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Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Conversion

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Conversion. Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 29, Malibu Jonathan King jking@dpw.lacounty.gov (626) 300-3331. LA County Waterworks District No. 29, Malibu: Service Area. LACWD No. 29, Malibu. District Overview.

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Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Conversion

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  1. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)Conversion Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 29, Malibu Jonathan King jking@dpw.lacounty.gov (626) 300-3331

  2. LA County Waterworks District No. 29, Malibu: Service Area LACWD No. 29, Malibu

  3. District Overview • LA County Waterworks District No. 29, Malibu operates & maintains: • 7,641 metered service connections • 245 miles of distribution & transmission mains • 50 gravity storage tanks with a combined volume of 21 million gallons (MG) • 34 pump stations • 49 square miles of service area

  4. District Pressure Zones

  5. Scope of AMI Conversion Project • Replace existing water meters with “smart” meters • Install data collection devices and cloud server software to analyze meter data in real time • Build a hybrid “fixed” and “cellular” communications network to collect and transmit meter data • Launch customer portal to enhance customer engagement and offer tools to improve water use efficiency

  6. Current Meter Reading Practice(Drive-By and Manual) Drive-By • Allowing the District to enhance water conservation efforts by identifying leaks quickly and managing water resources more efficiently C I S Customer Information System (Billing) Manual

  7. Smart Water Meter Conversion Before After

  8. AMI Meter Reading System(Hybrid Fixed & Cellular Communications Network) “Cellular” Cloud Storage • Allowing the District to enhance water conservation efforts by identifying leaks quickly and managing water resources more efficiently Cellular Meter Interface Units (CMIU’s) Data Collectors Cellular Towers “Fixed” C I S Convert 7,641 water meters to “smart” meters with a hybrid fixed and cellular network and install data collection devices and host server software to analyze meter data real time. “Smart” Meters

  9. Radio Frequency Propagation Study to Evaluate Coverage for “Fixed” AMI • Hybrid “Fixed” & “Cellular” AMI System: • Install 15 data collectors to collect radio frequency meter readings transmitted over the “Fixed” AMI network (roughly 65% of the total 7,641 Meters) • Install Cellular Meter Interface Units (CMIU’s) to transmit meter reads over the “Cellular” AMI network (roughly 35% of the 7,641 meters) Convert 7,641 water meters to “smart” meters with a hybrid fixed and cellular network and install data collection devices and host server software to analyze meter data real time.

  10. Data Collector Installation

  11. Project Outreach • Community outreach will help inform customers about the benefits of AMI technology while addressing common misconceptions and concerns • The District will perform a variety of outreach, including print and web-based publications, bill inserts, and participation in community events • Public outreach and education efforts will notify District customers of the customer portal software, featuring tools to help customers better manage their own water usage

  12. Funding Details Funding: • Total Project Cost: $6,050,000 • Matching Funds: $5,050,000 (83.5%) • Grant Request: $1,000,000 • Matching Fund Sources: • District’s General Fund • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) WaterSMART Grant Funding: $1,000,000 • City of Malibu Grant: $120,000 • Annual Operation and Maintenance Costs • Cloud Hosting: $25,000 • Customer Portal: $50,000 • Cellular Fees: $10,000 Partners: • USBR • City of Malibu

  13. Impacts on Climate Change & Regional Water Self-Reliance • Minimizes Carbon Footprint • District No. 29, Malibu relies 100% on imported water deliveries from the Bay Delta • AMI promotes water conservation, reducing deliveries of imported water from the Bay Delta • Reducing deliveries of imported water from the Bay Delta results in energy savings • AMI automates the meter reading process to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by traditional meter reading activities • Enhances Regional Water Self-Reliance • AMI supports “proactive” customer engagement to promote water conservation • “Smart” meters detect leaks when they happen and send leak notifications to address problems sooner • Customer portals provide a dashboard for customers to view water usage and tools to increase water use efficiency • AMI leverages big data to analyze water consumption patterns and trends to help water suppliers manage drinking water resources more effectively

  14. Government Code Section 16727 & CEQA Compliance • AMI infrastructure has a minimum expected useful life of 15 years, consistent with Govt. Code Section 16727 • The project is categorically exempt from CEQA as follows: • Class 1: Existing facilities • Class 2: Replacement of existing structures and facilities • Class 11: Accessory structures • Notice of Exemption to be filed with the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk • No permits are anticipated for the AMI project • AMI “smart” meters will replace existing water meters • Data collectors will be installed on existing District-owned infrastructure and property

  15. Statewide Priorities • Make Conservation a California Way of Life • Increase Regional Self-Reliance • Achieve “Coequal Goals” of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem • Manage and Prepare for Dry Periods • Provide Safe Water for All Communities

  16. Estimated Annual Water Savings Water conservation estimates based on the 2017 water supply (8,431 AF): • Water use reduction: 556 AFY • Residential leak detection: 288 AFY • Distribution system leak detection: 258 AFY • Total annual water savings: 1,102 AFY (~$3 Million)

  17. Estimated Annual Water Savings Water conservation estimates based on the 2018 water supply (8,569 AF): • Water use reduction: 566 AFY • Residential leak detection: 283 AFY • Distribution system leak detection: 262 AFY • Total annual water savings: 1,111 AFY (~$3 Million)

  18. Calculating Estimated Annual Water Savings Based on 2017 Water Supply • Water use reduction: • On average, customer portals help customers conserve 6.6% more water than standard billing practices • Source: A case study performed by IBM Research (2013), Every drop counts: How water utilities are putting water efficiency first • Using the District’s 2017 supply: 8,431 acre-feet per year x 6.6% = 556 AFY • Residential leak detection: • The average household wastes 10,000 gallons of water per year from leaks • 10% of homes waste 90 gallons or more per day (32,850 gallons per year) • Source: Reduction factors and data from the EPA’s WaterSense website • Using the District’s 2017 supply: • (7,641 connections x 90% x 10,000 gallons per year) + (7,641 connections x 10% x 32,850 gallons per year) = 93,869,685 gallons per year • 93,869,685 gallons per year / 325,851 gallons per acre-foot = 288 AFY

  19. Calculating Estimated Annual Water Savings Based on 2017 Water Supply 3. Improved leak detection in the distribution system: • On average, the District’s unmetered water losses account for 6.12% of supply • A June 2011 report prepared by Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, estimates that as much as 50% of this amount is due to old, inaccurate water meters under-registering consumption • Using the District’s 2017 Supply: • (8,431 AFY x 6.12%) x 50% = 258 AFY

  20. Water Energy Nexus • Greenhouse Gas Reductions Based on California’s Water – Energy Relationship, California Energy Commission (2005): • Estimated annual water savings based on 2017 supply: 1,102 AFY • Energy required to deliver water to Southern California: 12,700 kWh/MG • Reduced carbon dioxide emissions based on annual water savings: • 1,102 AFY x 0.325 MG/AF = 359 MG • 359 MG x 12,700 kWh/MG = 4,559,300 kWh • 4,559,300 kWh x 7.07x10-4 metric tons CO2/kWh = 3,223 metric tons CO2, or 3,554 US tons CO2 • Reduced carbon dioxide emissions based on vehicle savings after automating meter reading activities: 3 US tons CO2/yr • Total carbon dioxidereductions per year = 3,554+3 = 3,557 US tons CO2/yr

  21. AMI Project Benefits • Workforce Development: Reassign meter readers and train them to perform critical maintenance and repair activities in the distribution system • Employee Safety: Traditional meter reading exposes field staff to a variety of hazards in close proximity to water meters, such as vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed, poisonous plants, and dangerous animals, including rattle snakes • Fuel Savings: Approximately 200 gallons per year • Labor and equipment savings: Approximately $85,000 per year

  22. AMI Project Benefits Customer Service Benefits: • Promotes “proactive” customer outreach and engagement • Detects spikes in water consumption much sooner than currently possible with a two-month billing cycle • “Smart” meters include leak detection sensors to provide early leak alert notifications • Potential for customers to save money on their water bills • Customer portal offers real-time access to water use data, as well as tools to report water wasting and receive text alerts • Facilitates targeted messaging for high water users • Reduces call volume for customer service representatives

  23. AMI Project Benefits Cash Flow Improvements: • Existing manual and drive-by meter reading activities are labor- and time-intensive • Current practice only supports customer billing once every two months • Automating the meter readings process facilitates a transition to monthly billing • Monthly billing improves supply vs demand monitoring, budgeting, and water resources management

  24. GLAC Regional Priorities • Water Supply: • Reduces the District’s reliance on imported water by implementing water efficiency and conservation measures • Climate Change: • Reduces the District’s carbon footprint by minimizing the amount of energy required to deliver imported water supplies as a result of water conservation • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by automating meter readings and minimizing the number of truck rolls

  25. Estimated Budget

  26. Project Schedule

  27. Other Considerations • Meter Replacement Program: • The American Water Works Association (AWWA) recommends replacing water meters every 20 years • AMI will optimize the District’s meter replacement program by prioritizing future meter replacements using performance-based metrics rather than age alone • District Metered Areas (DMAs): • AMI supports the creation of DMAs to measure water flowing in and out of each pressure zone • DMAs can help identify unmetered water losses in the distribution system

  28. Other Considerations • “Cellular” AMI pilot studies: • The District conducted two “cellular” AMI pilot studies, utilizing Neptune’s Cellular Meter Interface Units (CMIUs): • 2017: CMIUs equipped with AT&T cellular technology • 2018: CMIUs equipped with Verizon cellular technology • Examined CMIU performance and each carrier’s coverage in similarly remote locations surrounded by difficult terrain • Roughly 70% of deployed CMIUs found to be within cellular range • Hybrid “cellular” and “fixed” AMI system for maximum coverage • “Fixed” AMI propagation studies: • In October 2018, Neptune completed a propagation study to select strategic locations for installing “fixed” AMI data collectors • Sought to maximize coverage using District-owned facilities • Identified 15 sites to collect reads from 2/3 of all meter locations

  29. Other Considerations • “Solar” studies: • In March 2019, Neptune performed “solar” surveys for the 15 best data collector sites • Assessed feasibility of installing solar-powered data collectors • Found all sites to be compatible with solar, but some sites have easy access to power and others have obvious solar needs • Bid solicitations for contract services: • LA County Public Works is finalizing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit bids for AMI meter and data collector installation services • Goal is to leverage the District’s available resources to expedite installation of backbone infrastructure for the AMI system

  30. Other Considerations • Letter of Support: • The District received a letter of project support from Las Virgenes Municipal Water District • Governing Board Support: • The District will obtain written support and a statement from the LA County Board of Supervisors acknowledging the following: • Approximately $22,000 application fee per implementation project • IRWM Plan Adoption • 3 years Financial Statements • 4.5 percent administration fee subtracted from grant amount • Reimbursement timeframe minimum 6 months from initial submittal to DWR

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