver Creek Water Corporation’s meter specialists have their monitoring process down to a science. They can now read and assess 8,026 meters by lunchtime, a feat that previously took about two weeks to complete. This constant access to data has led to prompt leak detection and proactive customer service.
“Smart digital technology helps us maintain reliable, remotely managed operations and improve our commitment to customer service,” said Scott Ham, Silver Creek Water Corporation Manager. “Working with Sensus has been progressive and outstanding, and it gets better and better over time. When we show people how quickly and efficiently the technology works, it sells itself.”
-Aaron Orman, Meter Specialist, Silver Creek Water CorporationA customer’s garden hose burst in the backyard due to high temperatures. The meter was showing a loss of 400 to 500 gallons of water an hour, and the customer had no idea. Because we received an alert as the issue began, we were able to call the customer and address it before the customer even knew what was happening.”
